Fearout – Resistenza
Helsinki, Finland, may not be the place you think of when you wonder where the latest Punk Rock is coming from. Fearout will make you rethink your Punk Rock landscape in more ways than one. First, not all Punk is born in Britain, and some Punk includes Metal and Stoner music as well. Smashing genres and boundaries alike, Fearout dares to go wherever they want, not adhering to social norms and mores, precisely what you expect from your Punk Rock.
Band Members:
- Justus Latvala – Vocals/Guitars
- Arg Kinnunen – Guitars/Backing Vocals
- Minttu Minkkinen – Bass/Backing Vocals
- Topi Lajunen – Drums/Backing Vocals
May 5, 2023 – Inverse Records
Tracklist:
- Hey Stringer, Where’s Wallace?
- The End Of The World
- One Bullet (To Fix It All)
- Hanoi Rocks
- Altogether
- What’s The Matter With You
- Seattle Suicide Pact
There is no question about this band. You know it will be a Punk Rock adventure from the first notes. The guitar tones, rhythms, and vocals all fit the mold perfectly. This is a modern version of Punk, not the 70s UK style, not the 80s and 90s US style. Fearout has all the attitude and swagger needed to pull off the sound, too. The opening to “Hey Stringer, Where’s Wallace” tells you everything you need to know, then “The End Of The World” takes everything a few steps further.
“One Bullet (To Fix It All)” goes heavier, stepping into an almost Punk/Thrash Metal crossover at the start. The song does temper down a bit but keeps the tempo and the heavy vibe throughout, showing Fearout can go dark when they want to. The voice gets grittier, adding extra texture to the track. “Hanoi Rocks” lightens the tone, mirrored by the cleaner vocals. You also get treated to a hefty dose of the multi-person backing vocals in this track, giving the song more power behind the vocal punch.
One of the things I like about this band is they don’t try to overdo it. The drums are catchy with great rhythmic phrasing. The bass is heavy-handed and hard-hitting and, coupled with the drums, builds a rock-solid foundation for the catchy, rhythmic guitar work. Whether “Altogether” or “What’s The Matter With You,” there is a distinct groove to the tracks. And in typical Punk Rock fashion, they sing songs that might offend the sensibilities of the establishment. With a track called “Seattle Suicide Pact,” you know someone will be upset, but that is part of the appeal of Punk. Sometimes you just have to upset the system.
Fearout is reviving Punk in some ways and challenging the theory of how it should sound in other ways. Fusing in thrash Metal gives the Punk Rock elements new life, taking it in a quite an exciting direction. Leave it to the Finnish to go bold new places with existing music, pushing boundaries and making the old new again!
MZ Ratings:
- Musicianship
- Guitars – 8
- Rhythms – 8
- Vocals – 8
- Songwriting – 9
- Production – 8
- Overall – 8.20
