Release Date March 20th, 2026
Format EP
Genre Modern Southern Influenced Metal
Origin USA
Fear Not have been kicking around the L.A. scene since the late eighties, originally grinding under the name Love Life before they swapped the moniker for something with more teeth in 1992. The core unit of Chris Howell, Gary Hanson, Larry Worley, and Rod Romero has been the bedrock of this outfit for decades, surviving the hair metal fallout and the shifting tides of the industry. They’ve spent years blending that Sunset Strip melodic sensibility with a much heavier, metallic bite that separates them from the radio-friendly fluff of their peers.
This new offering, "The Blind Leading The Blind," is a nasty, high-octane follows-up to their recent bursts of productivity. With Eddie Green now front and center handling the vocal duties, the band sounds like they’ve been drinking high-test gasoline. This isn't some nostalgic trip back to the spandex era; it’s a heavy-hitting collection of tracks that pulls in a Southern-fried groove and layers it over a thick, aggressive foundation. The production has a muscular, modern edge that makes the riffs sound massive and the rhythm section feel like a freight train coming through your living room.
The guitar work across these five tracks is absolutely lethal, dripping with attitude and those signature melodic hooks that stick in your brain like a barb. "Hard Road" and "When Goliath Fails" set a savage pace, proving these veterans still have plenty of fire in the belly. They aren't playing it safe or hiding behind studio magic but the performance is raw and aggressive. Green’s voice is a total powerhouse, bringing a fresh level of intensity that meshes perfectly with the low-end rumble and the bluesy, metallic swagger the band has perfected over the last few years.
"The Devil Preys For You" and "I Drove The Nails" show off a darker, meaner side of the band that I’m totally here for. The grooves are deep and dirty, leaning into that Southern influence without losing the metallic edge that defines their sound. It’s loud, it’s arrogant, and it sounds like a band that finally stopped caring about what’s trendy and started playing what actually bleeds. The title track, "The Blind Leading The Blind," is a mid-tempo bruiser that anchors the whole release, showing that Fear Not are currently firing on every single cylinder.
If you want your metal with a side of grease and a whole lot of L.A. attitude, this EP is a mandatory listen. Fear Not is delivering a masterclass in how to stay heavy and relevant without losing the soul of the song. It’s a short, violent burst of high-quality hard rock and metal that proves these old dogs have the biggest teeth in the yard. Roxx Records and Resurrection Records knew what they were doing with this one, because it’s a top-tier addition to a legacy that’s only getting more dangerous with age.
Score: 8.0
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