Far From Your Sun - In the Beginning… Was the Emotion
Far From Your Sun is a rock/prog-rock/metal group. Of note is that the band is entirely studio-based and anonymous; the group does not reveal their identities of the members, an effort to put the music front and center - and an approach that certainly succeeds. Today we take a listen to Far From Your Sun’s 2016 album In the Beginning… Was the Emotion - as well as help announce their upcoming album The Origin of Suffering slated for release in early 2022!
In the Beginning… Was the Emotion kicks off with “Far from Your Sun”, a track that shares the same name as the band; in many ways, this track feels like a mission statement for the band. Though it is actually one of the shorter songs on the album, it introduces Far From Your Sun’s prog-metal style in an engaging and easily enjoyable way. “Under the Hands of Time” follows and it really pulls its weight as an excellent progressive track. This one really builds in strength throughout its duration and has a healthy punch to it that really strikes its way into your memory - I dig it. “Annabel Lee” is the third track on the album - and longest -, borrowing its name, thematic and most of its lyrics from the legendary Poe poem and truly bringing the words of that great poet to life in a way that I could not have imagined before listening; I remember this poem from grade school but the way it hits in this rendition is absolutely can’t-miss.
The fourth track from In the Beginning… Was the Emotion is “Life”. From start to finish, this track builds up a sharply distinctive atmosphere that helps it stand strong compared to any composition I have ever reviewed; the string section is especially strong here, pairing with the vocals to make a very special song. “The Eightfold Path” follows and I absolutely adore the guitar work and passionate vocals in this track. “A Thousand Lives” is next and it is the shortest track on the album at three minutes and thirty-one seconds. The way in which an acoustic guitar and electric guitar trade off to carry the instrumental portion of the track caught my ear the most, really offering a unique and enjoyable sound overall. The penultimate song from In the Beginning… Was the Emotion is “On the Path - Of the Hanged Man”, which features some great metal-inspired guitar work; although there is nothing straightforward about this album, this track is the most easily identifiable as metal, featuring what I would even consider a semi-traditional breakdown and it is truly enjoyable as a result. Closing out the album is “F.A.D.”, which I feel ties everything together extremely well. Through this track we get to hear quite a few hallmarks of Far from Your Sun and it is a great track overall.
Personally, I feel like the mystery behind this band is half of the fun; are these romanticism-inspired artists famous? Are they unknown? The answer, though, is loud and clear: you shouldn’t care. Their music is of the finest craftmanship and their sound is well-refined,, with the kind of emotion that makes everything feel genuine and impactful. As much as I love the romantic-era of poetry, I may have missed callbacks and references to this key time in history; I feel that is okay, you do not need that to love Far From Your Sun’s music, but knowledge of that era will certainly help you appreciate these guys more. I cannot wait until we get to hear The Origin of Suffering early next year but for now, we can happily share In the Beginning… Was the Emotion with you all - it is embedded below! You can also find all of their links under the album embed!
