Fear Not: The Blind Leading The Blind | Returning To The Same Steps
(2026 – Roxx Records)
If their previous album, “Weight Of The World,” had served as a turning point in their career, “The Blind Leading The Blind” confirms the heavy rock direction that Fear Not has definitively taken. The formula Fear Not offers is neither a surprise nor anything new: hard rock with hints of Southern rock, plenty of solid guitar work, and good mid-tempo songs packed with intensity. That doesn’t make it any less simple and effective, and that’s where Fear Not shines.
With the same lineup—Eddie Green on vocals, Larry Worley and Chris Sorensen on guitars, Rod Romero on bass, and Gary Hanson on drums—Fear Not stays true to the spirit of their previous work, and in particular, everything suggests that the songs included on “The Blind Leading The Blind” come from the same recording sessions as “Weight Of The World,” which could actually be a full-length album if we combined both EPs into a single record. Could we call it Part I and Part II? Everything would seem to indicate so.
Beyond that question, the truth is that Fear Not follows a path that doesn’t aim to invent anything new. It simply offers good, powerful songs with a sound that is, above all else, simple, direct, and heavy.
In that sense, “Hard Road” is the opening track of this album, featuring riffs that are very characteristic of the band and a basic yet thoroughly rock-driven structure with the guitars taking the lead—and, of course, one of those guitar solos that give the band its own distinctive style. Fear Not has plenty of rock appeal, and to leave no doubt about it, “When Goliath Falls” comes next—with a certain nod to stoner rock, it maintains a dense, heavy groove.
The intensity builds with the title track of this EP. “The Blind Leading The Blind” leans more toward the most energetic and intense side of hard rock—perfect for headbanging and getting your heart racing—while “The Devil Preys For You” takes us down a different path, with a distinctly ’90s vibe without straying from the sound that so distinctly characterizes Fear Not.
“I Drove The Nails” is the closing track on this EP. It’s a ballad with an unmistakable “Southern” or “country-rock” vibe—a high-quality track brimming with emotion.
With just five songs, Fear Not brings a sort of conclusion to the studio work they began with their previous release, “Weight Of The World,” essentially maintaining the same style and featuring excellent songs—because if there’s one thing Fear Not has excelled at in both works, it’s the straightforward construction of song structures that result in direct, simple, no-nonsense rock tracks. Their strength lies precisely in not trying to invent anything new. Just the basics: heavy guitars, crushing riffs, and a vocalist who knows how to convey every emotion through his own voice.
Fear Not knew how to reinvent themselves. Quite some time has passed since that distant album from the first half of the ’90s to this heavy, dense, and rock-driven version, but far from getting stuck in some sort of nostalgia for those old days, Fear Not has evolved into a much heavier version, complete with good, entertaining songs.
Are there differences between “Weight Of The World” and “The Blind Leading The Blind”? It’s easier to find the similarities than the differences between the two EPs. The compositional and sonic style remains consistent across both releases. Rather, it feels like a full-length album delivered in parts, in the form of EPs. Now, if we want to look for differences compared to Fear Not’s earlier work, then we can certainly find some, but the truth is that the direction Fear Not has been taking is clearly a positive one.
And speaking of sound, it’s clear that the production intent for both EPs is distinctly similar, with a mix that places heavy emphasis on the guitars of Larry Worley and Chris Sorensen, giving each song a lot of power. But we must also highlight Rod Romero’s bass lines, which sound as furious as they can be, and every beat from Gary Hanson’s drums, which also makes its mark. What stands out most is that here, it’s all muscle power with minimal technological intervention. Fear Not manages to sound great, in an old-school way, and it’s thanks to the work done in engineering, mixing, and mastering that the sound feels contemporary without losing its power and personality.
The cover art aligns with the theme of the album’s title track; while not particularly original, it stays true to the artistic style of the previous album, “Weight Of The World.” What stands out are the various illustrations accompanying the lyrics of each song, found inside the gatefold sleeve, which also features some photographs of the band.
“Fear Not” completes what began with “Weight Of The World,” forming a sort of continuity that never feels out of place. The work on both albums is noteworthy and may well mark a turning point for the band, as it defines their style and makes it clear that great things can still be achieved through simplicity and heaviness.
The band released a conceptual music video for the song “The Blind Leading The Blind,” which we’ve included below, along with the band’s social media accounts and those of their label, Roxx Records, so you can stay up to date on the band’s latest news and find out how to get your hands on Fear Not…
https://www.facebook.com/FearNotRoxx
https://www.instagram.com/fearnotroxx
