August 15, 2026 | Hop Springs, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Fear Not’s album release concert at Hop Springs was much more than a four-band show. With Devin Williams, Applehead, Whitecross, and Fear Not on the bill, plus an incredible number of Christian rock and metal musicians in attendance, it became a gathering of several generations of the scene.

I drove up from South Carolina with my 10-year-old son, Leo, and was honored to help promote the show and set up a Christian Metal Group banner beside the Rock for Life table. Getting there early gave me time to catch up with friends from several states and finally meet others I had previously only known through social media, podcasts, or the music community.

The audience included people connected to bands such as Narnia, Rob Rock, Deliverance, Recon, Guardian, Barren Cross, Tourniquet, Vengeance, Motivik, Rusty Shipp, and many others. It was one of those nights when you could look around the room and see Christian metal history everywhere.

Fear Not started things early with a special five-song acoustic performance for meet and greet ticket holders. The intimate set was a great contrast to what was coming later. The band also announced that they had received two Josie Music Award nominations and revealed that a special edition of their new release will be available exclusively at Immortal Fest 2026.

Devin Williams opened the main show with a strong dose of straightforward rock and roll before Applehead delivered one of the biggest surprises of the night.

Applehead was a real treat, and you could tell many musicians in attendance were especially interested in seeing them. The live lineup included Jaymi “Pinkbassman” Millard on bass and Jim Chaffin on drums.

Then Luke Easter joined the band to sing The Crucified’s “Your Image,” with Bryan Kemper on background vocals. For fans of The Crucified, it was about as close as you are likely to get to hearing the band represented live today.

As if that was not enough, with former Vengeance bassist Roger Dale Martin in attendance, Easter ended things with an impromptu performance of Vengeance Rising’s “White Throne.” It was one of those completely unexpected moments that made the night special.

Whitecross followed and absolutely slayed their set. Of course, no Whitecross show would be complete without a Rex Carroll guitar solo.

The current lineup continues to prove that Whitecross is not simply living off its history. Michael Feighan and Benny Ramos remain an impressive rhythm section, while David Roberts has proven to be an excellent fit on lead vocals.

The crowd also received two special guitar appearances. Anthony Focx, who co-wrote “Who Will You Follow?”, joined the band for the song, while CJ Grimmark of Narnia and Rob Rock also came out to play with Whitecross.

Before Fear Not took the stage, Bryan Kemper of Rock for Life gave a passionate message about the value of human life and the importance of standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves. His statement that being pro-life is a verb, not a noun, summed up his challenge to the audience.

Then it was time for Fear Not.

This was my fifth time seeing the band, and they continue to deliver excellent hard rock while remaining completely unashamed about sharing King Jesus.

The set mixed newer material such as “Blind Leading the Blind” with older favorites including “Fields of Sorrow” and the crowd favorite “Voluntary Madness.” Their version of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Blue on Black” was another highlight.

One of the most personal moments came before “It Was You, It Was Me,” when Eddie Green became emotional while explaining the meaning behind the song and how difficult it was to write.

Fear Not closed with “We Have a God,” the song that put the band on the map, and it could not have been a better ending.

The performances were great, but what made this a night to remember was seeing so many people connected to Christian rock and metal together in one place. Musicians, fans, friends, and several generations of the scene came together to celebrate the music, the relationships, and the faith behind it.

Getting to experience it with my son made the night even better.