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Artist News
Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares issues statement over departure of frontman Burton C Bell
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 5 October 2020
The sole remaining original member of Fear Factory, possibly the sole remaining member of the band full stop – guitarist Dino Cazares – has issued a statement following the departure last week of frontman Burton C Bell. If you were hoping for clear answers as to what the hell is going on, well, at the very least I can promise you that the statement is quite long.
In said statement, posted to the band’s Facebook page, Cazares wrote that he was “saddened and surprised” by Bell’s announcement that he was quitting the band, saying that “it was not discussed with anyone within the Fear Factory camp, as he has not spoken to anyone for well over a year, which has made communication difficult”.
That announcement from Bell suggested that – after a lengthy legal battle with former bassist Christian Olde Wolbers and drummer Raymond Herrera over ownership of the band’s name – things had now soured between him and Cazares too. That had actually already been implied when, earlier in the month, Bell had hit out at a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign set up in the band’s name which was raising money to complete work on their latest album.
Saying that he had nothing to do with the fundraising campaign, and that the new album had been complete for more than a year, he accused Cazares of shaking down fans in order to pay off his personal legal fees. Cazares denies that in his new statement, and suggests – as he did in an earlier interview – that Bell is simply angry that he recently became the sole owner of the Fear Factory trademark, having acquired Bell’s stake in said mark.
“After a long court battle with the two ex-band members, Burton lost his legal rights to own the name Fear Factory”, says Cazares. “I had the opportunity to do something right, and I felt that obtaining the name in full was the right thing to do for the both of us, so after nearly four years, we can continue as Fear Factory, to make more records and to tour. That is why it is sad to hear that he decided to quit and, in my opinion, for whatever issues he has, it seems like it could’ve been worked out”.
“One thing that will be made clear though, and I will reiterate one more time, is the GoFundMe campaign is solely being used to complete the album”, he adds. “As I type this, the mixing and mastering of the album has started and we cannot wait for you, the fans, to hear it. And yes, even with Burton’s decision to quit Fear Factory, all of his vocals will remain on the album”.
With plans to release that album next year and then tour to promote it, Cazares is still hoping to reconcile with Bell, but added that he won’t hang around indefinitely. “For now, the door remains open for Burton should he wish to return”, he says. “But the door won’t stay open forever”.
