Industrial metal legends Fear Factory are no strangers to Australia having been to the country numerous times over the years and 2015 won’t be any different as they return, this time for the annual Soundwave Festival. With a new album currently in the works and the huge success of the Demanufacture tour last year, we had a lot to talk about so we caught up with frontman Burton C. Bell to discuss it all.
Andrew: Last time we chatted you were getting ready to come to Australia for the Demanufacture tour. How did it go for you?
Burton: Pretty well I think! I thought the shows were very successful for us, so successful that it got us on the Soundwave tour.
Andrew: Obviously you had a bunch of amazing shows playing the album in it’s entirety, how did it feel to play some of those older songs especially the ones that you had rarely ever played before?
Burton: It was cool, it was cool to play a different set every once in a while and to do just one record all the way through, it was a cool experience. Even when we were writing the record we never played the record all the way through haha! So I mean even when the album just came out we never played the record all the way through. We played a few tracks from that and a few tracks from “Soul Of A New Machine” but it was cool, it was a good experience.
Andrew: Was there any songs that you had never played before?
Burton: Live?
Andrew: Yeah live.
Burton: Yeah “A Therapy For Pain” we never played live. I think that was the only one.
Andrew: Did you find that it worked really well live?
Burton: I think so! I think it came across really well, I think it was really cool.
Andrew: As you mentioned it led to your upcoming appearance at Soundwave, but you have played festivals in Australia before right?
Burton: Yeah the only festival we played though was the Big Day Out, we did that 3 or 4 times but yeah it’s the only festival we have played there.
Andrew: Soundwave is a little bit different to the Big Day Out, it’s a little more rock and metal oriented. What are your expectations on what you have heard about the festival?
Burton: I expect to have a great time haha! I expect a lot of rock and metal fans to be there and I think it’s going to be a really great festival for everyone involved.
Andrew: Yeah definitely! Any plans to do side shows inbetween the festival shows as well?
Burton: We’re planning on it, I think we are trying to set that up right now. My dream is to setup sideshows with Ministry and Godflesh, I think that would be amazing!
Andrew: Oh yeah that would be amazing! Obviously Ministry are along the same lines as what you do, have you guys toured with them before?
Burton: We’ve never toured with them but we’ve played shows. Our tours come across together in the same city so we’re put together or we’re on the same festival in Europe but we’ve never toured together so this will be the first actual tour that we’ve done together. I’m friends with everybody in that band too so if you’re looking for me I’ll probably be hanging out with Ministry or Godflesh! Or Faith No More is another.
Andrew: So how do you feel about Ministry calling it a day?
Burton: Ministry has been around for a while and if you know you don’t have anything else to give then maybe it’s time to go. It takes a lot of balls just to say that.
Andrew: Does that make you think about the longevity of Fear Factory and how many years you can keep this going?
Burton: With the state of the industry today I think a lot of bands are thinking that haha! I don’t think it has anything to do with what I want to do, it’s entirely up to the industry and what happens with that. It’s all hogged around the internet so soon I don’t think any artist is going to have a career much longer haha!
Andrew: Well I think you guys are pretty strong even in this part of your career. I mean your last album “The Industrialist” was an amzing album and a lot of fans dug it so I think you guys got a lot of years ahead of you.
Burton: I think so too, I’m not planning on calling it quits just yet.
Andrew: So I just hear that you guys are finishing up or still working on a new album?
Burton: We are still working on the new album. We had to push back a European tour because the record won’t be out yet so it’s pointless to tour if you don’t have a record out. So we are still in the studio finishing up vocals and should be done in January hopefully.
Andrew: How are the songs shaping up?
Burton: They are shaping up really cool man. Obviously Fear Factory tries but we stepped up the crafting to a whole other level. Being a part of maturity, experience and patience, we know the deal and we know how to get it.
Andrew: Is this a continuation of “The Industrialist” or any themes at all?
Burton: Still the sci-fi, futuristic visions. I think for this time the machine itself has really come into it’s own existence and it’s hard to tell humanity from machine in the story.
Andrew: With “The Industrialist” it seemed like it was a turning point like sort of a new beginning, would you agree with that?
Burton: Sure! Yeah I think we really stepped it up, we re-introduced the real industrial electronic side of Fear Factory that we really grasped onto in the early days without making it entirely industrial or electronic. Just added elements to the music and I think that’s part of the success of the album.
Andrew: Yeah and so the new album has more of that kind of stuff as well?
Burton: Yeah absolutely it will have that for sure.
Andrew: So release dates for the album, sometime next year?
Burton: Spring time so for you that would be Autumn?
Andrew: Yeah it would be.
Burton: April?
Andrew: Yeah April would be Autumn.
Burton: Well there ya go.
Andrew: Awesome! Just wanted to quickly ask you about the other band City Of Fire, is that still going?
Burton: I’m not in the band anymore.
Andrew: Oh what happened with that?
Burton: Just a falling out, it happens! Some friendships come and go.
Andrew: Sad to hear! I remember you guys came over and played with Soulfly a few years ago and thought it was great.
Burton: Yeah it was cool but the band just kinda imploded on itself. I think they got a new singer now but I’m not sure. I don’t know what’s going on as I’m not in that band anymore.
Andrew: OK well we are looking forward to seeing you at Soundwave next year anyway and hopefully we can see some of those sideshows with Ministry and Godflesh. That should be an amazing thing to happen.
Burton: If that one happened that would be amazing! Granted that’s my dream talk right now so if it doesn’t happen don’t blame me! But that’s my dream sideshow, I want that to happen.
Andrew: Haha well if they were to do a sideshow with any of those 3 bands, they would have to put them together. It just makes complete sense for the fans and for you guys as well.
Burton: Absolutely! I think it would be a good turnout for fans as well.
Andrew: So thanks for having a chat with us! We are looking forward to seeing you at Soundwave and the new album as well so thanks again!
Burton: Thanks you Andrew I really appreciate it.
