Genexus (album)

Genexus
Studio album by
Fear Factory
ReleasedAugust 7, 2015
Recorded2014−2015
Genre
Length47:55
LabelNuclear Blast
Producer
Fear Factory chronology
The Industrialist
(2012) 		Genexus
(2015) 		Aggression Continuum
(2021)
Singles from Genexus
  1. "Soul Hacker"
    Released: June 21, 2015[1]
  2. "Protomech"
    Released: July 13, 2015[2]
  3. "Dielectric"
    Released: July 24, 2015

Genexus is the ninth studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on August 7, 2015.[3][4] It is the third Fear Factory album since guitarist Dino Cazares rejoined the band in 2009, their first album to feature drummer Mike Heller,[5] and the final album they released with vocalist Burton C. Bell before his departure from the band in 2020,[6] although his vocals appear on the band's next album, Aggression Continuum, which was initially recorded in 2017 but not released until four years later.[7] Genexus is also Fear Factory's first release through Nuclear Blast. Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from critics.

A lyric video for the song "Soul Hacker" was released on June 17.[8] A lyric video for the song "Protomech" was released on July 11. A full music video for the song "Dielectric" was released on August 7, the same day as the album release, and a music video for "Expiration Date" was released on April 12, 2016.[9]

Sound and production

Regarding the drums on Genexus, Burton C. Bell stated: "...This time we are gonna use a live drummer, we're gonna use Mike Heller to record a few of the songs, not all of them, but a few to get that live feel, because some of these songs require a live feel, and so we're gonna go with that."[10]

Like its predecessor The Industrialist and the (at the time) 20-year-old Demanufacture, Genexus is a concept album. The themes in the album include war, climate change, religion, and mortality.[11]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic71/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
Metal Injection8.5/10[14]
The Metal Review[15]
Sputnikmusic3.7/5[16]
AntiHero Magazine8/10[17]
Blabbermouth.net8/10[18]
About.com[19]

Genexus received a positive response by critics, praising the album for its brutal and abrasive sound. Ray Van Horn Jr. of Blabbermouth.net said that "the key and industrial supplements gives Genexus a busier and heartier personality, lighting up the album's prospectus of mankind transitioning toward a more mechanized state of being."[18] Trey Spencer of Sputnikmusic surmised that "this album is more melodic and accessible, Dino Cazares and Burton C. Bell prove that they still have what it takes to make a visceral Fear Factory album."[16] James Christopher Monger of AllMusic commented that "more melody-driven than prior outings, Genexus nevertheless retains the band's penchant for pairing bleak science fiction imagery with piston-like, palm-muted guitar riffs and explosive percussion."[13]

Touring

Between the end of August and the middle of September in 2015, the ensemble had toured the Southern, Midwestern, and Southwestern United States along with Once Human, Los Angeles metal band Before the Mourning, and Chicago rock/metal band The Bloodline.[20]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Burton C. Bell; all music is composed by Dino Cazares

No.TitleLength
1."Autonomous Combat System"5:28
2."Anodized"4:47
3."Dielectric"4:19
4."Soul Hacker"3:12
5."Protomech"4:56
6."Genexus"4:48
7."Church of Execution"3:21
8."Regenerate"4:02
9."Battle for Utopia"4:14
10."Expiration Date"8:48
Total length:47:55
Limited digipak bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Mandatory Sacrifice (Genexus Remix)"5:43
12."Enhanced Reality"5:36
Total length:59:14
Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Maximum Voltage Capacitor (Dielectric Remix)"Bell, Cazares4:18

Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Fear Factory – production
  • Drew Fulk – vocal production
  • Mike Plotnikoff – drum engineering
  • Matt Jefferson – Castronovo's drum engineering & editing
  • Andy Sneap – mixing, mastering
  • Anthony Clarkson – artwork, layout
  • Geoff Bisente – additional vocal recording & editing
  • Rhys Fulber – programming, keyboards (3, 4, 6, 8–12), co-production, manipulation, vocal recording
  • Damien Rainaud – additional keyboards & programming, engineering, editing, pre-production, pre-production mixing, vocals recording
  • Giuseppe "Dualized" Bassi – additional keyboards, sampling & programming
  • Laurent Tardy – piano (1 & 5)
  • Sam "Mister Sam" Shearon – spoken word (1 & 10)
  • Deen Castronovo – drums (4)
  • Al Jourgensen – remix (11)

