FEAR FACTORY forced to postpone tour!

The mighty Fear Factory, who released what we consider to be the album of the year with "Mechanized", were forced to postpone their short stretch of shows here in the United States due to a family emergency. The tour was suppose to start today and end on January 8th.

Fear Factory had a bittersweet year in 2010: Earlier this year they toured with Metallica in Australia, New Zealand and Japan (SWEET); at the end of their UK tour their bus caught fire (BITTER). Stay tuned for more news about Fear Factory!

In case you were planning on catching this tour, the best we can do to cheer you up, is to share with you some live footage we took of the band earlier this year! \m/





FEAR FACTORY
FEAR FACTORY on MySpace

BREAKING NEWS: Fear Factory's bus catches FIRE

This morning the Fear Factory crew were literally in fear. After their sold out show in Northamptonshire, England they had an incident that could have caused them their lives. As they were driving on the M1 highway to Heathrow airport to drop someone of, their tour bus caught fire. The driver noticed some smoke on one of the back tires and immediately pulled over. He then grabbed the fire extinguisher and frantically attempted to put the fire out, but the flames were too big. He immediately told everyone to evacuate the bus, and when everyone thought they were all save, they realized they were missing a crew member. So without thinking twice, one of the friends of the band ran inside and saved his life.


Here is what guitarist Dino Cazarez had to say about the incident. (Courtesy of Blabbermouth):

"We just finished playing a sold-out show in Sheffield, England and we were on our way to London airport to drop someone off. Everyone was asleep except [for] two [members of the road] crew."

"At about 3:30 a.m. the bus driver noticed smoke coming from the back right wheel. He stopped, jumped out and noticed a flame underneath the wheel. He tried to extinguish it, but the flames were too much."

"Everyone was woken up by one of our crew members yelling to get everyone up and out of the bus. Everyone grabbed there bags and ran off the bus. We stood on the side of the freeway going, 'Thank god we all made it out' until someone noticed our merchandise guy was still asleep on the bus so our good friend ran back on the smoke-filled bus and got him out just minutes before the bus was completely in flames."

"Our eyes were burning and we were all coughing from the smoke. Some of us lost wallets, money, computers etc.. But that's not important compared to our lives."

"It only took about 20 to 30 minutes for the bus to be completely covered in flames."

"The fire trucks and the police finally arrived, but it was too late to save anything on the bus."

"I hope they saved our trailer with the gear."

"A coach bus picked us up and brought us to a nearby hotel."

"We found out early this morning that the trailer was saved and the bus is just a metal frame on the side of the road. They had to scrape up what was left of the bus from the road because it melted into the pavement."

We are very glad that no one got injured, and wish the Fear Factory crew an incident free remainder of the tour. Fear Factory is currently on tour for their latest epic album called "Mechanized". The band will be touring the United Kingdom and will also be performing at various European festivals. We recently saw them take over Irving Plaza in New York City, here is the review of the show.

This is FEAR FACTORY doing REPLICA at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey:


Related links:
Fear Factory on MySpace

Fear Campaign in New York City

On Sunday July 25th, the legendary band Fear Factory brought their "Fear Campaign" tour to New York City's Irving Plaza. The bill also featured Alaska's 36 Crazyfists, After the Burial, Divine Heresy and Baptized in Blood. What we experienced was proof that the New York Heavy Music scene is standing strong. Before we entered the venue, we ran into Fear Factory's drummer Gene Hoglan. We chatted with him for a while about music, and he expressed his concern about illegal downloading. From what he told us, his new DVD "The Atomic Clock" was downloaded over 50,000 times since its release in June. That would make any artist who is constantly working on his craft, feel uneasy. Nevertheless, he signed some autographs, did some phone calls, smoked some cigarettes and was eagerly waiting for the time to get on stage and destroy.

