Review: Fear Not- Weight of the World EP
New Fear Not material has been slow in the offering. The band had a critically acclaimed hit with Fields of Sorrow, but after 3 years, fans are eager for new tuneage. One of my favorite “perks” of having a lot of musician friends is that I’m often treated to sneak peeks of “in progress” songs, and I love getting a behind the scenes glimpse of the creative process. But the finished product is the real deal, and here it is for your listening pleasure- Weight of the World.
The title track begins the ep on the right footing. The song has a little of everything to like about Fear Not. A hard rocking riff, centered around Eddie Green’s down-but-never-out lyrics- We’re “chewed up, spit out, and beaten down… “ but “I won’t be crushed… by the weight of the world.” You’ve got the guitar interplay between Larry Worley and Chris Sorensen and a bit of bluesy soloing, those great band bgv’s, even a bit of the hardcore vocals from Eddie that add just the right edge to things.
Next up is “Blue on Black,” a bluesy number that starts out with acoustic guitars and piano and Eddie showing just how versatile he is on vocals, then building in intensity. Though the song is a Kenny Wayne Shepherd cover, the band truly own it and it fits well among their original tracks.
“Crashin’ Down” was the first single released and is truly the star of the EP. Lyrically a companion piece to “Weight of the World,” Eddie paints an all too real picture of everyday life- “Livin’ this life with my hair on fire, Burnin’ the candle at both ends,” set to an infectious groove that stays in your head. Gary Hanson anchors the heavy rhythm section, and when Eddie concludes with the solution: “I surrender!,” we’re treated to a tasty guitar solo.
In “A Circle Complete,” Eddie speaks for us all when he says “There are days when I feel I can’t go on.” And so many rock bands would leave us right there- wallowing in our depression, but Fear Not always inspires and leaves us hope that “if I reach up to you, you reach down to me.” Eddie is a gifted songwriter that can make his lyrics come to life so that the audience doesn’t just hear what he has to say- they feel it, because it’s their own story, too. Life’s journey is not one of roses, but of struggles, and highs and lows- all of which are part of our christian walk.
“Finish the Race” starts off with a riff reminiscent of “American Prayer,” but heads in a decidedly more rockier direction, imploring God to “Help me get to my feet again…”
Weight of the World weighs in at 5 songs and a whopping 20 minutes or so. Short- yes, but always leave them wanting more. One could argue about the merits of releasing an ep vs. a whole album, but this feels like one cohesive thought, musically, lyrically, and even the packaging with Scott Waters’ artwork of a modern Atlas prototype. It’s great to hear new music from Fear Not. If I could only use one word to describe the band, it would be genuine. They’re not paint-by-numbers. They’re hearts-on-their-sleeves rockers whose passion and influences bleed through into their music. (Roxx Records)
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