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During Fear Factory's gravy days, there were only a handful of other acts who took notice of their innovations. First, there was fusing the jackhammer intensity of industrial programming with the human strength and splatter of real drums. Then there was implementing the venomous split-voice, operatic-metal yowl alternately mixed with a gruff death growl. Of course, those other bands were called Ministry and NIN, and a whole 'nother  generational rattle was born. 

Ironically, as Fear Factory veer toward the exit, they leave us with where it all began. But not without having the last laugh. Concrete issues their first studio recordings- and not just some throwaway working demos- but a well-buried treasure that may surprise both Fear's faithful and nu-metal passers-by. 

Concrete was a complete, finished disc produced by a young Ross Robinson in an early developmental deal that was catapult both into better things. While Robinson used the studio experience to help develope the pulverizing sound he later brought Korn and Limp Bizkit, Fear Factory's finished tape caught the ears of Roadrunner, who decided to re-recorded selected parts of the disc with Colin Richardson. Since Concrete features a sizable portion of the band's Soul Of A New Machine debut, it was shelved for the last decade. 

By the sounds, Fear Factory was still finding the footing, switching from one extreme to the next. Well-defined in grindcore and snuggled in death metal's grip, the band's leap into melodic segments was ill-timed and disturbing for many listeners. Redone tracks like "Arise Above Repression" and "Suffer Age" benefit from rethinking their outersider sound and conflicting elements. But as Concrete proves, those juxtapositions and jarring contrasts became the foundation for Fear Factory's infamous onslaught. Not the fabled "great lost album," but a great "hidden gift" for their real fans.