Factory of Art – Back To Life
Factory of Art – Back to Life
Factory Music
Release Date: 07/06/2024
Running Time: 54:38
Review by David Barreto
12/10
If you hear that a band that started in 1990 and were quite recognized around Germany during their first years suddenly publishes a new record more than twenty years later than the last one, I hope you at least get intrigued.
I did, and to my surprise, I am so happy I did.
Factory or Art is a band formed in Leipzig, Germany, in 1990. From the former members there are still a few playing in the new formation, but 34 years and more downs than ups (for their trajectory I imagine there were more downs…) are a big weight to fight against.
The band had a few demos, several contests wins and prizes during their first years, two full albums “Grasp!!!” and “The Tempter” which are amazing and you should go and listen to them. They were so good in live shows that during those years there were a few “small” bands that wanted to get them on tour… Small ones like Blind Guardian, GammaRay, Threshold or Yngwie J. Malmsteen. I hope you get the MASSIVE sarcasm in that last line.
But in 2006 they had their biggest problem, whatever it was, and disbanded. It is a story we have heard SEVERAL times because there are many reasons for this kind of shit to happen. Whatever! What is important is that they are back. “BACK TO LIFE” indeed and VERY FUCKING ALIVE!
I am quite fluent in english, believe me, I know most of the good words like twatwaffle, fuckwit, cockwomble or the one that really fills your mouth, bloody bastard arsehole.
But if you speak more than one language you know that it doesn’t matter how good the words are in English, if you need to really say it loud and clear, you need to use your mothertonge because it doesn’t have the same effect so…
MECAGOENLAPUTADEORO! MEHAPUESTOLATIENDADECAMPAÑA! TECOMOELCULO!
No, I won’t translate this, for your own benefit.
In one word: awesome.
All tracks, over 54 minutes of maximum quality music, groove, that bass tone, those guitars, those voices, oh, the voices… the drumming, the keyboard… All is perfectly spot on. You don’t know me yet but I am very finicky about music (and other things), some say that I am a pain in the ass because I always find something to fuss about (yeah, ask my wife, she doesn’t let me speak anymore when watching movies!) but this work from Factory of Art is simply perfect and so I have showed it with “breaking the scale”. 12 out of 10 doesn’t even seem fair enough.
Have I said the lyrics are REALLY good all throughout the record? Not yet, right? Ok. They are. Nice, NICE lyrics. It seems like most bands don’t care about the lyrics anymore or maybe it is that I have been listening only to mainstream music lately…
I am not going to name all songs and say a bit of each: one reason is because I want you to listen to it unbiased because of what I can say and the other reason is because there are plenty of tracks; so I will just name two.
First one is track number seven, ‘Decadence’. This one is a bit different because there is a second singer, Stephanie Brill, and let me tell you the harmonized lines between both singers are just other-worldly. The track is over seven minutes of pure magic, talking about the duality of today’s society where people die of hunger while others `cannot see the fire from their highest tower´, with several parts, some faster, some calmer, plenty of aggression and also there is an overall sadness that make you feel a bit blue… and you should because there’s no lies in there.
The other track I will talk about a bit more in depth is ‘Back to the Life’, the tenth and last. This was smart. Like, really. They are coming back from being over twenty years playing covers (check Factory Under Cover band) but stronger, wiser, better and they are writing a parallelism between their journey and Odysseus’ journey. This is one of the shorter tracks of the record but believe me: it will get you jumping.
It is energetic, fierce, kinda optimistic and less Prog and more Power than other tracks of the record. Which is what the track is asking for actually.
I am happy you are `back into life and stood up to fight forever´. I will keep an eye on you, friends, because you could perfectly become my favorite band of all times. GREAT job.
The good: Quality. Oh, quality everywhere… bass tone, production, guitars, the riffing, the voices, the harmonies, the topics, the dynamism… If you like Prog but sometimes you miss a bit more energy and anger, this band is for you!
The bad: The band’s name. SORRY! But really? Factory of Art? I don’t know, maybe it is because I don’t like Andy Warhol but I find the name of the band super cheesy… but at least it is true. I mean, they do art. Better than Warhol…
The ugly: many bands during their early stages had to fight against the odds and many more sank than went afloat. This is the case of “Factory of Art”. I couldn’t find an official statement about the reason for disbanding, but it looks like several members of the band left in a short time period and the lyrics for ‘Back to the Life’ or ‘Blessing in Disguise’ will probably lead you to some ideas…
That’s it for now! I’m off to listen to this record several times again non-stop and you should do the same!
Hasta la vista, Ever-Metallers!
‘Blessing in Disguise’ Official Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGaOOyoKBeU
TRACKLISTING:
01. Abysses
02. Burning Wings
03. Blessing in Disguise
04. Silent Room
05. Walking to the Place I Love
06. Face Behind the Mast
07. Decadence
08. The Truth
09. Behind the Lights
10. Back to The Life
LINE-UP:
Vocals – Jens “Petri” Petrat
Guitar – Thoralf Schulze
Keyboards, lead & backing vocals – Gunter Christian
Bass, backing vocals – Ronald “Ron” Losch
Drums – Ralph-Marcel “Ralle” Dietrich
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of David Barreto and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
