Soul of a New Machine

Template:For Template:Use mdy dates Template:More citations needed {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Fear Is the Mindkiller1993albumSoul of a New MachineFear Factory Soul of a New Machine.jpgFear FactoryAugust 25, 1992May 1992Grand Master, Ltd. (Hollywood)*Death metal

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Soul of a New Machine is the debut studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on August 25, 1992, by Roadrunner Records. Although this record was Fear Factory's first studio album to be released, it was actually their second album to be recorded, after Concrete, which was recorded in 1991 but not released until 11 years later. German magazine Rock Hard described it as death metal with many other elements such as industrial metal.

Soul of a New Machine was remastered and re-released on October 5, 2004, in a digipak, packaged together with the remastered Fear Is the Mindkiller EP.

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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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>Template:Cite book</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.

Reception

AllMusic's Jason Birchmeier remarked that "Fear Factory were quite ahead of their time in 1992". The critic also noted the diversity of the genres featured in the recording, saying that "Soul of a New Machine was so groundbreaking because it [fused] together some of the best aspects of numerous metal subgenres", which "[resulted] in a unique sound".<ref name="Fear Factory's Soul of a New Machine album review" />

Rock Hard rated the album highly, saying that the sound of the album was strange, indescribable yet required listening. Rock Hard also complimented the blending of various sub-genres, with particular note to Burton Bell for managing such an eclectic set of vocals.<ref name="Rock Hard">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Kerrang! (p. 61) - "[The album] contains all the unrefined qualities that would soon make Fear Factory legendary."

Credits

Fear Factory

• Burton C. Bell – lead vocals (credited as "Dry Lung Vocal Martyr"), programming (credited as "Hardware, Utilities"), lyrics, intro programming (10)
• Dino Cazares – guitars (credited as "Discordant"), bass, arrangements
• Raymond Herrera – drums (credited as "Variable Percussive Wrecking")
• Andrew Shives – bass ("Discordant Bass")Template:Efn

Additional personnel

• Colin Richardson – producer, mixing, add. performer (9)
• Steve Harris – engineer, mixing
• Bradley Cook – assistant engineer
• Rober Fayer – assistant engineer, add. performer (9)
• Eddy Schreyer – mastering
• Ted Jensen – remastering (Expanded Edition)
• Satok Lrak, Karl Kotas (spelled backwards) – computer graphics, art direction
• Joe Lance – photography
• Lora Porter – executive producer, add. performer (9)
• Otis – sampling (credited as "Sample God"),
• Darius Seponlou – introduction (5), intro programming (5)
• Monte Conner – A&R