Fear Factory

Transgression
Universal

I was truly caught off guard by this album. I wasn't expecting it to sound quite like this, even though I'd heard quite a lot of hype surrounding it, saying that they'd taken their sound to a whole new level. This is very true, and it's evident right from the first thirty seconds of track one. A little sound effect opens the album, then it's right into their full-blown assault (as usual), but I quickly realized that they were playing in 5/4 time. Actually, the verses are played in 5/4, then 7/4 for the last bar. That's probably the most complex time arrangement I'd ever heard from them, and my first impression was that it works very well with their sound. That being said, "540,000 Degrees Fahrenheit" is probably the best track on the album. Excellent vocal work from Burton, with the rest of the band backing him like only they can. It's a real blast and a great way to open what sadly turned out to be only a marginal release.

"Transgression" feels a little scattered, and I'm not sure why they chose to release it as their first single, other than because it shares its name with the album. Also, this is where they really start to recycle their lyrical themes. I know they've been doing it for their entire career, but they've reached a point where they should really try to come up with new topics to sing about. "Spinal Compression" is less scattered, but still a bit of a re-hash, although they once again throw in some tricky time changes to liven things up. "Contagion" has a new lyrical theme, but my God, Burton really shouldn't try to growl like he does here. I would try to describe it, but I wouldn't be able to get the idea across. You really have to hear the song to understand. However, there is a nice string section added during the chorus, as well as through a lot of "Echo Of My Scream". Actually, that song sounds like a completely different band performed it. It's a true ballad, with minimal heaviness, and plenty of heart-felt singing. Kudos to them for attempting and pulling off something that they have only hinted at before.

They have also, like on past albums, included two covers songs. "I Will Follow", by U2, and "Millenium", by Killing Joke. Both covers are done quite well, with the band handling the tracks as expertly as they ever do. They manage to mould themselves into the vein of the original artist, while still retaining some of their own sound. Especially the occasional harsh touches Burton affects on his voice during "I Will Follow".

To sum it all up, this album marks a new direction for the band, but it will remain to be seen how their fans react to it in the long run. I have seen both negative and positive reviews, and my own opinion falls somewhere in between. I don't dislike it at all; in fact, I find the progressive elements to be quite refreshing. I'm just concerned that they are sacrificing their catchy hooks to sound new and innovative. If I could tell them just one thing, I would suggest that they stay on this path, but work in the memorable riffs and choruses that made them so great before.

Stu Patterson