After we parted ways with Hoglan, we arrived at Irving Plaza just in time for Divine Heresy. They delivered a vulgar display of punishing brutality. Dino's guitar work was on fire, and he definitely was not saving energy for his second set with Fear Factory. The rest of the band were as tight as a boxing glove. Following Divine Heresy was After the Burial, a band with Meshuggah like breakdowns that are well blended with brutal vocals. Then it was time for 36 Crazyfists, who definitely got the house warmed up for the mighty Fear Factory.

As soon as the lights went out the crowd started pacing around, as if a beast was about to be unveiled. Legendary drummer Gene Hoglan was the first one to come out and was very hard to miss. The man is a giant and watching him smash his drum kit is amazing. We still can't figure out how he does it. Once Hoglan sat behind his kit, bassist Byron Stroud took his spot, and then the crowd went nuts when guitarist Dino Cazares stepped on stage. Finally vocalist Burton C. Bell welcomed the crowd by saying: "New York City, we are Fear Factory and this is Mechanized"! From the second the band hit the first note, the kids went ape-shit. We started inside the pit and experienced some brotherly slam dancing through Shock, Edgecrusher and Smasher/Devourer, which are all tracks from their album Obsolete. Then we crowd surfed like very few know how to do and ended up on the side of the stage by Dino. It was surreal to be watch the band up-close and personal, and to hear how well crafted their music is.

They played an hour and twenty minutes set. During that time Fear Factory owned New York City, they definitely had the Metallic keys to the city that never stops rocking. They played classics like Replica, Demanufacture, Scapegoat, Martyr and they even played Hunter Killer, which was the highlight of the night. Before Fear Factory finished their set, they got a group picture with the entire venue and that is when the kids went the craziest! If the "Fear Campaign" tour comes to a city near you, don't be scared, Fear Factory will make sure you go home safe and sound. Perhaps with your ears bleeding, but you can't hold them responsible. You can only hold your love for Heavy Music responsible!


This sums the night up: "Headbangers come in all ages and races. We are always hungry for some aggressive music. The type of music that refreshes the spirit and washes out all the anger inside ones soul. For an outsider it seems like senseless noise, but for us the Heavy Music fans it is controlled chaos." -Jo Schüftan (Horns Up Rocks)



Pictures by: Mitchell Damien Maurer

Related links:
Fear Factory on MySpace

Gene Hoglan: Blasts of Fear

Eugene Victor Hoglan II, known by many of you as Gene Hoglan or "The Atomic Clock", is one of the best drummers in the world. During his 26 year career he has played in bands such as Strapping Young Lad, Testament, Dark Angel, War God and Dethklok. When I heard that he was joining the mighty Fear Factory, my heart started beating at triple the tempo. I started envisioning what the new generation of Fear Factory would sound like. The results blew my mind when I heard their latest album titled "Mechanized".

Whenever I blast an album through my ear buds, I immediately start wondering how those songs will transmit on a big stage. What I experienced at the Starland Ballroom on a perfect night, brought back memories of when I saw them for the first time at the Dynamo Festival in Holland. Simply put, Fear Factory crushed Sayreville, New Jersey and proved to me that they have reinvented themselves with "Mechanized".

On this phenomenal night, not only did I get to see one of my favorite bands live, but I also got to interview Gene Hoglan. Gene is a very genuine guy with a great sense of humor. He has the mentality of a child and is not afraid to be himself. And that to me is what being "Metal" is all about. As Pantera puts it on their legendary song Walk: be yourself, by yourself...

Given the fact that Gene is a very funny guy, Horns Up Rocks came up with this comical slide show, which also features the exclusive interview that Horns Up Rocks captured for all of you to enjoy. WARNING: If you take life too seriously, this video might offend you.



Make sure you catch Fear Factory on tour, they will not disappoint you! Here is a little taste of what you can expect.

MECHANIZED:


REPLICA:


Live pictures by: Mitchell Damien Maurer

Related links:
Fear Factory on MySpace

FEAR FACTORY - FEAR CAMPAIGN TOUR 2010! NEW DATES!

