Fear Factory Interview with Burton C Bell

Ever since the birth of their debut album 'Soul Of A New Machine' in 1992, Los Angeles based industrial metal gods Fear Factory have impacted the heavy music world with their hard-hitting, technological and extreme sound. Now in 2015, Fear Factory have just released their ninth studio album titled 'Genexus' which takes old school elements that long time listeners will love but also accompanied by a very modern sound that will please fans from the past, present and future.  Vocalist and co-founder of Fear Factory, Burton C Bell took some time out from his busy schedule to chat about the new album, change in music, other projects and much more.

RR: Congrats on the new album Genexus! Do you mind telling the readers what the title means and how you came up with it exactly?

Burton: (laughs) Well, we were searching for a title for quite some time and Dino came across this word online. He presented it to me and we couldn’t really find anything about this word, we jumped online and searched dictionaries. So we decided to create our own definition for it, which is a combination of both words.

Genesis + Nexus = Genexus.

Genesis being creation and nexus being change. So what we did was we made the term or the name for the next generation of humanity when man becomes machine.

RR: How do you feel about the new album? When you compare it to your previous album ‘The Industrialist’ for example. It sounds like you guys are back on top of things and doing what Fear Factory do best once again.

Burton: I feel great about this record and we spent a lot of time on it. I mean it was a painstaking length to do it properly. The Industrialist was a good record but it was a little rushed and this time we were able to take our time and make it exactly how we wanted it. Nuclear Blast was also very supportive and helpful through the process and we’re all very proud of it.

RR: Speaking of Nuclear Blast. What’s it like to be signed to them now along with so many other great bands at the moment?

Burton: It feels great! It reminds me of being part of a family once again. Kind of like what Roadrunner Records used to be like back in the 90’s. We’re the happiest we’ve been for a long time and Nuclear Blast are doing an amazing job.

RR: After being in a band for 25 years and experiencing so many changes along the way, what’s your take on the heavy metal scene right now?

Burton: Saturated (laughs). There’s a lot of bands out there, I mean A LOT! So many acts to compete with but there’s also so many good bands out there making great music. Because of the Internet there’s been much more exposure to metal and all different types of metal with all these different streaming services now. People are able to check out bands that they hear about much easier, because before that people actually had to go out and buy a record so they could hear a band.  I think there’s more people listening to metal than ever but metal is still a genre that’s not fully accepted.

RR: I think that with physical sales it’s also usually the heavier bands that still sell a lot of albums when they’re released because metal fans are very loyal. You’ve got Lamb Of God sitting at the top of the album charts now and it’s great to see some heavier acts getting more exposure.

Burton: That’s totally true! Heavy metal fans are very loyal. Metal fans are loyal as hell man! They do go out there and they support the artists, which I love. They go to the concerts, they buy the records, they wear the shirts and that’s great. Metal fans are definitely the most supportive and loyal music fans that I know of.

RR: This new album is your ninth studio album, which in itself is an amazing milestone to achieve. Do you personally have a favourite Fear Factory album?

Burton: It’s like asking me which one is my favourite child (laughs). Each record tells a different a story of the life of Fear Factory. You know, it’s a different chapter with different elements for our journey. I love the first record because it was our first record; it was such an exciting time for us. I love the second album because it defined us. I love the third album because it propelled us to gold record status. I love Digimortal because it took Fear Factory to a whole other level. Every record just holds a different meaning and I don’t have a favourite.

RR: A lot of people have said that ‘Genexus’ is like a mixture of ‘Obsolete’ and ‘Digitmortal’ with a modern day twist. I tend to agree, but what is your opinion on that? Would you agree?

Burton: Absolutely! I love they say that! Instead of saying it sounds like Nine Inch Nails meets Rammstein (laughs) you know? I’m glad they’re comparing it to not only two Fear Factory albums, but also two Fear Factory albums that we love. That was our intention from the get-go, to make an album with a modern take but also keep that element that got us where we are today. We wanted a Demanufacture feel, but we also wanted an Obsolete feel and vibe as well, and it took many of us and a lot of time and hard work to make it happen.

RR: You guys were here earlier on in the year for Soundwave Festival, will it be a while before Australia gets their Fear Factory fix again?

Burton: It won’t be until 2016. We’re definitely planning on getting there again, but so far there’s nothing concrete as of yet. We love Australia, so we can’t wait to get back there.

RR: Will it be a headline tour this time around?

Burton: Oh yeah! We’ll be headlining for sure.

RR: You’re obviously a huge fan of sci-fi. Do you have a favourite sci-fi film of all time?

Burton: Blade Runner. It’s just a perfect film; it has a great story, great characters, and great effects for its time and just a great concept. It also has a really cool soundtrack and I just love everything about that movie.

RR: You’re releasing a graphic novel very soon titled ‘The Industrialist’ that is also the title of your 2012 album. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Burton: Yeah, it’s my own personal project which will be completely released on my own rather than a publishing company. The Industrialist album is the soundtrack to this novel; the story is captured through the images and scenes with tremendous detail. I found an artist out of London named Will Guard to create the images to follow the story. I found another artist out of Pennsylvania named Vachel Shannon to digitally colour the images. It’s a completely limited edition, so there were only 500 made, it’s only available through www.BurtonCBell.com and it looks fucking great!

RR: Well it’s been a pleasure talking to you Burton and we can’t wait to see Fear Factory here in Australia again soon. Thanks for your time.

Burton: Thank you very much, I appreciate it and thank you for taking the time early in the morning to speak with me. We will see you very soon hopefully and enjoy the rest of your day.

'Genexus' is out now via Nuclear Blast Records and available on iTunes and all JB HIFI retailers across Australia.