Dino Cazares appeared on the ‘Life Is Peachy Podcast’ to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fear Factory’s album ‘Archetype.’ During the discussion, he reflected on the band’s first record released after his departure, noting that the guitar riffs were so close to his style that he considered taking legal action.
“It was a good replication of what we had done prior to that record being released. So, the fans loved it,” Cazares shared. “You know, I think they nailed the sound, and they did a great interpretation of the legacy of what Fear Factory sounded on the previous four records. So, I think it sits well.”
The guitarist specifically mentioned the song “‘Slave Labor’ sounded so much like ‘Shock’ that I thought I put on ‘Obsolete’ record. You know what I mean? I was like, ‘What? When?’ I thought it was me at first, and then, after that, I thought maybe they copied my riff. You know, what the hell is going on here? Can I sue for plagiarism? I couldn’t because I was still part of the corporation part of the trademark.”
“I was still getting paid 25%. So, I really couldn’t sue. I mean, I could, but it would be pointless. So, I was like, ‘Ah, just let it go.’ And I did,” he added.
Cazares left Fear Factory in 2002 following internal conflicts. That same year, drummer Raymond Herrera and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers continued the band without him.
As a result, Cazares was not involved in 2004’s ‘Archetype’ or 2005’s ‘Transgression.’ He doesn’t own the rights to these albums and cannot release them on streaming platforms without permission, despite demand from fans.
After rejoining the band in 2009, Cazares has been credited on every release since. He now owns 100% of the Fear Factory trademark and is the only remaining original member, as other bandmates left over time following legal disputes with him.
