Far From Your Sun - In the Beginning... Was the Emotion - Album Review - Alternative Progressive Rock from Paris, France
Today we are featuring a promising alternative progressive rock band, Far From Your Sun, from Paris, France. I reviewed their latest album, In the Beginning... Was the Emotion, along with its character, style, story, potential, and more.
Far From Your Sun is a promising prog-rock band I discovered a month ago with their latest album, In the Beginning... Was the Emotion, which was released on February 15, 2016. For those who haven't heard about the band before, Far From Your Sun started their careers with a self-titled album in 2013. Since then, the band has released only one full-length album, In the Beginning... Was the Emotion (2016). Now, please give the album a listen while reading the rest of the article.
As you might remember from some of my previous articles, progressive music is my personal favorite, and I try to follow what's happening in the progressive scene as much as I can. Far From Your Sun has been making music since 2013, but apparently, they have failed to reach the right audience with their progress, as I wasn't aware of their existence until recently. I must say, I missed out on such an exciting collective.
Today, after having my morning coffee, I started listening to In the Beginning... Was the Emotion a few times on repeat and identified some of their influences. Their sound is mostly based on Tool's understanding of music with long compositions, slow-motion movements, cold and dry tones, moody vibes, and atmosphere.
Secondly, I sensed Steven Wilson's Porcupine Tree influence in their compositions and instrumentals as well. Having listened to the entire Porcupine Tree discography, I can say they are one of the finest progressive bands of all time for me. It was a pleasant experience hearing such a blend from a new band like Far From Your Sun. They have a promising character, but it won't be easy to gain acceptance from the progressive rock/metal music community's high standards, both musically and technically. Considering that their potential listeners are die-hard fans of bands like Tool, Katatonia, Riverside, Opeth, Dream Theater, and Porcupine Tree, Far From Your Sun's music will be of great interest to them.
Moreover, my conclusion about the musical side of In the Beginning... Was the Emotion album is mostly positive, and I am confident about it. First of all, as I mentioned earlier, this is a very impressive debut album. Hands down. Although there are imperfections in the production, it is undeniably a step forward in their careers. I loved the harmony in their music, despite the heavy Tool influences. Lastly, I am impressed by their instrumentation, compositions, ideas, atmosphere, energy, but most of all, the unique blend they offer.
The technical side of In the Beginning... Was the Emotion album is where it falls short, I'm afraid. Firstly, they have heavy influences in their music that could be better characterized with the right mixing. However, the album has a sound that is very close to Tool's albums, which didn't sit well with me. I would have preferred to hear Far From Your Sun's music with their own distinct sound, rather than someone else's mix. I made this mistake myself once, and that's why I feel quite certain about this sentiment, years after making such a release.
Additionally, I must admit that I couldn't fully get used to the vocal mix on the album. It needed better blending and characterization, as the vocals occasionally stray from the controlled zone. While this issue didn't detract from my enjoyment of the music, it was consistently present.
Lastly, I feel that their music could benefit from a bit more dynamics overall. These compositions have a cinematic quality, and they would be even more impactful with the necessary push and power.
On the other hand, there are still many positive aspects on the technical side of the album. It has a good and calming sound from start to finish, with beautiful instrumentation and stories.
Taking all of this into account, I'd like to say that I am impressed by Far From Your Sun. As a conclusion, I am positive about their potential and future. They face a demanding task with their music, yet they have made a strong impression with their debut album, In the Beginning... Was the Emotion.
Please go ahead and check out the links below if you'd like to find out more about the artist/band, follow them on social media, subscribe to their channels to show your support, and not miss any upcoming releases.
In conclusion, the Metalhead Community Team congratulates Far From Your Sun for their fine debut album, In the Beginning... Was the Emotion, and wishes them the very best in their future careers. Thank you for reading.
