Track Listing

1. Shock
2. Edgecrusher
3. Smasher/Devourer
4. Securitron (Police State 2000)
5. Descent
6. Hi Tech Hate
7. Freedom Or Fire
8. Obsolete
9. Resurrection
10. Timelessness
11. Cars
12. 00 (Where Evil Dwells)
13. Soulwound
14. Messiah
15. Concreto

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15134 in Music
• Released on: 2002-08-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Limited Edition

Amazon.co.uk Review
In this futuristic tale, our world has been taken over by the machines we created, but dissenters are bent on undermining the system that has ascended. It's an oft-told tale, and the quartet's ultrafast staccato guitar assaults are familiar, but there are some surprises in evidence on Obsolete. Burton C. Bell no longer just bellows. DJ Zodak scratches up the crunching "Edgecrusher". Drummer Raymond Herrera provides some engaging organic drum & bass mimicry on "Freedom or Fire". And the last two cuts feature a 12-piece string section. Given the aggressive atmosphere of what's come before, it's refreshing that the nihilistic finale consists of simple, mournful vocals; synth noises; and beautifully elegiac strings. --Bryan Reesman

CD Description
Canada's Fear Factory is part of the '90s industrial metal scene that, unlike its Luddite '70s/'80s forebears, has no qualms about embracing technology (in this case, synths, programming and even a DJ) in the service of their dark, almost gothic vision. On OBSOLETE, the band owes much of its sound to thrash metal, with churning, gut-punching guitar riffs, sore-throat-from-hell vocals and an unrelentingly ominous mood. What separates Fear Factory from more traditionally inclined thrashers is their aforementioned incorporation of synths to help set the mood. Guest Rhys Fulber's keyboards function both as ambient pads to help establish atmosphere and as melodic elements, underscoring chord progressions. There's even a string section orchestrating the band's more melodic cuts. Look out for a spoken word appearance from electro-gloom godfather Gary Numan on the highly melodic title track.

Customer Reviews

Fear Factory deliver yet another brilliant album
Following on from 'Demanufacture' was never going to be easy. In the end, 'Obsolete' doesn't reach the heights of its predecessor, but still it remains an essential metal album. In fact, any criticisms of the album arise only when compared to 'Demanufacture'.

With each consequent album, Fear Factory gradually took a more commercial approach. The production is sharper, with less of an emphasis on the pulverising drumming and the riffs now have more of a staccato bounce to them. The song structures appear now to take a more traditional rock approach, and there are more samples, keyboards and sung sections. On the whole, this does lose a bit of the dark atmosphere of the last album, but makes for a more instantly accessible album.

There are nevertheless, as you would expect from Fear Factory, some nice innovative moments. For example: the use of scratches on the aggressive 'Edgecrusher'; the inventive rhythm behind 'Freedom or Fire'; the highly orchestrated 'Resurrection' and, perhaps most surprising of all, the haunting atmospherics of 'Timelessness', with its fantastic string arrangement.

The bonus tracks are actually very good as well. 'Cars' is a cover of a Gary Numan song, and features his guest vocals. 0-0 {Where Evil Dwells} is actually quite an inaccessible track: very slow, highly intense industrial music. The final three bonus tracks are all excellent, very heavy tracks which are more akin to Fear Factory's earlier stuff (Concreto is actually taken from the 'Demanufacture' recording sessions).

'Obsolete' is a must have, and is one of the key metal albums of the nineties. Just buy 'Demanufacture' first.

Concept?
Oh yes...FF do it again. This is a concept album with a stotyline running through the tracks. In the sleave, as well as the lyrics, there is narrative running alondside. FF explore man v machine. They play like machines, with the precision of drum machines and sampled guitars but they actually do it live. The tracks on this album are all the best, searing metal you can get. The only thing wrong is Slipknot would not exist in their presend form if it was'nt for FF. Burton C. Bell's vocal style and using samples and scratching on some tracks is what Slipknot does. But FF vocals are much better. He screams better and sings better. FF's music is so much more adult thanSlipknot. While I like Slipknots intensity and live performance, Fear Factory are in a different league altogether. Great stuff.

Obsolete
I've had this album since it came out in 1998, its was one of my first ever heavy records along with Machine Heads' Burning Red. These were the bands my heavy roots were raised upon so they still hold a special place in me somewhere, aww. I thought I'd review Obsolete because it was my favourite record for quite a while and is, in my opinion the pinnacle of Fear Factory and indeed Machine Head's back catalogue. You see I've pissed off a few people right there because Demanufacture is heralded as FF's best, and one of the best heavy albums of the 1990s. I have always thought Obsolete was much better; first of all the production on this album is absolutely awesome; clear, heavy and has an incredible amount of depth. Secondly the songwriting on this album is far more consistent than Demanufacture, which I think gets a bit stale towards the end. Obsolete keeps me interested (save for the bonus tracks on my digipak which are a bit dubious.). Every song packs a punch and is far more varied than Demanufacture; Shock, the opener is an absolute monster of a tune and Edgecrusher is as catchy as you're going to get in this genre. Smasher/Devourer and Securitron are big tunes in my book; more subtly catchy and very deep sound. I think it's the whole vibe of the album that I like, the artwork is actually really good and has depth & texture (notice that word is cropping up a lot), and following the concept adds another twist on the songs and gives than greater meaning.
Hi-Tec Hate was the first FF track I ever heard and is possibly still my favourite song of their's. Resurrection is the big surprise on here though. It's extremely melodic without being cheesy or overly emotional, which is saying something for a metal band. (Ever heard Descend The Shades Of Night by Machine Head - horrible!). Resurrection has these really odd series of riffs that are pretty irresistable and Burton's voice sounds better than he has on anything before or after.
This is one of the only concept albums too, that come across without being self indulgent and aids, rather than hinders, the vibe of the album.
Yeah, I still really enjoy digging this one out and having a good listen, even though my friends take this piss for it. The hell with them! Man is obsolete!