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 15
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[22] 25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[23] 35
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[24] 59
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[25] 36
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[26] 42
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[27] 34
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] 25
French Albums (SNEP)[29] 55
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[30] 17
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[31] 18
Irish Albums (IRMA)[32] 84
Scottish Albums (OCC)[33] 30
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 18
UK Albums (OCC)[35] 31
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[36] 3
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[37] 2
US Billboard 200[38] 37

References

  1. ^ "Fear Factory - Soul Hacker". New Release Music. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Rosenberg, Axl (July 13, 2015). "Fear Factory Release New Ditty, "Protomech"". MetalSucks. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  3. ^ "Fear Factory To Release 'Genexus' Album In August". Blabbermouth.net. May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  4. ^ "Fear Factory: 'Genexus' Artwork, Track Listing Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  5. ^ Bowar, Chad. "Fear Factory Unveil 'Soul Hacker' Lyric Video". Loudwire. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  6. ^ Childers, Chad (September 28, 2020). "Burton C. Bell Exits Fear Factory, Will Focus on Ascension of the Watchers". Loudwire. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  7. ^ "BURTON C. BELL Officially Quits FEAR FACTORY: 'I Cannot Align Myself With Someone Whom I Do Not Trust Nor Respect'". Blabbermouth.net. September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  8. ^ "FEAR FACTORY: Lyric Video For New Song 'Soul Hacker'". Blabbermouth.net. June 17, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  9. ^ FEAR FACTORY - Expiration Date (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO), archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved December 23, 2019
  10. ^ Moskovitch, Greg (September 22, 2014). "Burton C. Bell Talks New Fear Factory, Programmed Vs Live Drums & Soundwave - Music News, Reviews, Interviews and Culture". Music Feeds. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  11. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (July 10, 2015). "Fear Factory on New A.I.-Themed Concept Album and Why 'Man Is the Virus'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  12. ^ "Reviews for Genexus by Fear Factory". Metacritic. United States: CBS Interactive (CBS Corporation). Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Christopher Monger, James (August 7, 2015). "Genexus - Fear Factory album review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  14. ^ Stewart-Panko, Kevin (July 30, 2015). "Album Review: FEAR FACTORY Genexus". Metal Injection. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  15. ^ "Fear Factory - Genexus". The Metal Review. Archived from the original on August 12, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  16. ^ a b Spencer, Trey (July 31, 2015). "Fear Factory - Genexus". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  17. ^ Bland, Alexander (August 7, 2015). "Album Review: FEAR FACTORY - Genexus". antiheromagazine.com. AntiHero Magazine.
  18. ^ a b Van Horn, Ray (August 9, 2015). "CD Reviews: FEAR FACTORY - Genexus". Blabbermouth.net.
  19. ^ Benson, Schuler (August 10, 2015). "Review: Fear Factory - Genexus". About.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  20. ^ "Fear Factory Plan Headlining Tour With Once Human + More". Loudwire. July 22, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  21. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Fear Factory – Genexus". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  22. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Fear Factory – Genexus" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – Fear Factory – Genexus" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – Fear Factory – Genexus" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  25. ^ "Fear Factory Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  26. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 34.Týden 2015 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  27. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Fear Factory – Genexus" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  28. ^ "Fear Factory: Genexus" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  29. ^ "Lescharts.com – Fear Factory – Genexus". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  30. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Fear Factory – Genexus" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  31. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2015. 34. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  32. ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 33, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  33. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  34. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Fear Factory – Genexus". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  35. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  36. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  37. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  38. ^ "Fear Factory Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2015.