Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares responded to fans’ questions about former drummer Raymond Herrera after Christian Olde Wolbers, the former bassist, guitarist and backing vocalist of Fear Factory, announced that Herrera had joined his new band, Angst Fabrik. Cazares suggested that Herrera may no longer be prepared to meet Fear Factory’s current drumming demands.
Dino Cazares wrote in a previous post: “Besides recently getting behind the drum kit again after many years, and before anyone assumes otherwise, I’ve also recorded all the bass tracks on Soul of a New Machine, Demanufacture, Mechanize, The Industrialist, Genexus, and Aggression Continuum. In fact, I’ve recorded bass on more Fear Factory albums than any of our previous bassists. On the new Fear Factory record, Tony Campos handled all the bass tracks, marking the first time he’s recorded bass on a Fear Factory album.”
A Fear Factory fan asked, “So Raymond Herrera is back in Fear Factory or did I read that wrong?” Dino Cazares responded, “You read it wrong. A lot has changed in 16 years, and the drumming in FF has progressed significantly since then. I don’t even know if that’s a challenge he’d want to take on.”
Another Fear Factory fan asked, “Would you consider him rejoining?” Cazares replied, “No, because the drumming in Fear Factory has changed significantly since his last recorded FF album Transgression.”
Christian Olde Wolbers wrote in his previous announcement: “After 16 years away from the kit, the machine woke back up. Still runs.”
Herrera’s possible return became a talking point because he was part of Fear Factory’s most influential era, while Olde Wolbers’ new project has renewed interest in the band’s former lineup and history.
Transgression, released in 2005, was the last Fear Factory album to feature both Herrera and Olde Wolbers. The two musicians left the band in April 2009 after Cazares returned to the lineup.
Olde Wolbers first appeared on Fear Factory’s Demanufacture in 1995 and remained with the group through Transgression. His new band’s name, Angst Fabrik, translates from German as “Fear Factory.”
Angst Fabrik is a new Fear Factory-inspired project led by Olde Wolbers. The band was expected to begin recording material, with a debut release planned for 2026.
Fear Factory has also continued moving forward without Herrera. The current lineup includes vocalist Milo Silvestro, drummer Pete Webber and bassist Tony Campos. The lineup made its recording debut on the song “Roboticist.”
Cazares said Fear Factory’s forthcoming studio album was in its final stages, with a first single expected soon and a release planned through Nuclear Blast before the end of 2026. The album will mark the band’s first full-length release with Silvestro and Webber.
Cazares also described the upcoming material as “new, brutal, heavy, and melodic.” His comments indicate that Fear Factory is focused on its current lineup rather than a reunion with Herrera.
