Alternative metallers The Fear had a very successful 2025. Not only did they release their debut ‘Falling Forward’ to a raft of online praise, but the band also got to tour in support of nu metal legends Snot. Not content with that, they also found time to record a bunch of festive tunes which, released as the ‘Christmas Time’ EP pretty much the moment December reared its very cold bonce, showed that the lads not only had a serious work ethic, but also a sense of fun.
Pulling together a couple of Xmas staples, a take on the omnipresent Wham! classic ‘Last Christmas’, and a self-penned yuletide banger, the EP may feel a little too short, but it’s certainly well-rounded.
The brand new ‘Christmas Time (the best is yet to come)’ opens with a huge riff, sounding like Linkin Park with a huge amount of extra crunch. Behind the heaviness, there’s a sense of buoyancy, almost like the band are channelling a cheeky pop number, and this comes through even more via a melody that adds a world of Xmas bells to give everything a lift. Moving into the verse, the crunchy edge remains, but thanks to a great use of vocal harmonies and a slightly lighter touch, The Fear share something that sounds like the perfect blend of alternative metal and emo, before dropping into a huge sounding lead guitar break that uses harmonic sounds and twin leads to supply a cheeky nod to The Darkness. By the time the jubilant chorus rolls around for a second time, this track already starts to feel like a metal-oriented Christmas staple, and definitely kicks off this release in the most positive way possible.
There’s very little about the dark sounds and drones that open the second track that suggest “Christmas cheer” of any kind, but this massive curve ball is immediately intriguing. Even when the vocal arrives and it becomes very clear that it’s Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’, The Fear offer nothing uplifting, instead choosing to place a semi-gothic/emo-centric vocal over a stripped down backdrop full of echoing guitar lines and programmed beats. Eventually, the introduction of harmonies fleshes everything out, making things seem more natural, but the hugely familiar Xmas favourite rarely sounded so gloomy. This, as it turns out, is actually a good thing, as the slightly dour vocals sound absolutely superb during the second part of the track when a hefty drum sound begins to steer everything much closer to The Fear’s trademark sound. Finally, the marriage of melodic metalcore grooves and strange Danny Elfman-esque vocals creates the ultimate climax, and if you thought you never wanted to hear ‘Last Christmas’ ever again, this is definitely set to change your mind.
Working a world of pulsing synth noises and filtered vocals, there are moments of ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ that feel equally inventive, and its a joy to hear the familiar vocal melody dropped against a crushing guitar part that’s far more suited to a hardcore breakdown. Between the heavier elements, however, you’ll rediscover the kind of cheeky pop-ish buoyancy that drove this EP’s opening track, making this a great fit, before ‘Feliz Navidad’ crashes in with a filtered take on the traditional vocal melody contrasted with a huge drum ‘n’ bass loop, pulling The Fear further away from their alt-metal roots than before. Then, at the mid point, just in case some of the fans are upset by the lack of heaviness, the guitars arrive to deliver one of The Fear’s most brutal riffs to date, which sits surprisingly comfortably alongside the festive message. This isn’t as much fun as Mento Buru’s brass led take on the traditional tune, or as aggressive as the Voodoo Glow Skulls 90s recording, but it’ll be unlike almost any version of ‘Feliz Navidad’ you’ve heard before, so the band should be congratulated for thinking so far out of the box.
This EP is definitely worth checking out if you like Christmas tunes and are always on the lookout for something a little away from the mainstream.The playing is tight throughout, and any band who can give ‘Feliz Navidad’ a rousing send off without sounding too ridiculous definitely deserves applause. Like most Xmas releases, ‘Christmas Time’ doesn’t aim to be a grand artistic statement (at least in the true sense), but in showing a slightly different side to The Fear and giving metal fans a couple of classic tracks to add to their alternative Xmas playlists and digital collections, it does a grand job. A recommended listen.
December 2025