Drummer Raymond Herrera helped define the album's sound with his signature use of double bass
Despite the prevailing belief that heavy metal was in decline during the 1990s, several bands defied this notion. Pantera released Cowboys from Hell, Machine Head brought forth Burn My Eyes, Sepultura unleashed Chaos AD, and Fear Factory notably delivered Demanufacture. This pivotal album not only marked a turning point in Fear Factory's career but also in heavy metal as a whole. They were among the first bands to merge melodic and aggressive vocals, death metal and industrial instrumentals, and introduce the thematic concept of man vs. machine that would define subsequent Fear Factory albums. Featuring Burton C. Bell on vocals, Dino Cazares on guitars, Christian Olde Wolbers on bass, and Raymond Herrera on drums, this lineup cultivated an unprecedented sound at the time. The influence of Fear Factory extended to bands like Shadows Fall, All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, who followed suit with combining melodic and aggressive vocals, as well as Static X, who further bridged industrial and metal elements.
Produced by Colin Richardson and mixed by Greg Reely, Demanufacture demonstrates unrelenting aggression. The album opens with the title track, where Raymond Herrera's powerful kick drums blast alongside Dino Cazares's intense down-picked guitar work, while Burton C. Bell delivers the iconic opening line, "Desensitized by the values of life." This sets the tone for a tension-driven and brutally captivating musical journey. It's not just the thunderous rhythms, blast beats, distinctive guitar tones, and vocal patterns that define this album. Fear Factory incorporates sound effects reminiscent of the Terminator franchise, effectively driving home the man vs. machine concept, especially in tracks like "Zero Signal" and "Pisschrist." In addition to the expertise of Greg Reely and Colin Richardson, industrial mastermind Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly collaborated with the band, seamlessly merging their metal and electronic elements.