Fear Factory
Digimortal

March 2001
Released: 2001, Roadrunner Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: EvilG

To those who say, "ohh Fear Facroty sold out and play nu-metal now." You are dead wrong. Maybe a mallcore band or two took Fear Factory as an influence but that's it. This is still the same brand of techno-thrash that they have been doing since DEMANUFACTURE. And so a fan I remain.



DIGIMORTAL slams in with "What Will Become" which in fine Fear Factory tradition is full of those superb double kicks. By now you should be over the fact that the drums (especially the double kicks) are triggered to hell! This sounds like typical Fear Factory mixed with a smidgen of ROOTS Speultura. The best parts of the song are when the double kicks follow the machinegun riffing - I'm a sucker for that kind of thing, always have been. The title track, "Digimortal", was a bit on the odd side. There’s something about the verses on this I didn't like. The riff, the vocals...it's not crap, just a bit worrisome. The chorus is great though when Burton switched to his clean voice and uses backing clean vocals. The track "No One" is again a typical Fear Factory intro with the choppy thrashing guitars/double kick drums. The band branches out a bit on "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)." This is a different kind of song for the guys...more melodic, slower...I guess in a way this is there idea of a ballad. This song also goes hand in hand with the more melodic sound of the CD closer “(Memory Imprints) Never End” – again slow paced and atmospheric. I actually really liked it even though these two were not metal thrashing mad! The gem on the CD is by far "Acres of Skin" - what a GODLY thrashing intro!!! WOWWW! Easily my favorite song on the CD and one of the better FF songs since DEMANUFACTURE. There is only one song on this CD that I will never, ever let soil my ears and speakers again. That track is called “Back To The Fuck Up." All I can say is “What the FUCK????” This begins with rapping…huh???? Where did this shit come from??? Please guys, re-release the CD without this track...please!! This is the only moment on the CD that PISSES me off to NO FUCKING END!!!! Leave the rapped vocals to the brain dead trendy mallcore people. If this song gets a video made for it then I'll be even more pissed. This is the worst song these guys have EVER done. Ok I will now never think of this song again.



Overall this CD is another fine chapter in the ongoing Fear Factory saga. I know some people have them written off, but after listening to DIGIMORTAL I have not. Check this out with an open mind and don’t let the bad reviews that you’ve read sway you. If you like DEMANUFACTURE and OBSOLETE as I did, then DIGIMORTAL will also be something you will be able to get into.