More tour dates to come! Direct support will be PRONG

May 14 RIALTO Tucson, Arizona
May 15 CALIFORNIA METALFEST @ FOX THEATRE Pomona, California
May 16 HOUSE OF BLUES San Diego, California
May 17 KNITTING FACTORY Reno, Nevada
May 19 KNITTING FACTORY CONCERT HOUSE Spokane, Washington
May 20 KNITTING FACTORY Boise, Idaho
May 21 CLUB SOUND IN THE VENUE Salt Lake City, Utah
May 22 MARQUIS Denver, Colorado
May 24 POP’S Sauget, Illinois
May 26 THE MACHINE SHOP Flint, Michigan
May 27 INTERSECTION Grand Rapids, Michigan
May 28 HEADLINER’S Louisville, Kentucky
May 29 THE RAVE Milwakee, Wisconsin
May 30 AL ROSA VILLA Columbus, Ohio
Jun 1 NORVA Norfolk, Virginia
Jun 2 JESTER’S PUB Fayetteville, North Carolina
Jun 3 JAXX West Springfield, Virginia
Jun 4 PALLADIUM Worcester, Massachusetts
Jun 5 WEBSTER THEATRE Hartford, Connecticut
Jun 6 TROCADERO Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 8 HIGHER GROUND W/ALL THAT REMAINS So. Burlington, Vermont
Jun 9 PORT CITY MUSIC HALL W/ALL THAT REMAINS Portland, Maine
Jun 10 STARLAND BALLROOM W/ALL THAT REMAINS Sayreville, New Jersey
Jun 11 NORTHERN LIGHTS W/ALL THAT REMAINS Clifton Park, New York
Jun 12 TOWN BALLROOM W/ALL THAT REMAINS Buffalo, New York
Jun 14 PEABODY’S Cleveland, Ohio

Related links:

Fear Factory Official Site
Fear Factory on MySpace
Fear Factory on Twitter

Fear Factory: 2010 the year of Fear

2010 marks the return of the kings of industrial Heavy Metal: Fear Factory. Even though Fear Factory has been an active band during the last few years, once guitarist Dino Cazares left the band in 2002 due to indifference's with vocalist Burton C. Bell, the Factory was missing its riffmanufacturer and the fans knew that something was not right.

At the time when Cazares left the band, it was uncertain if Fear Factory would continue its legacy. After a short hiatus Burton C. Bell decided to continue Fear Factory with drummer Raymond Herrera and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, who took over guitar duties. As a result, Fear Factory hired Byron Stroud (formerly from Strapping Young Lad) as bassist.

Fast forward to April 2009 when Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares rejoined forces and decided to work on a new Fear Factory album. Bell decided to fire Herrera and Olde Wolbers because of personal differences. Fans where shocked at first, but once Bell hired master skins man Gene Hoglan, the excitement for the new Fear Factory took over the Heavy Metal community.

Released on February 9th of this year, Mechanized is a hard hitting extremely powerful album. As Bell mentioned during his interview on Sirius XM's Liquid Metal with Jose Mangin, "it's definitely Fear Factory at its finest, and as Dino coined the term: its the future of a classic."

I personally haven't stopped listening to Mechanized and what I like the most is it's fresh heaviness. The entire album takes you into an uncertain destination, the Fear Factory destination. Ladies and gentleman prepare for mechanization with Fear Factory 2010!

Here is the "Mechanize" track list:
01. Mechanize
02. Industrial Discipline
03. Fear Campaign
04. Powershifter
05. Christploitation
06. Oxidizer
07. Controlled Demolition
08. Designing The Enemy
09. Metallic Division
10. Final Exit

Catch Fear Factory on the "Fear Campaign" tour:



North America:
FEAR FACTORY with Prong, Silent Civilian, Thy Will Be Done
5/21 – Club Sound @ In the Venue, Salt Lake City UT
5/22 – Marquis Theatre, Denver CO
5/24 – Pop’s, Sauget IL
5/26 – The Machine Shop, Flint MI
5/27 – The Intersection, Grand Rapids MI
5/28 – Headliner’s Music Hall, Louisville KY
5/29 – The Rave, Milwaukee WI (live webcast!)
5/30 – Al Rosa Villa, Columbus OH (in store: Magnolia Thunderpussy, address below)
6/01 – The Norva, Norfolk VA
6/02 – Jesters’ Pub, Fayetteville NC
6/03 – Jaxx, W. Springfield VA
6/04 – The Palladium, Worcester MA
6/05 – Webster Theater, Hartford CT
6/06 – Trocadero, Philadelphia (in store: Digital Ferret, address below)

FEAR FACTORY with All That Remains, Silent Civilian, Thy Will Be Done
6/08 – Higher Ground, S. Burlington VT
6/09 – Port City Music Hall, Portland ME
6/10 – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville NJ (in store: Vintage Vinyl, address below)
6/11 – Northern Lights, Clifton Park NY
6/12 – The Town Ballroom, Buffalo NY

FEAR FACTORY with Silent Civilian, Thy Will Be Done
6/15 – Mr. Small’s Theatre, Millvale PA

FEAR FACTORY with 36 Crazyfists, After the Burial, Divine Heresy, Baptized in Blood
7/07 – House of Blues, W. Hollywood CA
7/09 – Roseland Theatre, Portland OR
7/10 – Studio Seven, Seattle WA
7/11 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC
7/13 – Flames Central, Calgary AB
7/14 – The Starlite Room, Edmonton AB
7/15 – Riddell Centre, Regina SK
7/16 – The Garrick Centre, Winnipeg MB
7/17 – The Rock, Maplewood MN
7/19 – People’s Court, Des Moines IA
7/20 – Metro, Chicago IL
7/21 – Harpo’s, Detroit MI
7/23 – Opera House, Toronto ON
7/24 – Parterre Parc Jean Drapeau/Heavy MTL Festival (no tour package)
7/25 – Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza, New York NY
7/26 – Recher Theatre, Towson MD
7/27 – Crocodile Rock, Allentown PA

Europe:
Jun 18 2010 HELLFEST - France, FR
Jun 19 2010 Festival - Koupit, CZECH REPUBLIC
Jun 20 2010 ROCKHAUL - Luxembourg, LU
Jun 22 2010 LAUSANNE LES DOCKS - Switzerland, CH
Jun 23 2010 WINTERTHUR SALSZHAUS - Switzerland, CH
Jun 24 2010 WEIN SZENE - Austria, AT
Jun 25 2010 GOD’S OF METAL - Italy, IT
Jun 26 2010 GRASSPOP - Belgium, BE
Jun 28 2010 GAV CLUB - St. Petersburg, Russia, RU
Jun 29 2010 B1 MAXIMUM - Moscow, Russia, RU
Jul 2 2010 WITH FULL FORCE - Germany, DE
Jul 3 2010 FORTA ROCK - Holland, NL
Jul 4 2010 DEVILSIDE FESTIVAL - Germany, DE
Jul 31 2010 SONISPHERE - United Kingdom
Aug 2 2010 ACADEMY - Dublin,Ireland
Aug 3 2010 SPRING AND AIRBRAKE - Belfast, Northern Ireland
Aug 4 2010 CORPORATION - Sheffield, United Kingdom
Aug 7 2010 WACKEN - Germany
Aug 8 2010 SUMMER THEATRE OPEN AIR - Borgaus City, BULGARIA
Aug 9 2010 WARSZAWA PROGRESJA - Poland
Aug 10 2010 KRAKOW LOCH NESS - Poland
Aug 12 2010 BRUTAL ASSAULT - Czech Republic
Aug 14 2010 BLOODSTOCK - United Kingdom
Aug 15 2010 SZIGET FESTIVAL - ÓBUDAI ISLAND, HUNGARY

For the latest on Fear Factory, follow them on twitter: www.twitter.com/Fear_Factory

HAVE YOU SEEN FEAR FACTORY'S LATEST VIDEO?

Fear Factory - Fear Campaign

By:JoSchuftan (www.twitter.com/joschuftan)