Dino may be gone, but the band remains intact. Burton remains on the vocals and the studio keyboards. Raymond Herrera kicked over to guitar from bass. Byron Stroud came in from Strapping Young Lad to be the new bassist, and Christian Olde Wolbers does the drum work. Archetype has a different feel from the previous Fear Factory CD’s. Without Dino, the work lacks a certain stylized polish.

It lacks the clean finish of their previous CD’s such as “Obsolete” or “Demanufacture.” For Fear Factory fans who know what I’m talking about, this album has a harsher, grittier feel, more like “Soul of a New Machine” or “Concrete.” Not to say that this is a bad thing by any means, I’m just giving the perspective of what it’s like. I do have to say though, that the double kick bass drum dominates this album. 

Fear Factory seems to treat this one more like a bicycle; the more they pedal, the better off they’ll be. I can say that this doesn’t necessarily alter the music in a significant fashion, but it does make the drum the centerpiece, whereas the guitar was in previous works. This makes me a little wary, since so much of the metal scene in recent years has fallen to machinations of the double kick, and I’ve become almost numb to its effects.

The double kick has become a tool of bad a musician who use it to cover up their lack of talent…but that’s a rant for another day. I admit I wasn’t sure what to expect from this album…as much as I like the early stuff, I am more of a fan of the “Obsolete” phase of the Fear Factory catalog. I admit I was amazed at this album, and how complete it was. Not to say that this album is the best album ever made. 

The second half kind of tails off a little, with tracks like “Undercurrent” and “Bite the Hand That Feeds,” which have the feel of a poor man’s “Resurrection.” They’re kind of bland, they don’t really go anywhere, and they don’t flash any particularly good rhythm or style. I have long argued that Fear Factory should abandon the sort of “industrial ballad” that they try for, because it only works about one time in six. There’s an island in the middle of the second half, with “Default Judgement.” The bass riff there is awesome, for lack of a better superlative. Then it goes into “Bonescraper,” which I like, even though it’s kind of bland…there’s just some harsh metal banging in that song, nothing really to aspire to.

Then a couple more lame ducks go by, and then Fear Factory wraps it up with a cover with Nirvana’s “School,” which, similar to their cover of Gary Numan’s “Cars,” I file under “incredible covers by bands you wouldn’t expect.” But anyway, I did this backwards, saving the first half of the album for last. “Slave Labor” and “Cyberwaste” are exactly what Fear Factory fans have come to expect. A bonecrushing beat, a backbreaking riff, and a headbanging thrash-y feel. “Cyberwaste” will become an anthem of the metal crowd after they hear the first line enough times. These types of songs are the songs you expect to hear in the pits, throwing bodies around and sweating out some serious heavy metal. 

The momentum continues through “Act of God” and “Drones,” although these tunes don’t carry quite the same weight. The title track comes up after that, and I didn’t like it at first, but it’s grown on me quite a bit. While not the best song on the album, it comes together very well, and the execution and arrangement is impeccable. Plus, Burton doesn’t just growl out the lyrics, which is something that even though I’m numb to it now, that I would prefer he not do. 

But as far as “Archetype” goes, I have to say it comes off very well, especially as a less harsh, more guitar driven break in the double kick litany. As always, I saved the best for last. “Corporate Clones” is by far the best five minutes to be had on this album. What I love about this song is that it continues the Fear Factory tradition of the man versus machine motif. And what makes that work so well is that it is always presented from the outside-looking-in angle of the impartial observer, and “Corporate Clones,” is no different. Burton sings it with an incredible whimsied banality, which lends the song credit. Throw in some great drum work, and an undeniable headbanging power, and this is the best offering here.  

Overall, I love this album. It just might be the best metal offering all year, which sounds vaguely reminiscent of when I reviewed “Hatefiles” all that time ago. Maybe Fear Factory is on to something. As for grading, I understand that Fear Factory is an acquired taste, and is too harsh for some….if you’re one of those people, stay away from this. So, 7 out of 10 for metal fans, 8 out of 10 for Fear Factory fans, and 9 for fans who prefer the early albums.