Aggression Continuum | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 18, 2021 | |||
Recorded | 2017 (Burton C. Bell's vocals) 2020–2021 (drums and mixing) | |||
Genre | Industrial metal, groove metal | |||
Length | 48:34 | |||
Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
Producer | Damien Rainaud | |||
Fear Factory chronology | ||||
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Singles from Aggression Continuum | ||||
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Aggression Continuum is the tenth studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on June 18, 2021. [1] An instrumental version titled Aggression Continuum: The Instrumentals was released on September 17, 2021. [2] [3] A remixed version titled Recoded was released on October 28, 2022, featuring a compilation of remixes of the songs from the album. [4]
In November 2018, Burton C. Bell announced that the band completed a new album which was set to be released in 2019, with the title being called Monolith and the cover art revealed via his smartphone. He noted that there was "technical difficulties", but expressed a positive outcome. [5] [6] However, Dino Cazares refuted any information regarding it, [7] [8] [9] and that there was no new album. [10] In 2020, he stated that the band would release new music in 2021. [11] [12] Monolith would be changed to Aggression Continuum with a new cover art. [13] [14] [15]
The reasons behind the six-year gap between Genexus and Aggression Continuum were due to creative and personal differences, and legal issues surrounding the band, all of which contributed to Fear Factory going on an extended hiatus and Burton C. Bell leaving the band in 2020 after more than three decades as their vocalist. [16] [17] [18] [19] Despite this, Bell's vocals are present on the album, as they were recorded in 2017. [20]
Aggression Continuum saw Fear Factory's lineup intact (on the record at least) for the first time since Transgression , with Mike Heller on drums and Dino Cazares contributing to both guitar and bass.
The album also features Russian keyboardist Igor Khoroshev who is also in charge of the arrangements. Khoroshev is best known for being a member of English progressive rock band Yes from 1997 to 2000.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Blabbermouth | 8/10 [21] |
Exclaim! | 8/10 [22] |
Kerrang! | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Metal Hammer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Metal Injection | 8/10 [25] |
New Noise Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sputnik Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album received positive reviews. It was elected by Loudwire as the 33rd best rock/metal album of 2021. [28] The single "Disruptor" was elected by the same publication as the 12th best metal song of the same year. [29]
All lyrics are written by Burton C. Bell; all music is composed by Dino Cazares
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Recode" | 5:47 |
2. | "Disruptor" | 3:45 |
3. | "Aggression Continuum" | 4:54 |
4. | "Purity" | 3:50 |
5. | "Fuel Injected Suicide Machine" | 5:28 |
6. | "Collapse" | 4:20 |
7. | "Manufactured Hope" | 5:01 |
8. | "Cognitive Dissonance" | 4:37 |
9. | "Monolith" | 3:34 |
10. | "End of Line" | 7:18 |
Total length: | 48:34 |
With
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [30] | 15 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [31] | 31 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [32] | 76 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [33] | 53 |
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI) [34] | 81 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [35] | 20 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [36] | 18 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [37] | 15 |
UK Albums (OCC) [38] | 98 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [39] | 7 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [40] | 2 |