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Awesome review!! Probably the best and most fair review I've seen for this album, great work. This one doesn't quite have the nasty riffage and sinister vibe of Demanufacture, but the songwriting and atmosphere is still top-notch and Resurrection is arguably the best song they've ever done. Too bad they didn't make more stuff in this vein.

Believe it or not, I haven't really listened to this album yet. Demanufacture is one of my favorite metal albums ever. But Archetype didn't really blow me away when I listened to it (may be I need to give it another shot?). Haven't heard Transgression or Digimortal either.

I'll have to give this album a listen sometime.

I agree with you on both Demanufacture and Archetype, and I assure you that Obsolete sounds a whole lot more like the former than the latter. Demanufacture and Obsolete are indisputably their greatest works.

God this is an awesome album. Resurrection is their best song, imo.

Hmm. I liked Demanufacture. But, somehow when I know that I will not find any guitar solos, I tend not to pick up the album. When I got Demanufacture, I dint know what to expect, so it kinda sunk in later and I still listen to it. Barring some exceptions, like Black Metal, when I know a band does not play solos, I tend not to pick up their albums. Maybe if someone lends me this album, I will listen to it and who knows if I like it, I may buy it too.

They don't have solos, but they have great fucking songs.

I know I'll probably get a lot of flaming for this, but Fear Factory is probably a band that's better off without solos IMO. The music is supposed to have a heavy industrial/techno sound. And guitar solos would probably detract from it.

I think that this CD is pretty decent. Resurrection is great, and Shock is pretty killer as well. Definitely deserving of its rating!

It's funny that you call trent reznor a druggy 'cause Nine Inch Nails's popularity created major label interest in Skinny Puppy, but Skinny Puppy ended up using the extra money to self destruct on drugs.

I remember thinking this album was my favourite Fear Factory album, I haven't listened to them in ages though.

Pigface would have been a better example, and Trent even collaborated with Martin.

*smacks Zad with a cricket bat*

Trent Reznor is a washed-up druggy. That Kevin Ogilvie's also a washed-up druggie has no bearing on my point: how many people have heard of Skinny Puppy? Or Pigface? Not as many as have heard of NIN.

Saying that one band caused label interest in another, well, we could argue all week about it, I think I'm still right when you get down to it.

NIN is more mainstream, that's a fact. But I do not see any ressemblance between NIN and SP nowadays of even in the old days.

But any people claiming that they like the industrial genre MUST know and MUST own some Skinny Puppy stuff.

Skinny Puppy is a very respected band and I remember the hype surrounding The Process way back in 1996. Not a mainstream hype but a "favorite of the genre" hype.

Oh and great review by the way!

I finally listened to this album today. I like Demanufacture much better. The songwriting on that album was much tighter, and it just sounded better IMO. Obsolete, on the other hand, is decent but not something I'd rush out to buy. Hi-Tech Hate and Freedom Or Fire are really good songs though. Resurrection has to be one of the most depressing metal ballads I've ever heard.

This shit should be a classic. File it there, immediately.

Personally I can't find much fault within this album and would almost rate it perfectly. Fear Factory had a great sound going into this album, a very solid concept that carries the album throughout the stories in the lyrics, and the entire band was just on. It's a shame the Digimortal was such a let down, and then Dino left or whatever... I felt he had some really sick riffage to lay down, particularly on this album.

I hope one day they can make another release that comes close to touching this.

It's a great album for sure, but I still think Demanufacture is better, and should take classic status over Obsolete. As awesome as the album is as a whole, I think it has some low points, Demanufacture is more consistent.

I have to disagree. I mean, I like Demanufacture, but I'd take Obsolete over it any day of the week. I think it's a great example of concept and vision on an album, and it just comes together for me, personally, in a very awesome way. I think all the tracks are ace.

Could be some nostalgia coming into play, Fear Factory were one of the first metal bands I got into and this would be the first CD I picked up by them.

I'd say Demanufacture as a whole works better but Obsolete has the best tracks they've ever done.

ERASE EXTINCT!!!!!