Unless you managed to live under a rock for majority of the 90s metal movement, a little album known as Demanufacture should be very familiar to you! Depending on who you speak with, this album consists of some of the most well known and pinnacle Fear Factory songs in their huge back catalogue which spans a massive 25+-year life as a band, it seems only fitting that tonight is a birthday celebration of Demanufacture achieving and remaining one of Fear Factories stand out albums 20 long and heavy years later. And which better way to celebrate you ask? Well that would be play the album from start to finish live and in person of course!
This isn’t the only special thing about tonight’s show however, another reason to get excited is for the return of the metal mastermind himself in his new band Once Human. Logan Mader, another important name in metal history you should all be familiar with for being one of the individuals responsible for Machine Head’s Burn My Eyes & The More Things Change, two of the greatest metal albums of all time. Once Human bringing Logan out of musical retirement to once again grace us with his presence on stage by supporting the mighty Fear factory on this tour.
But before the festivities begin however, we have Dead Label kicking off tonight’s proceedings who, along with Once Human, are proving tonight that women in metal are alive and strong with a drummer who can throw down with the best of them! Hailing from the lands of the Irish and bringing their groove-laden metal to the stage to get the party started. Riff after riff, scream after scream, reminiscent of early Lamb of God, its clear that Dead Label are here to make a statement and what better stage to do it it on.
After short break, beers topped up, and some last remaining stragglers entering the venue, the Forum now a cosy assemblage of metal fans now filling up the place for Once Human. Its not clear at this point in the show if the band are known to the punters but upon gracing us with their presence on stage, you wouldn’t have thought otherwise. ‘Ground Zero’ introduces those unfamiliar with the band on what they are all about. Once Human are aggressive. Once Human are heavy and it is made apparent that Once Human are loving what they’re doing at the moment by pummelling each and every face in the crowd with their barrage of riffs and the guttural screams of Lauren Hart who is getting the crowd pumped with a big smile on her face throughout the whole set which ends on a cover of Davidian which the crowd eats up completely with everyone screaming “let freedom ring with the shotgun blast”.
On to the main event. If there is one way to describe Fear Factory on this night, it is simply…
So…f***ing…heavy.
A short intro with the band walking on stage to absolute cheers show that those loyal fans of the band are still here all these years later. Burton C Bell soaks in the atmosphere before roaring to the crowd “this, is Demanufacture”. And thus begins a wonderful journey. 20 long years and throughout this set, this album still sounds absolutely crushing, even more so in this live environment where not one person is standing still. Where not one person isn’t singing along the words in some way. Tonight, there are no long talks in between songs, there are no deviations from the album. You get Demanufacture in all of its solid, heavy glory. In addition, the sound guy deserves a medal for possibly the best sound I have personally ever heard in the London Forum.
The fan favourites like ‘Self Bias Resistor’, ‘Replica’ and ‘Pisschrist’ force the venue into an absolute warzone and ending with the peace and tranquillity of ‘A Therapy for pain’.
After a short break, and a lot of “Dino” chants. The band return to close out the evening with some fan favourites. Just when you thought the crowd couldn’t get any rowdier, Fear Factory come back with ‘Shock’ as well as melting our faces of with ‘Edgecrusher’ with a chunk of new songs from the latest ‘Genexus’ release closing what has been a very successful night for all.
Click here to see our interview with Burton C Bells of Fear Factory earlier on in the year at MetalDays.
