LIVE REVIEW: Fear Factory @ Rock City, Nottingham

Industrial metal powerhouse FEAR FACTORY recently set off on their DisrupTour in support of 2021’s Aggression Continuum, kicking things off at Rock City in Nottingham. A sea of FEAR FACTORY t-shirts ran up the outside perimeter of the venue, as eager fans wondered what delays were causing the doors to remain closed after opening time. Nonetheless, after a 15 minute halt, the doors finally opened and the night began.

Due to the time issues, first support act GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS had already picked up their plectrums before the crowd had fully entered the room. The band lived up to their name, wearing what can only be described as shipwreck grunge core, as if they’d been dragged out the bottom of the ocean and had guitars thrown into their hands. This grungy look complete with black face paint was cool and added to the full experience.

Having released their new album Riddles Of The Sycophants that very day, the band were clearly very excited to show off this new material. The crowd were slightly underwhelming, mainly sticking to watching intently than jumping or moshing for the band. Perhaps the abrupt start the set took some off guard, but the band persisted, and backed by a whole lot of strobe, some cool riffs and rolling drum beats, the put on a good show.

Rating: 7/10

Next up were Ukrainian melodic metal band IGNEA, and for their first ever show in the UK, they did not disappoint. Vocalist Helle Bohdanova showcased an impressive range, hitting soulful melodies and then ripping her vocal cords into powerful uncleans. The band smoothly transitioned between almost traditional folk music to heavy hitting breakdowns that had people’s mouths on the floor. Throw in some meaty builds and drops, everyone there was in for a good time. With some very impressive stage presence and groovy drum rhythms, the crowd was loving it, with many mentioning that they’d have to check the band out after their set finished. Overall, a very cool set and a band sure to make waves in the metal scene.

Rating: 9/10

Last of the support acts, BUTCHER BABIES hit the stage with a brute force. The impact they had was almost unexpected, and their slightly chaotic demeanour added to their brilliant stage presence. It wasn’t until this set however that the crowd really got going and opened the pit up. This seems to have occurred due to the amount of audience interaction the band supplied, forever telling them to pick it up and jump about. It’s likely if the pit hadn’t opened of its own accord, the band members would have got in and started it themselves.

To contrast this, vocalist Heidi Shepherd brought a more meaningful section to the set when they played Last December. A song about almost ending it all, this poignant part of their set was felt by all in the room. They ended on high energy with another guy busting track, and rounded the whole set off by walking off to the sound of Conga by GLORIA ESTEFAN.

Rating: 9/10

Then the main event: FEAR FACTORY. There may only be one original member in the band, Dino Cazares, but the energy they gave off was simply immense. New vocalist Milo Silvestro lived up to the FEAR FACTORY sound, matching the distinctive vocal tone of the original songs pretty accurately.

Looking at the crowd, every single person was having the best time of their lives, rocking out to the nostalgic songs and never missing a beat. It helped that the band members themselves made sure to make the personal connection with the crowd, chatting in between songs and encouraging crowd participation. A highlight being the whole crowd chanting “DINO!!” at the top of their voices, with the guitarist looking truly moved.

They played a good mix of old and new songs, making sure to entertain with classics such as Linchpin and Demanufacture. The industrial elements of FEAR FACTORY’s make for many a head bopping tune, a sea of head-banging participants in every corner of the venue. Overall, FEAR FACTORY in Nottingham was a truly enjoyable night, paving the way for what is sure to be a raucous and fulfilling European tour.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Nottingham from Em Coulter Photography here: 

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