With the supposed end of the world approaching, it’s likely that some bands are going to put out these post-apocalyptic records that tell tales of surviving and killing off zombies, dinosaurs, or whatever it is that’s supposed to happen when the Mayans are proven right. That’s what I thought In Fear And Faith had in store with their self-titled record, as it started with a helicopter sound and had songs titled “Soul Survivor” and “Last Man Stranded.” It would make sense; post-apocalyptic record for a post-hardcore band. But as the record continued to play, I took it as not a human apocalypse, but a personal one. The person in these songs seems to being have a mental breakdown that mirrors the end of civilization.
“The Calm Before Reform” does declare it’s the “end of the world,” but how many times does a person say that in their lifetime when things get overwhelming? Honestly it wasn’t until “Look What You Made Me Do” that I thought In Fear And Faith was a personal account. The line “you owe me a childhood” transformed this song into story of someone declaring their lost years of innocence to a parent. “Soul Survivor” kept the childhood theme going with an eerie crib mobile intro and talk of a place “once called home.”
Style wise, In Fear And Faith haven’t strayed too far from what’s expected of them. They mash together hardcore vocals and more harmonious ones to create a sound that fans of Greeley Estates and The Word Alive will likely incorporate into their lives. While the harsher vocals are for fans of hardcore, I personally leaned towards songs like “A Creeping Dose” and “It All Comes Out (On The Way Down)” because of they offered a softer approach to the record.
While In Fear And Faith might give off the impression that it’s just about some apocalypse at first, especially after seeing the cover, reading between the screamo style lines, one hears a more personal story throughout each song unfolds. That’s what I took from it anyways. In Fear And Faith is out now on Rise Records. Get it? Got it? Good.
Leave a Reply