Album Review

Papa Roach – F.E.A.R.

• 26th Jan 2015

Eight albums in, and Papa Roach show no sign of slowing down. With the release of F.E.A.R, the nu-metal giants have near gotten rid of the raps and brought in the choruses and anthems.

At only 10 songs long, the album doesn’t feature filler, but rather a collection of concise and clear tracks, flowing from one to the next in a way amateur bands can’t quite master. When you’re around for nearly two decades, you pick up a thing or two.

And one thing Papa Roach picked up was the need to progress and revamp their sound, while somehow keeping very much with the nu-metal realm. While there’s not a lot here which could sit in alongside the songs of Infest, each song is as much Papa Roach as anything on their break out record.

Album opener ‘Face Everything And Rise’ is a perfect introduction to the album’s sound, with biting guitars and Jacoby Shaddix’s characteristic vocals running rampant. “I will face everything and rise / never gonna quit until I die” he sings in the chorus, and this could be the band’s mantra. While so many bands have failed to follow the times, Papa Roach have stood tall and focused on the music, allowing them to release such a record in 2015.

Stand out tracks include ‘Never Have To Say Goodbye’ and ‘Devil’, while ‘Gravity’ and ‘Warriors’ are as close to classic Papa Roach as you’re likely to find for some time. The one to watch out for, though, is penultimate track ‘Hope For The Hopeless’ is the diamond in the record, where everything culminates before the final close.

Eight albums is a feat for any band or artist, but it’s making eight albums and still remaining relevant even more so. Papa Roach have done this, and by the looks of things, we will be hearing more from them in the future. There’s a lot to be learned from such a band, who have a lot more to offer than just ‘Last Resort’.

Venue: F.E.A.R.
Support Band: Eleven Seven Music