I've listened to Archetype about three times now, after getting it on Saturday. Hell must be freezing over, because this album actually is a "return to form." This is no St. Anger or The World Needs a Hero. This is vintage Fear Factory.
I hesitate to claim that it is better than Obsolete, which is my favorite FF album, even though many love to rip on that album. Hell, I even liked about half of Digimortal. Everyone's favorite album, Demanufature, is hit and miss with me. Half the album is untouchable, half the album is average. I much prefer Archetype to FF's classic, Demanufacture.
Archetype is definitely a return to the brutal, mechanical sound of Demanufature. There are no "soft" songs like Resurrection (which was brilliant) or Therapy for Pain that ends the album, although it does end in typical FF fashion.
The majority of the songs are very strong, with only 1 or 2 duds (out of 12 FF songs and 1 cover, more on that later). Like Demanufacture, Archetype centers on the strengths of the band, Herrera's mechanically precise drumming and Burton's vocals. Herrera of course blows the shit out of almost every other metal drummer, triggers or not. Although, it can be argued that triggers are a part of FF's sound, since they are an "industrial" metal band. Burton's vocals have vastly improved since Digimortal. He sounds far more aggressive and energetic. His clean vocals are more precise and less-nasally than on Digimortal. In my opinion, he is one of metal's finest all-around vocalists.
It must also be said that Christian Olde Wolbers does a fine job on guitar (he was the band's bassist since Demanufature) and Byron Stroud (SYL) is strong on bass. I guess getting rid of Dino was what the band needed to get their collective shit together. Obviously, Dino must have been directing the band astray, because his absence has ignited and energized the band.
My biggest gripe with the album is the cover they chose. FF is no stranger to cover songs, as they've done both Dog Day Sunrise and Cars, but to pick Kurt Cobain's "School" (I assume this was a Nirvana song..??) just doesn't fit. It is tacked on the very end of the album, after a very fitting FF ending, practically ruining any feeling the ending gave. I went from thinking "Now that was a great Fear Factory album" to listening to lyrics about "high school" and shit. The cover just isn't convincing, doesn't fit the FF mold (Dog Day Sunrise was great), plus Nirvana has always sucked.
Other than a gripe or two, Archetype is a very worthy FF release. It might be a case of "too little too late" for some. But I've always had a soft spot for the band and felt that they have received more criticism and baseless insults than they deserved.
Will Archetype win FF many new fans? It really depends on the individual. Any fan of metal should enjoy this. It's thrashy, brutal, fast, has great vocals, excellent drumming, but a lot of people are turned off by the mechanical feel FF sometimes gives, not to mention the listeners that probably heard Soul of a New Machine (boring death metal with crappy vocals) or Digimortal (FF's "Black Album") first.
Will old FF fans like this? Without a doubt.
I hesitate to claim that it is better than Obsolete, which is my favorite FF album, even though many love to rip on that album. Hell, I even liked about half of Digimortal. Everyone's favorite album, Demanufature, is hit and miss with me. Half the album is untouchable, half the album is average. I much prefer Archetype to FF's classic, Demanufacture.
Archetype is definitely a return to the brutal, mechanical sound of Demanufature. There are no "soft" songs like Resurrection (which was brilliant) or Therapy for Pain that ends the album, although it does end in typical FF fashion.
The majority of the songs are very strong, with only 1 or 2 duds (out of 12 FF songs and 1 cover, more on that later). Like Demanufacture, Archetype centers on the strengths of the band, Herrera's mechanically precise drumming and Burton's vocals. Herrera of course blows the shit out of almost every other metal drummer, triggers or not. Although, it can be argued that triggers are a part of FF's sound, since they are an "industrial" metal band. Burton's vocals have vastly improved since Digimortal. He sounds far more aggressive and energetic. His clean vocals are more precise and less-nasally than on Digimortal. In my opinion, he is one of metal's finest all-around vocalists.
It must also be said that Christian Olde Wolbers does a fine job on guitar (he was the band's bassist since Demanufature) and Byron Stroud (SYL) is strong on bass. I guess getting rid of Dino was what the band needed to get their collective shit together. Obviously, Dino must have been directing the band astray, because his absence has ignited and energized the band.
My biggest gripe with the album is the cover they chose. FF is no stranger to cover songs, as they've done both Dog Day Sunrise and Cars, but to pick Kurt Cobain's "School" (I assume this was a Nirvana song..??) just doesn't fit. It is tacked on the very end of the album, after a very fitting FF ending, practically ruining any feeling the ending gave. I went from thinking "Now that was a great Fear Factory album" to listening to lyrics about "high school" and shit. The cover just isn't convincing, doesn't fit the FF mold (Dog Day Sunrise was great), plus Nirvana has always sucked.
Other than a gripe or two, Archetype is a very worthy FF release. It might be a case of "too little too late" for some. But I've always had a soft spot for the band and felt that they have received more criticism and baseless insults than they deserved.
Will Archetype win FF many new fans? It really depends on the individual. Any fan of metal should enjoy this. It's thrashy, brutal, fast, has great vocals, excellent drumming, but a lot of people are turned off by the mechanical feel FF sometimes gives, not to mention the listeners that probably heard Soul of a New Machine (boring death metal with crappy vocals) or Digimortal (FF's "Black Album") first.
Will old FF fans like this? Without a doubt.
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