Unbiased Reviews by Real People
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Unbiased Reviews by Real People
Have No FearJun 11, 2008 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Energetic hard rock that will get stuck in your head Wasting time on MySpace usually isn't a very productive activity, but occasionally it can yield good results. For example, one day I felt like discovering some new rock bands in New England. While looking through the Connecticut section, one of the first I came across was Fear the State. I thought it was a cool name, so I gave them a listen. And then another listen, and another, and another. Eventually I decided the four MySpace songs weren't enough, so I went to iTunes to download their debut album Trust Nothing. The purchase was well worth it. Fear the State is comprised of Marc Amendola (guitar/vocals), Jim Dizm (drums), Neal Nereo (guitar), and Jeff Sobon (bass). Hailing from New Haven, CT, they have a strong fanbase within the excellent hard rock scenes of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. They recently had the honor of opening for Godsmack before embarking on a tour with Baltimore heavy metallers Seventh Seal. I saw Fear the State and Seventh Seal, along with When Heroes Die and Nowhere Found, at the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington, Vermont. Every single band was great, but the one I was most looking forward to was Fear the State since I already had heard their music. They gave an energetic set packed with Trust Nothing favorites as well as some new ones they'll include on the next record. The songs rocked hard but were very catchy, as you could tell by the rest of the crowd, who were clearly enjoying the songs even though most of them hadn't heard of the band before that night. Another cool aspect of that show was that as I was at the merch table for a FTS t-shirt (black with the skull-and-stars logo), their guitarist Neal talked for a while with my friend and me. He was really friendly as we discussed our favorite New England metal bands. Later some of the other band members introduced themselves to us and others, showing that they were just as enthusiastic about meeting fans and making new ones as we were to catch their live show. As for the music, they play solid, guitar-driven hard rock, kind of an alt-metal style though not too heavy. At first it might seem like nothing too different, but after a couple listens to Trust Nothing, it's clear that this band knows how to produce big rock hooks. The biggest is found on "Live Again," a good song when you're in need of motivation thanks to its chorus of "If you knew this was your only chance / Would you think it through again? / If you'd take it, then take it." Another one that should immediately grab your attention is "Get to You," a short, speedy blast with heavy guitars and a radio-ready chorus of "I'm gonna get to you I swear!" "Losing My Voice" is hard but slower paced tune with a burly refrain of "I'm selling off my soul / For an hour of freedom and a pound of gold." More crunchy riffs and addictive choruses abound thanks to tracks like the fast-paced "Frank Said," the defiant "Horror Film," or the hopeful "World of Hate." The songs on Trust Nothing are all good but fairly similar. However, it appears as though the band is branching out a bit for their next release, as evidenced by "Forgiven," a track that is much slower than previous songs but still retains a good bit of energy and catchiness. Fear the State is a talented rock band with loads of potential. If you get the chance to see them live, don't pass it up. You'd also do well to check out at least a few Trust Nothing tracks on iTunes. You can hear a few at myspace.com/fearthestate. Sometimes the state of rock can look bleak, but if more fans start digging bands like this one, we have nothing to fear.  |
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