Article Written by: M. Brewster
Contributor Writer for DYSMD.eMAGAZINE
As the melody of four different backgrounds mold and shape into one we come to know the sound that is Fight the Fear. A group of friends, some from high school some from later years all come together to share one passion and composed a spark that would be the inspiration for future musical endeavors. With such influences as The Who, Nofx, Sublime and the Deftones, one is in for an eclectic sound. A band that is attracted to a certain energy, is destined to bring a similar energy with their presence. And that is exactly what they intend to do.
Let me break down this bands anatomy for you…first it was Roger (lead vox) and Mark (Bass and vox) jamming in high school. Later they brought Rob in on bass and James on the drums to complete the equation. Their journey into their debut album has been a long and trying one, but now they have the ball rolling. With numerous support dates coming up and a club tour heading off in early fall, they are more ready than ever the make Fight the Fear a house hold name. Each band member has the same aspiration to make a sound that is appealing to audiences across the board. Not wanting to be limited by a genre, Fight the Fear attempts to be appealing to a wide audience across the generation gap. “I want to accomplish something that will last. I want to bring music to the world that will not fade with the passing of time but will live on 10, 20 years from now. I want to make music with worth and longevity, not just something that is popular right here and right now.” (James).
Fight the Fear has great ambitions for where they want to go with their music. Ideally these four men want to be able to quit their service industry jobs someday and live the dream of being Golden Gods of rock. While they want to make it big in the music industry they want to stay true to their roots. They want to be “that band” that will still party and jam with fans after a show; even if they did just play a 20,000 person arena. I think that one of the most important things to this band is their fans and the influence they may have over them. They want to connect with their audience and share their personal experiences with their fans through their music. They want to let their fans know that they are not alone; in the good and the bad. Each band member made a comment about wanting to inspire their fans to pick up a guitar, to learn their songs and to create a memory associated with their music. Music is their tool, and they want to use it to make as many connections as possible. It was a group consensus that “one of the best feelings in the world is when kids know your lyrics and are singing along with the songs that you wrote.” That type of connection is insurmountable.
There is a noticeable passion and energy felt in the presence of this group. You can tell just by spending some time with them, that they put all of their heart and soul into their craft. Mark says that “every song comes from a thought, or a mood, or a moment in my day where I sit back and relay my thoughts into a melody.” There is a great deal of emotion put into each song by the band members. Roger wants his fans “to feel the substance of our music, not just hear it.” James supported this statement by adding that he wants “our fans to not only know but FEEL the heart and intensity of our music. That is what we are all about. We are the real deal. There is so much of our heart in this. I want (our fans) to be able to feel our energy, understand our music and give us a chance.” Music to this group is not simply a melody but a full bodied experience. The sound is merely a byproduct of the intensity and feelings they want to invoke in their fans.
While Fight the Fear has some really great things ahead of them they have also had some phenomenal experiences in the recent past. Their greatest performance was unanimously voted as the LA Music Awards in 2005. That night, not only did they have a blow out performance, they were awarded with the best alternative album for 2005. This was the second year in a row they would receive this award. The LA Music Awards was one of their biggest live shows and to win an award on top of it was a phenomenal night for Fight the Fear.
Watch out for this band. They have the talent and they have the heart to make it big. Now that things are rolling for Fight the Fear they will be a force to be reckoned with on the rock scene. You can be sure to see their Debut album by Never Say Die Records hit stores this fall. Also, be sure to look for this band as they head out for their west coast club tour in late summer, early fall. That’s all I have for Fight the Fear right now, but you know I will be at their shows and let you know how their energy conveys into stage presence and alcohol tolerance.
San Diego-based Fight the Fear is the most explosive rock act to break onto the West Coast scene in years. The band started commanding attention in 2004 when they blew away the L.A. Music Awards with their live performance, winning back-to-back awards for Best Alternative Rock Band (2004, 2005). The band then embarked on a grueling touring schedule through 2006, when they finally landed in the studio where they have recorded a monstrous self-titled debut. Fight the Fear create exhilarating sonic landscapes that climax with melodies that are both catchy and distinct. Roger Baca’s passionate tenor cuts powerfully through the songs, soaring along with the machine gun hammer of guitarist Mark Reveles. Reveles’ solos unwind with furious momentum and when they are fully unleashed, the results are epic. Bassist Rob Crist and drummer James Rhinehart anchor the band’s innovative sound with tight and crushing rhythms that rank them among the best on the West Coast.
Fight the Fear manage to stand apart from their less inventive peers with their bold new model that is as melodic as it is brutal. Songs like “Mark’s Angry” showcase a complex blend of rock and ska rhythms that underscore the diverse influences within the band’s sound. “Restless” features a layering of single muted notes, staccato fed into the bass and drums while Baca’s vocals soar between pitch perfect verses and clenched fist choruses. Producer Norwood Fisher (Fishbone) has harnessed the raw power of one of California’s best live acts and mixed it with perfection into their self-titled debut. The result is as gratifying as it is potent. 2007 looks to be the year that Fight the Fear make their move. Look for their upcoming release on Never Say Die Records.
