#12 - Fear Factory - Expiration Date
Fear Factory make a triumphant return to the countdown after their last album "The Industrialist" failed to make a splash in 2012. The band is essentially just Burton C Bell and Dino Cazares right now, but that doesn't stop them from perfectly blending thrash and industrial metal into a sound that is unmistakably theirs. The only knock that can be given to the boys at FF is that their sound may evolve but they do pump out a lot of similar sounding songs with equally similar lyrical themes. Fortunately, they are good enough at their craft that they carve out their own path with each passing album. Other hot tracks on this disc include "Dielectric", "Protomech", and "Church of Execution".
Of course, we saw Fear Factory in 2010 with the mega-hit "Final Exit", an 8:48 ballad about assisted suicide through the eyes of outsiders. "Expiration Date" could almost be portrayed at "Final Exit" part 2, from the eyes of the soon-to-be deceased. Both were the final track off of their respective albums, and this one is a brilliantly written and exceptionally haunting ballad that slowly pulses through you. The only thing this song is missing are Dino's signature biting thrashy guitars. In their place is a heavy dose of creepy synthesizers and, of course, haunting quotes about death. "It's a shame you won't live, but then again who does?". Burton doesn't even need to scream to get his point across. The song is poetry, plain and simple. I keep going back to the word "Haunting" because the entire thing is just a creepy terrifying ode to the end of life. Bravo, boys. Bravo.
Title: Expiration Date
Artist: Fear Factory
Album: Genexus
Previous 12s
2014: Walk the Moon - Shut Up And Dance
2013: Shining - I Won't Forget
2012: (tie) Florence and the Machine - What the Water Gave Me; Shake It Out
2011: Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work it Out
2010: Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man
2009: Breathe Carolina - Show Me Yours
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