November 2025 Featured Release - The Sphere Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month's feature release for The Sphere, nominated by me (Shadowdoom9 (Andi)), is the 1998 3rd album by Los Angeles-based industrial metal masters Fear Factory, Obsolete. After their breakthrough masterpiece that is Demanufacture, the band has expanded their sound and lyrics, including their concept album idea into a more storytelling motive. Get ready for another industrial metal adventure!

https://metal.academy/releases/1641

Here's my review summary:

Any Fear Factory fans new and old can enjoy a lot of this album, with the longtime listeners experiencing nostalgia. As highly selling as this album is, reception might've been divisive due to leaning a bit into nu metal territory. However, the excellent writing is what make this album essential. Basically, the band is following the then-common idea of dumping all traces of death metal for a more pop-ish mainstream path, while staying in industrial metal. The tough lyrics and hip-hop beat sound odd in the band's attempt to discard their death metal roots, yet it brings me great delight. Brushing aside the accessibility, the greatly written songs are worth listening to, and even pure metalheads should try at least one of them. And it's a brilliant start for metal newcomers in extreme metal, starting off with poppy accessibility before digging into the heavier underground. All of this makes Obsolete an amazing experience!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Securitron (Police State 2000)", "Descent", "Freedom or Fire", "Resurrection", "Timelessness"

For fans of: Static-X, Strapping Young Lad, Sybreed