The reformed FEAR FACTORY — now consisting of Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar/bass), Raymond Herrera (drums), and Burton C. Bell (vocals) — have posted for download 45-second samples of three cuts from their recently-recorded demo.
A fourth cut recorded during the same sessions, "Bite The Hand That Feeds", was not made available for download, but is believed to be among the tracks planned for inclusion on the band's upcoming studio album, tentatively due in late 2003.
At the time of this writing, it is not clear if Roadrunner Records will exercise their contractual option to issue the group's next studio album, which will mark the band's first release without guitarist/co-founder Dino Cazares.
FEAR FACTORY unceremoniously split in early March after announcing the departure of Bell, whose personality clashes with Cazares proved to be too much for the frontman to handle, eventually forcing him to leave the group. Subsequent interviews with Cazares and Herrera revealed deep-rooted differences between the other members and Dino, who has since announced plans to launch an as-yet-unnamed new project.
The official web site of Roadrunner Records has posted September 16th as the tentative release date for MACHINE HEAD's forthcoming live CD, entitled MACHINE HEAD: Live At Brixton, October 28th as the tentative release date for TYPE O NEGATIVE's long-awaited and as-yet-untitled new studio album, and July 29th as the tentative release date for the previously-unavailable, Ross Robinson-produced album from FEAR FACTORY, entitled Concrete, which was originally recorded back in 1991.
FEAR FACTORY will release their first DVD, entitled Digital Connectivity, on December 18th. Among other footage, the DVD will feature live video performances of the following 11 tracks:
01. Martyr (Filmed live at the Dynamo Open Air Festival in Eindhoven, Holland – 1993) 02. Scapegoat (Filmed live at the Dynamo Open Air Festival in Eindhoven, Holland – 1993) 03. Scumgrief (Filmed live at the Dynamo Open Air Festival in Eindhoven, Holland – 1993) 04. Demanufacture (Filmed live at The Forum in Kentish Town, London - Machines Of Hate tour, 1996) 05. Self Bias Resistor (Recorded live for MTV UK's Headbanger's Ball - London, 1996) 06. Dog Day Sunrise (Filmed live at The Warehouse in Toronto – 1996) 07. Shock (Filmed live at Club Citta in Japan – 1999) 08. Edgecrusher (Filmed live at Club Citta in Japan - 1999) 09. What Will Become? (Filmed live at House Of Blues - 2001) 10. Damaged (Filmed live at The Reading Festival in England - 2001) 11. Digimortal (Filmed live at The Opera House in Toronto - 2001)
The DVD will also contain the following eight previously unreleased audio tracks and rare B-sides:
01. Frequency (Recorded four months after the completion of Digimortal, making it the newest FEAR FACTORY song) 02. Machine Debaser (Originally recorded for the video game Demolition Racer, parts of this track were later recycled and became the chorus of "Hurt Conveyor" and the bridge of "What Will Become?")) 03. Demolition Racer (also originally recorded for the Demolition Racer video game, a part of this song later became the chorus of "Acres Of Skin") 04. Cyberdyne 05. Refueled 06. Transgenic 07. Edgecrusher (Urban Assault Mix) 08. Descent (Falling Deeper Mix)
To coincide with the DVD’s release, Roadrunner Records will be sending to radio stations a promo CD containing all the audio tracks that are to appear on the DVD. Unfortunately this promo CD will only be given to radio stations and will ONLY be available in the US. In other news, FEAR FACTORY will be releasing special-edition tour EPs in the UK and Australia to coincide with the group’s dates at the upcoming Can’t Take Me Apart tour. The UK version (released November 12th) will feature the following tracks:
01. Linchpin 02. Frequency 03. Machine Debaser 04. Linchpin (video)
The Australian version will feature the following tracks:
01. Frequency 02. Linchpin (Digimortal album version) 03. Machine Debaser 04. Demolition Racer 05. Invisible Wounds (The Suture Mix) 06. Replica (recorded live during the Ozzfest Tour 1996) 07. Edgecrusher (recorded live at The Palace, St. Kilda, Australia on February 26, 1999. Previously unreleased on CD) Plus the "Linchpin" video clip, and the four-part mini series of the making of Digimortal.