Fear Not: self-titled vs. Fields of Sorrow

Which do you prefer?

Tough choose for me. I typically prefer the style of the self-titled, but I think Fields of Sorrow has slightly stronger songs overall. 

Went with FoS. But both are good.

They are both so good that it is hard for me to pick.  I like the Skid Row sound of the first and the Black Label Society vibe of today.  I can't pick just one!

I picked the self-titled based solely on nostalgia.  Both are really, really good.  I said in the 90's that if they had been more prolific they could have been my all-time favorite band.

Also self titled due to nostalgia. Just don't make me listen to For The Wounded Heart.

I love the s/t. I didn’t care for Fields of Sorrow. Easy choice.

Both are good.  Different styles though.

I am listening to both albums and the EP this weekend.  To be honest, the style isn't that different.  Sure, the singer is a full octave lower than when Larry did vocals.  The guitars are lower tuned and the new album isn't as polished in sound as back in the Pakaderm days.

With that said, the guitar riffs are very much the same.  The bass locks in with the guitars just like back in the old days.  The leads do lean a little more bluesy, but Chris and Larry split those well.  The drums are actually more inspired than back in the day as the drumming in the debut sounded phoned in with little fills added.  The main difference is the vocals, but I am liking the Black Label Society vibe over the Skid Row knock off sound.

So, why am I torn about voting?  Others hear this big change in style while I hear the same band morphing and finding the fun factor again that inspired them to keep going after the many years absent. I wonder if people would have liked this more if they had drifted this direction over several albums instead of all at once on the comeback.

I think that's part of it, they were gone a long time and came back with a somewhat different sound while people wanted the original.
Love Life should be on here since it was three of the same members.

I would’ve, but I’ve never been able to track Love Life down.

It's very rare, it's on YouTube.

Black Rider wrote:I think that's part of it, they were gone a long time and came back with a somewhat different sound while people wanted the original.

While I do understand that, most bands don't sound exactly the same as they did on their debut as they grow musically, get better producers, and what fans respond to changes.  Motley Crue sure doesn't sound the same as their first two albums.  Bride definitely doesn't.  Saint doesn't.  Dokken, Whitecross, KISS, Extreme, and so many more come to mind.  We roll with the changes when they are similar to what they were doing as in the case of all of these.  Seeing that they told us up front that there would be differences, I think we all should cut them some slack.  Seeing that they have now done more music in the "new" style than the old, it is safe to say that they are satisfied where they are.  Apparently, enough people have bought the new to make it worth them keeping at it and even getting out more for shows.

Black Rider wrote:It's very rare, it's on YouTube.

Even the 2019 reissue is OOP.  Copies are out there, but they aren't cheap.

Black Rider wrote:Also self titled due to nostalgia. Just don't make me listen to For The Wounded Heart.

I was put off by the E.P. at first, but it grew on me.  
Now I really like it, although I still dislike that first song ("Don't Want None Come Get Some").
I actually like the E.P. better than Fields Of Sorrow, I think the song-writing overall is sharper.

alldatndensum wrote:

Black Rider wrote:It's very rare, it's on YouTube.

Even the 2019 reissue is OOP.  Copies are out there, but they aren't cheap.

That surprises me.  I'm glad it sold well.  Sounds like it needs another pressing (not another "new" reissue).

I agree that it could be on this list too.  I wouldn't have voted for it but I consider it an honorary Fear Not album.

Tough choice but I’ll go with the s/t for old times sake. That’s really the style I first loved.

That being said, I have been listening to FOS more and really love the new direction the band has taken. 

It doesn’t bother me one bit that they changed the style a bit…it’s really excellent stuff…well crafted songs.

So yeah, the s/t … lol.

I didn´t even know they have returned. Well I listened the new album via Spotify while taking my dog out, and I like the new one more. 

To be honest, I never liked the s/t that much when it came back in the day. Don´t know why, because I was heavily into that kind of music back then and I really loved The Brave and other Elefante/Pakaderm stuff. 

Is this just this one out and fade into shadows again or are they planning to keep releasing music?

Immortal Combat wrote:I didn´t even know they have returned. Well I listened the new album via Spotify while taking my dog out, and I like the new one more. 

To be honest, I never liked the s/t that much when it came back in the day. Don´t know why, because I was heavily into that kind of music back then and I really loved The Brave and other Elefante/Pakaderm stuff. 

Is this just this one out and fade into shadows again or are they planning to keep releasing music?

Seeing that they have now done an EP and a full length album as well as doing shows, I believe they will be around for a while.

Immortal Combat wrote:I didn´t even know they have returned. Well I listened the new album via Spotify while taking my dog out, and I like the new one more. 

To be honest, I never liked the s/t that much when it came back in the day. Don´t know why, because I was heavily into that kind of music back then and I really loved The Brave and other Elefante/Pakaderm stuff. 

Is this just this one out and fade into shadows again or are they planning to keep releasing music?

I partially agree with you. I think the s/t is good and has several great songs, but it’s never bowled me over like it has many others. And I love the genre. 

Fields of Sorrow isn’t perfect—I always skip American Prayer—but it’s got a great sound and I think overall stronger songwriting.

Pethead wrote:

Immortal Combat wrote:I didn´t even know they have returned. Well I listened the new album via Spotify while taking my dog out, and I like the new one more. 

To be honest, I never liked the s/t that much when it came back in the day. Don´t know why, because I was heavily into that kind of music back then and I really loved The Brave and other Elefante/Pakaderm stuff. 

Is this just this one out and fade into shadows again or are they planning to keep releasing music?

I partially agree with you. I think the s/t is good and has several great songs, but it’s never bowled me over like it has many others. And I love the genre. 

Fields of Sorrow isn’t perfect—I always skip American Prayer—but it’s got a great sound and I think overall stronger songwriting.

The debut has some great Skid Row-ish songs with the same grit.  However, some of the song lack the punch they need due the minimalistic drumming throughout.  There are fills, but nothing that really makes the songs more powerful.  Compared to the new album, the drums were phoned in or programmed.  That was always a deterrent for me.

I listened the Fields of sorrow again while dogwalking and yep... much stronger album. I listened also the ep and I think it is their best so far.

I was thinking the s/t and I listened it through while taking beer and... I still can't quite figure why I didn't like it. There are couple strong tracks, guitars sound good, singer Ok (I like the new one better). Drums are... flat. Their debut lacks some x-factor, there is no kick.

The x-factor is funny. Fe. Holy Soldiers s/t has sooooo thin guitars, but there is something. Their Last Train.. sonics are not better, but there definitely something. Mastedon first has so much something I could get married with it... just couple examples.

If Fear Not continues.. and I hope they do.. In my eyes they are on their way to get the x-factor. It is getting better.