Having two very successful E.P.’s behind them (A Life of None and Black Sand), Fearing has brought us a debut album that is nothing short of what we’d hoped for and Shadow helps them shine. The California Bay Area quartet has been together since 2016. The blend of post-punk and goth that they weave is unique yet the influences are on their sleeve. That is in no way a jab but rather something that should be looked upon fondly. One listen through will feel familiar but yield a brand new listening sensation at the same time.
You will note throughout the album that Fearing are not a standard verse-chorus-verse band that you will easily sing along to while out for a bop to the Tesco. Their music lends itself to deep listening to fully take in James Rogers’ deep reverb-soaked vocals and deep bass guitar, Brian Vega and Joey Camello’s textured guitars that echo the interplay found in The Chameleons canon of work, and Mike Fenton’s drums that pound their songs to life with his primal pagan beats.
Tracks like ‘Pictured Perfect‘, ‘Good Talks‘ and ‘Glow‘ will give you a great introduction to what we are looking into. They have such a defining beat that will make you think of Goth pioneers Asylum Party melding with Post-Punk icons Joy Division. The parallels may have been talked about before but they are true. Fearing take it beyond that simple comparison though and give us such elegant texture and atmosphere that is consistent and memorable. This almost 40-minute drive they take you on through Shadows will honestly make you feel so enveloped in the experience, you will think you missed something when it’s over. That will make you listen again and hear things you didn’t notice before, like maybe the way the harmonious bass and drums push you through ‘Catacombs‘ or the subtle synth lines in ‘The Push‘. Each listen is going to reward you with some new detail buried within their wall of sound.
