What the hell has happened to Fear Factory? Or should we say what in heaven? Going by their new CD Digimortal, this L.A. death-metal foursome have become born-again Christian rockers. Granted, they've explored faith in the past on tracks like Resurrection and, ahem, Pisschrist. But they've never put a cross on their albums before -- and is it just our imagination, or is that cover art supposed to depict the Shroud of Turin as a circuit board? Either way, there's no mistaking the inspiration for lyrics like, "Do not surrender my God to anyone / Or this body will become carrion," and "I was lost, but now I'm found." At least singer Burton C. Bell and co. haven't turned the other cheek musically. Digimortal delivers all the Slayerish sledgehammer slam, techno-metal riffage and fire-beathing vocals of their first three albums. But no matter how hard they thrash -- and the incusuion of the odd demonic cut like Back the F-- Up -- it's hard to think of this as the devil's music any more.

Track Listing 1. What Will Become
2. Damaged
3. Digimortal
4. No One
5. Linchpin
6. Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)
7. Acres Of Skin
8. Back The Fuck Up
9. Byte Block
10. Hurt Conveyer
11. (Memory Imprints) Never End