Legendary extreme-metal drummer Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DARK ANGEL, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK) has slammed FEAR FACTORY for deciding to embrace drum-machine technology on the band's 2012 album, "The Industrialist" instead of hiring him to play on the record, like they did on 2010's "Mechanize".Hoglan laid down the drum tracks for "Mechanize" and toured with FEAR FACTORY for two years in support of the album before he found out via BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the follow-up effort was completed without his contributions.In a new interview with Metal Wani, Hoglan criticized FEAR FACTORY's decision to rely on programmed drums during the "The Industrialist" recording sessions. He said: "I'm always, like, I don't care what kind of drum machine you use, I will kill your drum machine. If you have a drummer like myself at your disposal, yet you are gonna go with a drum machine, I don't understand the thought process behind that."He continued: "I did read [in an interview] here those guys were, like, 'Hey, man, we have a drummer come in, we've gotta pay him all this money…' Yeah, there's number one there. I see where you guys are coming from. 'First we've gotta pay him all this money, and then we just turn around and chop up all the drums and grid everything anyway. Let's just cut out the middle man and just program the drums.' I understand that from an economic standpoint, but if you're thinking long term, you are not thinking if you're thinking, 'Yeah…'"Hoglan added: "Somebody like ROB ZOMBIE, or somebody like that, that it's just this droning disco drum sound anyway, use a drum machine; who cares? Nobody listens to ROB ZOMBIE to check out the drummer. But if you've got a band like FEAR FACTORY, or a band like SLAYER, or a band like TESTAMENT, you're not gonna have a drum machine playing for you and be taken seriously. So, hey, [FEAR FACTORY] tried it, they saw how seriously they got taken, and now they're using a real drummer. Hey, I'm stoked at the fact they got Deen Castronovo [JOURNEY] playing on the [upcoming FEAR FACTORY] record ['Genexus']; he's playing a track or two on there, I hear. And that's gonna be awesome; I can't wait to hear his tune."According to Hoglan, his involvement with FEAR FACTORY is something he never thinks about, possibly due in part to the fact that he was never a major fan of the band's music before he joined the group. He said: "I've gotta admit: FEAR FACTORY is — flat out, I'll be honest — it's the one band from my entire history that I just don't pay attention to. I'm not saying anything the band doesn't already know; they know they weren't on my radar before I joined them. They flat-out know this. I was not a FEAR FACTORY listener, or I did not pay attention to anything FEAR FACTORY ever did. When they were saying, 'Hey, man, do you know this song? Can we jam this in rehearsal right now?' And I'm, like, 'Pull it up on an iPad real quick, or an iPod, and let me hear it for five minutes, and I'll play it back for you, but if you wanna kick into it right now, this second, I don't know your material, dude. So I'll have to [learn] it.' And even when looking back on my career, the FEAR FACTORY era is just something that just… I just don't think about."He continued: "When people ask me about FEAR FACTORY, I sometimes think, 'Why are you asking me about FEAR FACTORY?' And then they mention 'Mechanize', and I'm, like, 'Oh, fuck! Duh!' I can't explain the mental block that I have; I just kind of blocked it all out."Hoglan went on to say: "I gave FEAR FACTORY the deadliest record they can ever imagine, at the time, and their efforts afterwards weren't taken as seriously. So the proof is right there."
 

i somehow see past it, but i can't ignore it totally. virus of faith and god eater are still some of my favorite FF songs

Dielectric is on Spotify. Killer tune.

a lot of reviews are out on this now. not one bad review. mainly it's more accessable and catchy with more synths, while retaining their sound. out of curiosity i went to getmetal.org to see if it leaked and it hasnt yet, so thats good

Dino on latest Jasta podcast

http://www.jameyjasta.com/episodes/