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FEAR FACTORY's DINO CAZARES rules out reunion with any former members

Fear Factory op Dynamo Metal Fest 2025 - © Hans Lievaart

02-03-2026

FEAR FACTORY‘s founding guitarist Dino Cazares has ruled out working again with any of the band’s former members, explaining that he has “moved forward”.

On Saturday (February 28),Dino took to his Facebook page to write: “I don’t hold any hatred toward any former members, but to be clear, I will not be working with them again, I’m sure the feeling is mutual. What’s done is done, and that chapter is permanently closed. I’ve moved forward and remain focused on the present and the future. I sincerely hope they have done the same. Respectfully.”

He later added: “The only reason I continue addressing this is because fans keep asking. I’ve already moved on and have said that many times. Unfortunately, some people get upset if I don’t answer the question and others get upset when I give an honest answer they don’t want to hear.”

In a 2021 interview with Cuartel Del MetalFEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares was asked what the initial response to “Demanufacture” was from the fans and the critics when it was first released in 1995. He responded: “Some people didn’t realize that it was real. Some people thought it was electronic drums — programmed drums. Some people thought my guitars were sampled. Because it was such a tight record, it was so mechanical sounding in some ways, so people thought it wasn’t real. I was very happy that I was able to create a sound that people still admire today; people still love it today. Some people are still influenced today by that record. It was a milestone in the band’s career, and it was something that we created that, I think, defined the genre of industrial metal. Sure, you had bands like MINISTRY and GODFLESH and stuff like that, but I think that FEAR FACTORY took it to another level. We combined a lot of elements that maybe other people weren’t doing. I think one of the main things also was the production of the record. The mixing of the record definitely took it to a new level. When Rhys Fulber and Greg Reely mixed the record, it was mindblowing, that it set the standard for that type of music. The vocals alone inspired a generation of musicians to come, vocalists to come. Syncopated guitars and drums… A lot of people were saying, ‘Well, MESHUGGAH made that popular.’ Yeah, MESHUGGAH didn’t make it popular till much later. FEAR FACTORY at that time was a much bigger band. We were the only band, really, at the time that was really popularizing that style with the syncopated guitars and drums. So, yeah, I feel very lucky that I made a classic record that stood the test of time.”

In December 2020, Dino told The Pit that he still revisits “Demanfucature” “quite a lot, because it was a groundbreaking record. And I go back sometimes just to listen — not to the tones or anything, but listen to the structures,” he said. “But a lot of times, I apply those structures into newer songs. Like, ‘Okay, how did I write a song like ‘Zero Signal’? How does it go? How does it start? Where does the verse go? Where does the mid-section go?’ And blah blah. If I’m stuck on a new song, I’ll go back to ‘Demanufacture’ and be, like, ‘Okay, that’s how we did it, so let’s go back and apply it to this song.’ Even though the songs are completely different, the riffs are different, it’s still something that helps me craft songs today.”

In 2020, Run Out Groove celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Demanufacture” album by issuing it on vinyl and expanding it with a previously unreleased live concert from 1996’s Ozzfest“Demanufacture” was mastered for vinyl with lacquers cut by FEAR FACTORY‘s producer-engineer Damien Rainaud. The three-LP set was pressed on transparent blue, solid white, and black mixed-color vinyl at Record Industry and housed in a tri-fold jacket containing an exclusive poster.

FEAR FACTORY‘s current lineup features CazaresMilo Silvestro on vocals, Tony Campos on bass, and Pete Webber on drums.

Silvestro‘s addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in February 2023.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and Webber on May 5, 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

In early 2023, FEAR FACTORY completed the “Rise Of The Machine” U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X. It marked the Cazares-led outfit’s first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber had been filling in for FEAR FACTORY‘s longtime drummer Mike Heller who was unable to play with the band due to “scheduling conflicts.”

Pressed about whether there is any chance of a reconciliation with FEAR FACTORY down the line, Burton said: “I’m done. I haven’t spoken to Dino in three years. I haven’t spoken to Raymond (Herrera, drums) and Christian (Olde Wolbers, bass) in longer than that, and I have no intention to. I’m just moving forward with my life.”

Cazares recently confirmed that he and the new FEAR FACTORY vocalist have begun work on material for the follow-up to 2021’s “Aggression Continuum” album.

In February 2022,  former NIGHTRAGE singer Antony Hämäläinen, who unsuccessfully auditioned for the vocalist slot in FEAR FACTORY, revealed in an interview that the new FF frontman was “a person from Italy.”

“Aggression Continuum” was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Cazares and Bell alongside drummer Mike Heller.

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