Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares talked about the band’s upcoming single, “Roboticist,” and addressed how he realized new singer Milo Silvestro was the right choice for Fear Factory in a new interview with Strefa Music Art.
“It’s a whole new era for Fear Factory, and we’ve been promoting it that way live. ‘Cause as of right now, we’ve only been playing all the back catalog of Fear Factory, and people seem to love it. And one of the first things that Milo says is, ‘Welcome to the new era of Fear Factory.’ That’s exactly what it is. And so now, with the new song coming out, people are gonna be able to hear what that sounds like,” Cazares said.
“I was very attracted to the way Milo sang and the way he sounded like what Fear Factory fans know what the vocalist should sound like. Of course, people say, ‘Oh, you replaced him ’cause he’s a replica,’ and, yeah, definitely. Because that’s how the songs were made, that’s how the songs were sung, and that’s the tone of the vocals. And so Milo had it nailed down.”
“And, obviously, we were one of his favorite bands. We’re pretty much in the top five. And he knew the band. He knew what effects [original Fear Factory singer] Burton [C. Bell] used. He was definitely a fan of Burton and he definitely knew his technique on how he created tones, and he fit right in. So, right when I saw his video, I was, like, ‘Wow, this kid sounds just like him.’ And some people complain that he sounds too much like him, but if he sounded not like him, people would be, like, ‘Well, it doesn’t sound like Fear Factory.’”
“So it’s, like, you can’t win or lose with it, so I ended deciding to go with what fit best for the sound that we were trying to go for. So it’s a very familiar sound, tone, technique that people are used to. So when people go and see the songs live, if they close their eyes, it sounds exactly the same. So that’s exactly what we were going for.”
“On the new record, there’s definitely still a lot of those same elements, but Milo definitely has some of his own style that shows on the new record. I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Cazares’ comments arrive as Fear Factory prepares to formally introduce its latest lineup in the studio, following a period of major changes for the veteran industrial metal band.
Fear Factory will release “Roboticist” on August 29. The song will be the band’s first new recording to feature Silvestro and drummer Pete Webber, who have been part of the touring lineup for nearly three and a half years.
The single is expected to appear on Fear Factory’s forthcoming studio album, which will follow 2021’s Aggression Continuum. That record was the band’s final release with Bell, although his vocals had been recorded years before its eventual release.
Bell announced his departure from Fear Factory in September 2020. Bell said he could not “align” himself with someone he did not trust or respect. His exit followed years of tension within the band and ended his decades-long run as Fear Factory’s frontman.
Silvestro’s addition to the band was officially announced in February 2023 after he had already begun performing with Fear Factory. The Italian-born singer joined the touring lineup after Bell’s departure and has since become part of the band’s next recording era.
Fear Factory’s current lineup also includes bassist Tony Campos and reflects the band’s long history of lineup changes. Cazares is the only original member remaining, while Silvestro and Webber will make their recorded debuts with the group on “Roboticist.” Cazares has described the new material as a continuation of Fear Factory’s established identity rather than a reunion with former members.
