Devin Townsend Project & Fear Factory

Gig: Devin Townsend Project & Fear Factory
Date: 15th December 2012
Venue: HMV Ritz, Manchester
Reviewed By: Craig

Fear Factory first arrived back on the industrial metal scene back in 1989 and with their second release “Demanufacure” gained critical acclaim, along with their first gold record in the UK. Guitarist Dino Cazares has  returned back to the fold making him and vocalist Burton C Bell the only original members. The latest album “The Industrialist” has been hailed as a return to form and tonight there’s plenty of the Fear Factory family here in anticipation, (there’s definitely more people sporting FF T-shirts that DT ) .

The band open the set with new album opener “The Industrialist” to which the crowd react tremendously to, Bell’s vocals scream at the audience as Cazares screams the guitar and both bassist Matt Devries and Drummer Mike Heller pound the beat in the face of all. Fear Factory provide power on record but Live they are a different beast, melodic choruses over smashing beats and shredding guitars that just make you want to mosh. This is my first time for the factory and it’s an awesome experience, the band work through their catalogue before moving onto “Demanufacture” which the crowd erupt to. Cazares even puts a shout out to all the “ Fat bastards” in Manchester tonight in retort to the chants from the crowd which are all in good fun. A solid, powerful performance by an excellent band with excellent material.  – 9/10

    1.    The Industrialist
    2.    Shock
    3.    Edgecrusher
    4.    Smasher/Devourer
    5.    Powershifter
    6.    What Will Become?
    7.    Linchpin
    8.    Resurrection
    9.    Recharger
    10.    Martyr
    11.    Scapegoat
    12.    Demanufacture
    13.    Self Bias Resistor
    14.    Zero Signal
    15.    Replica

Onto Mr Townsend, revered by some as a musical genius and others as a musical oddity, tonight I’d say he sits comfortably somewhere in the middle. The Latest album “Epicloud” is certainly more commercial than the Strapping Young Lad material he’s delivered in the past and is reminiscent of the work he did with Steve Vai on the “Sex And Religion” album. DT’s music is diverse, erratic, manic but also fluid, you can only observe what he does and jump along.

With styles at the time similar to Zappa he immediately strikes a relationship with the crowd who are adorning Devin Masks and he moves like a Jim Carrey expressionist inbetween the songs. It can be hard work to understand or even want to understand what Mr Townsend does, just strap yourselves in and enjoy the rollercoaster of musical twists and turns that he delivers. A definite intense yet enjoyable concert from the voldemort of rock! – 8/10

    1. Supercrush!
    2. Truth (Devin Townsend song)
    3. ZTO (Devin Townsend song)
    4. Planet of the Apes
    5. Where We Belong
    6. War (Devin Townsend song)
    7. Vampira (The Devin Townsend Band cover)
    8. Lucky Animals
    9. Juular
    10. Grace
    11. Deep Peace (Devin Townsend song)
    12. Liberation
    
    Encore:
    13. Save Our Now
    14. Bad Devil