Review: Fear Factory @ The Gov 21/05/26
Fear Factory delivered 35 years of anthems with the same intensity as when they first burst onto the industrial metal scene.
Words Will Oakeshott // Images Danny Wallace
Fear Factory w/Freedom of Fear @ The Gov 12/05/26
“Let this music heal your soul.” – ‘Turn Up The Main Knob’, Milo Silvestro with MuD (2025).
Although this lyrical excerpt is taken from the long-serving Italian metallic hardcore band MuD, who were not performing at this scintillating showcase, the guest vocalist on this track, Milo Silvestro, is the point of focus. Mr Silvestro is in fact the new frontman for the iconic IndustriMetal band Fear Factory, having been announced as the vocalist in 2023 after the departure of Burton C. Bell in late 2022.
The six words Milo howls in MuD’s powerful hardcore anthem scream true for not only this sensational spectacle hosted by The Gov, but for heavy music in general.
“Let this music heal your soul.”
Interestingly, Dr Kirk Olsen recently conducted a study at Bond University and discovered that heavy metal “fans typically derive a range of emotional and social benefits from listening to heavy metal music, including improved mood, identity formation, and peer affiliation.”
All rather important factors for healing, especially in this confusing and frightening world we live in.
Adelaide’s own extreme tech-metal conjurers Freedom Of Fear were the first act to promote this soulful healing, and were above enchanting in their MetALLEVIATING musical therapy.
Beginning their demonstration with a captivating piano instrumental, three-quarters of the band moved secretly into their positions in the near darkness. Breaking the soft red-light luminescence, the back screen of The Gov was lit up by the three wondrous words, “Freedom Of Fear”, and a big cheer from the growing audience echoed throughout the venue.
Vocalist Jade Monserrat seemingly floated onto the stage as the musicians launched into ‘Immortal’. Monserrat instantly and brilliantly bewitched the crowd with her striking shrieks and divine growls. Guitarists Matt Walters and Corey Davis majestically traded mind-altering guitar solos in a riff-a-thon of resplendence.
“Adelaide, it’s been a while. Did you miss us?” Monserrat roared at the audience – a response wasn’t required, it was beyond obvious, we did.
‘Primordius’ thrashed, pulsated and melted faces all in one charismatic composition before its soothing folk-inspired conclusion sent the concertgoers into a false sense of calm. ‘Nebula’ then teRIFFically jolted the spectators to rockin’ recklessness as an immaculate sequel. Single ‘Carpathia’ was a metallic journey of dissonant grandeur featuring symphonic choir-blast interludes that enhanced its extraordinary radiance.
‘Entities’ was an above-tantalising track of savagery that Robert Eggers could honestly use in one of his forthcoming epic films. ‘Zenith’ accelerated and escalated every incredible facet of Freedom Of Fear’s amazing artistry, especially Monserrat, who prowled the platform in wonderful wildness.
‘Purgatorium’ featured titanic pulses of extreme metal that created its own oceanic movements through monuMETAL waves of remarkable ruination. Percussionist Liam Weedall’s outstanding blast beats and thunderous drumming were certainly a driving force of this tidal uprising.
The last couple of years of extensive touring in Australia, as well as overseas, have propelled Freedom Of Fear to an international force to be reckoned with. Honestly, their live production was a truly phenomenal undertaking to witness. Hopefully, album number three will be unveiled on Planet Earth very soon.
READ MORE: Review: Hellions @ The Gov 08/05/26
Movement at The Governor Hindmarsh had become very challenging, although everyone’s spirits were still immensely high. The rather uplifting soundtrack between sets provoked the patrons to engage in an unprecedented karaoke session of pop indulgence. Vengaboys’ ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom!!’, Afroman’s ‘Because I Got High’, Divinyls ‘I Touch Myself’ and more hits of yesteryear inspired a chorale of merriment before the metal onslaught of Fear Factory.
“Let this music heal your soul.”
Without warning, the venue became hauntingly unilluminated. Bellows of unwavering excitement from the capacity crowd instigated an immeasurable anticipation for the iconic industrimetallists Fear Factory. The quartet stomped onto the stage to the eerie spoken-word opening ‘Adapt Or Die’ from their Recoded full-length, instigating a near lunacy in exhilaration from their devotees.
“How the fuck you doing Adelaide?” Milo Silvestro exclaimed (not asked).
