Editing Soul of a New Machine (section)

==Overview==
Guitarist [[Dino Cazares]] has stated that ''Soul of a New Machine'' is a [[concept album]], concerning man's creation of a machine that could be either technological or governmental. It was also confirmed by bassist [[Christian Olde Wolbers]] in an interview.<ref name="KindaMuzik">{{cite web|title = KindaMuzik - Interview with Christian Olde Wolbers|author=Bart Nijssen|publisher=KindaMuzik|url=http://www.kindamuzik.net/interview/fear-factory/fear-factory|accessdate=2007-04-13|date=September 17, 2001}}</ref> The particular concept would later play a more prominent role in some of Fear Factory's later albums.

Jason Birchmeier of [[AllMusic]] described the album as ushering in the [[alternative metal]] era of the 1990s.<ref name="Fear Factory's Soul of a New Machine album review" /> ''Soul of a New Machine'' has also been described as [[death metal]] with elements of genres like [[industrial metal]] and, to some extent, [[grindcore]].<ref name="Metal Hammer">{{cite web|publisher=[[Louder Sound]]|work=[[Metal Hammer]]|last=Boyd|first=William|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/every-fear-factory-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best-1?fbclid=IwAR1EwkWrFDjDg16KpTavKJwW6iuCPr_1vRtqQt2g4nWH5VbHVR10p0IZCDQ|title=Every Fear Factory album, ranked from worst to best|quote=Nobody else was merging the toxic combination of death and industrial metal except Fear Factory|date=August 19, 2016|accessdate=January 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aversionline.com/view/fear-factory-scumgrief-from-soul-of-a-new-machine-roadrunner-1992 |title=Song of the Day: Fear Factory, "Scumgrief," from Soul of a New Machine (Roadrunner, 1992) |publisher=Aversion Online |date=August 14, 2014 |accessdate=January 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.moshville.co.uk/reviews/album-review/2013/11/oldie-but-goldie-fear-factory-soul-of-a-new-machine/ |title=Oldie But Goldie: Fear Factory – Soul of a New Machine |date=November 21, 2013 |publisher=Moshville |accessdate=January 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2022/10/12/youre-gonna-want-to-pick-up-this-limited-edition-vinyl-set-of-fear-factorys-soul-of-a-new-machine/ |title=You're Gonna Want to Pick Up This Limited Edition Vinyl Box Set of Fear Factory's Soul of a New Machine |publisher=MetalSucks |last=Keenan |first=Hesher |date=October 12, 2022 |accessdate=January 5, 2022}}</ref> Author Colin Larkin of ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' wrote "''Soul of a New Machine'' established Fear Factory as a genuine death metal force, with a good collection of songs delivered with originality and ferocity."<ref>{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |quote=The Colin Richardson-produced ''Soul of a New Machine'' established Fear Factory as a genuine death metal force, with a good collection of songs delivered with originality and ferocity. |publisher=Omnibus Press |date=May 27, 2011 |isbn= 9780857125958}}</ref>

The record featured a different conceptual style from Fear Factory's later works. "Martyr" is about someone who dies for a cause; "Leechmaster" is about relationship problems; "Scapegoat" was based on how Cazares was once wrongfully accused by the law; "Crisis" is an anti-war song; "Crash Test" concerns [[animal testing]] and "Suffer Age" is based on [[serial killer]] [[John Wayne Gacy]]. The other songs contain different themes. Samples from the movies ''[[Full Metal Jacket]]'', ''[[Blade Runner]]'', and ''[[Apocalypse Now]]'' are heard sporadically throughout the album.