Fear Factory was one of the first bands to fuse the loud, crushing intensity of death metal with the cold harshness of industrial electronics and samples, producing a more varied sonic palette with which to express their bleak, pessimistic view of modern, technology-driven society. The band's mastery of subgenres reached an apex on the 1998 concept LP Obsolete, which became a mainstream hit thanks to a steely cover version of Gary Numan's "Cars."