‘What Will Become’ was South Australia’s introduction into this next soulful healing through heavy music artistry. The floor shook with a raving buoyancy from the crunching electro-metal hybrid and the gravity-defying jumping that the audience immersed themselves in. Sing-alongs and clap-alongs were beyond abundant; Silvestro was instantly unhinged, roaming the platform like a bloodthirsty Siberian tiger, adopting both playful and ferocious behaviours to his prey. The crowd karaoke motif continued, and as the song concluded, the fanbase ecstatically yelled “US!” to bolster the track’s aura.
Fear Factory were BACK!
‘Slave Labor’ brought Silvestro to the barrier so the Fear Factory choir could advance the insanity further (an action the frontman would do throughout the exhibition), as well as the volume of the imposing poetry. ‘Archetype’ brought upon that ever-engaging smile from guitarist and original member Dino Cazares, as The Governor Hindmarsh suddenly adopted a stadium enlargement from the “arena” magnitude of this single’s industrial harmonious extravagance.
“Let me see some shit in the pit, come on!” Milo demanded.
His demands were met and exceeded. Crowd surfers and an immeasurable energy of passionate mosh-pit psychosis radiated from the sold-out audience for ‘Industrial Discipline’ and ‘Powershifter’. These thrilling actions were mostly triggered by the song’s fantastic thrash and machine gun breakdowns of metallic fury.
‘Shock’ incorporated devastating djent riffage and compelling gang vocals from seemingly all within The Gov. ‘Edgecrusher’ followed with an infectious groove courtesy of bassist Ricky Bonazza, who, in all probability, achieved more airtime than an NBA player. The DJ scratches through a backing track amazingly amplified the entire exhibition tremendously. ‘Securitron (Police State 2000)’ then summoned a sense of evil with its sinister evacuation sirens and poetic exploration, but also provided a heart-warming motivation with its eloquent harmonies.
‘Descent’ became an atmospheric ballad of saddening realisation, as well as revitalisation – as if the entirety of Adelaide was purified with a sense of empathy through song. It was simply illustrious. Especially when Silvestro opened his arms with a welcoming, metaphoric hug toward his admirers at the song’s conclusion. Counteractively and dazzlingly, ‘Disruptor’ inspired a wall of death and found Fear Factory at their most bewilderingly vicious.
“Everybody fucking BOUNCE!” Milo instructed.
‘Linchpin’ is the metallic answer to Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. Fear Factory prodigiously expresses: “No, you can’t take me apart”, and perhaps this is the answer to the soul’s discernment, and inherent need for healing. ‘Linchpin’ became so enlightening that it somehow brought solace to us all.
‘Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)’ was both magnificent and malicious simultaneously; a nu metal ballad for the ages. ‘Scumgrief’ explored a metallic melancholy augmented by anguish, which faultlessly suited our current way of life. However, there was a sense of hope woven into the sorrow that left Adelaide, and Fear Factory, above inspired.
“We’re going to take it back to 1995, but before we do, open up this fuckin pit,” Dino instructed.
‘Demanufacture’ – what an anthem. A wall of death, a circle pit, crowd chants varying from side-to-side and an adrenalised reawakening of industrial thrash metal distinction.
“FUCK YEAH!” Mr Silvestro yelled animatedly.
“Hey, you! Wake up!” was the directive from ‘Self Bias Resistor’ - this command was part of the referenced soul healing motif. “Persist for resistance”, “now it’s time to take control of your life” and the repeated “life/life/life” chant – welcome to invigoration through industrial metal. This is a preaching sacrament through heavy soundscapes that the entire globe should get behind.
“ADELAIDE! Repeat after me: ‘I don’t want to live this way’, GO!” Dino implored.
Adelaide followed the instructions flawlessly.
“This is ‘REPLICA’!”
Drummer Pete Webber literally shook the earth below with his shattering strikes of percussive power. The quartet were literally altering our universe. A surprising cover of Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’ was unexpected, and assuredly, beyond memorable.
“This is our last song, thank you for making this another sold-out show! We will be back with a new record and a new single will be out in a few months!” Cazares exuberantly informed his devotees.
‘Final Exit’ was the theatrical conclusion to Adelaide’s heavy metal therapy session.
“Let this music heal your soul.”
We are all now a Soul Of A New Machine, gratefully.
Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.
