There are bands that simply contribute to genres and there are bands that create, shape and set them; Fear Factory are definitely in the latter, defining the qualities and expectations of industrial metal. A claim that can be made with confidence considering they’ve been playing together since 1989.

Fear Factory have spent the last year touring their monster album, The Industrialist from 2012, a follow-up to 2010’s Mechanize, which kept the musicians busy on a global schedule.

Having reached the final chapter of their world tour and The Industrialist album cycle, Fear Factory are mixing things up with a very special Australian leg, and vocalist Burton C. Bell describes how: “We’ll be doing the ‘Demanufac-tour’” – by playing the 1995 hit album Demanufacture in its entirety. The Australian shows will mark Fear Factory’s 20th anniversary since hitting our shores for the very first time in 1993.

“We’re really looking forward to doing this. It has a plan we’ve been talking about doing for a very long time, so we’re all very excited,” says Bell. Not only will it be the first time Fear Factory is playing this album in Australia – but anywhere. “Some of these songs we have never ever played live before so we’re pretty happy about that too.”

Considering their significantly sizeable back catalogue, what inspired the decision to go all the way back to 1995, and focus on Demanufacture. “It is [a] good memory of an interesting time in our lives and our career,” Bell reflects, “and it’s an album that really put Fear Factory on the musical map.”[Demanufacture] is a good memory of an interesting time in our lives and our career and it’s an album that really put Fear Factory on the musical map…” – Burton C. Bell

“We’ll be playing some other surprises as well,” he teases about the forthcoming tour, without revealing specifically what to expect.

The vocalist also recognises the prices fans pay to see them perform on stage at each show are important. “We want to give everyone their money’s worth and make it worth their while so we always make sure we deliver.”

Soundwave Touring has yet to reveal any support acts yet for the Australian shows but Bell has some idea as to who he’d like to join them. “We’ll probably leave it to the promoter – who knows best – but if we could get Karnivool on these shows, it’d be awesome.”

The 44-year old claims to have developed quite a relationship with the Perth-bred alternative rock band; “we have played quite a few shows with those guys in the past including a couple of the Big Day Out festivals so we know those guys personally.”

Namely the 2010 edition of Big Day Out, the year Muse headlined as well as Bell’s mates from Karnivool.

“We’ve played a few shows with them outside of that as well and they’re a great Australian band,” since their latest Big Day Out appearance, Fear Factory have supported Metallica on their World Magnetic Tour as well as their Industrialist stop-over in September last year. The band have proved themselves worthy to visit our shores as regularly as they do – just ask any show-goer.

“We’re just keen on being tourists there,” Bell enthuses. “Australia was the first country that really embraced Fear Factory whole-heartedly and so we constantly feel like we owe it to Australia.”

The lucky country will just have to continually put up with the industrialists it seems. “Yeah, it is such a drag coming to Australia.” Bell cackles sarcastically, “because there’s nothing spectacular about your country at all” he continues, with a roar of laughter.

After the Australian leg, Fear Factory has more touring to embark upon. “The band will be heading to Europe for a run of festivals as well as doing a leg in Russia,” reveals Belle, and the metallers are still winding up their North American tour before coming Down Under too.  “Australia was the first country that really embraced Fear Factory whole-heartedly and so we constantly feel like we owe it to Australia.” – Burton C. Bell

Obviously fans will be curious as to what’s next after the Industrialist tour cycle is complete. “We will all be taking some time off but we’ll get back into the writing cycle as soon as possible,” remarks Bell.

With a lot of good quality heavy music being released all the time, it is interesting to pick  Bell’s brain for his musical influences. “There’s a [Dutch psychedelic] band called The Devil’s Blood that I’ve been listening, to as well as a band called Graveyards,” from Gothenburg, he lists, “[they’re] a heavier stoner kind of band – as well as a band called Matz” – Bell plugs.

Bell emphasises an infinite open-mindedness to music without limiting himself to the heavier side of things. “I think that is what helps make the Fear Factory sound,” he ponders, to be always listening to different music – “I’m not really that much of a metal head but I really like the atmosphere of industrial metal,” the singer reveals.

Bell’s openness to music has certainly helped shape the foundation of the band and contributes to the pioneer sound Fear Factory deliver. “People ask me where I get my ideas from and I’m always telling them that I’ve got many different voices in my head,” Bell says. “It’s what you need to do if you want something different.”

It seems like there is no slowing down for Fear Factory, even after the decades of ferocity and brutality brought by the old-school metallers. “Fear Factory is planning to bring our A-game and play some songs on top of the Demanufacture record,” Bell concludes. “Just to really make it worthwhile for the fans and deliver as much as we can.”

The Industrialist is out now through . Fear Factory play Demanufacture live in its entirety this July around the country. Dates and details below.

Fear Factory 2013 Australian Tour

THURSDAY 4 JULY                               BRISBANE, THE TIVOLI – 18+
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

FRIDAY 5 JULY   SYDNEY, UNSW ROUNDHOUSE – Licensed All Ages
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

SUNDAY 7 JULY                                    MELBOURNE, THE PALACE – 18+
www.oztix.com.au & www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

TUESDAY 9 JULY                                  ADELAIDE, HQ – 18+
www.oztix.com.au & www.venuetix.com.au

THURSDAY 11 JULY                           PERTH, METRO CITY – 18+
www.oztix.com.au

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