Farcry is back after a 10-year hiatus! Not only has it been a while since we heard recorded material from the band (their last album was 2011’s Optimism) but they have gone through some lineup changes in that time then they were actually put to rest, re-started, played some shows and wrote a bunch of songs and are now finally back on the scene in 2021 armed with the new album titled Balance on the AOR Heaven label.

As mentioned, the band has seen some lineup changes since the release of the last album and most notably is the addition of new singer Bob Malone. A veteran of the NJ music scene, Malone fits the Farcry sound perfectly and was a great choice. He hooked up with Pete Fry around 2015-16 so he’s certainly had some time to gel with Pete and put his stamp on the band’s sound. The rest of the new lineup now includes Jon Geisler on guitar, Rich Yaniro on drums and Leo Sabatino on bass along with, of course, band leader and guitarist Pete Fry.

Balance opens with the title track and has a great message for the crazy times we now live in. With lyrics like “We’re living in material times, you need to eat, sleep and have a life” and “you have to find what works for you, find a balance that lets you be you”. These are true statements to consider and just a real positive song to open the new album. “Stay Away” has become an early favorite with a bit tougher sound and attitude. I really like the arrangement on this full-on rocker, and it reminds me a bit of bands like Norway & Bystander (minus the keyboards) and features a killer guitar solo. “I’ll Find The Way” has some AOR overtones with a catchy sing-along chorus that makes this a fun mid-paced rocker and it also adds a great guitar solo that suits the song well. “I Am Your Man” is another song with an AOR feel and has the type of chorus that gets stuck in your head thanks to the vocal arrangement and melodies. It’s another favorite of mine. “Reaper” as you might guess by the title is a tougher and heavier track with soaring vocals from Malone. It’s probably the heaviest track on the record but don’t worry we are not talking Pantera-heavy here!

The next few tracks are mid-paced ones; “Broken Dreams” was the first song the band released as a preview to the new album and it has an uplifting feel with a bit of an anthemic vibe. It’s about staying the course and not giving up the fight on whatever it is that you are striving for in life. I liked the song when I first heard it on their Facebook page and it’s another of my favorites on the album. “Long Distance Love Affair” has a feel not all that far removed from something that you might have heard on the debut Trixter album while “Mr. Destiny” has a simple yet catchy little chorus. “Chasing Rainbows” is a song that Pete Fry sent to us here at RockEyez about two years ago if my memory serves me right and it is the only ballad the band offers up on the album. If I recall, I liked the track back when I first heard it a couple of years ago but upon first listen on the new album, I was a bit indifferent when heard it alongside the rest of the new songs. Now though, the more I listen the more I like it. I guess it’s a grower when fit into the context of the record! “Redemption” closes out the album on a heavier note similar to the earlier track “Reaper”. The song has another socially conscious message as it explores how one needs to treat others with the central, age-old message being “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. We kind of need that more than ever in the world today.   

As a whole, listening to Balance brings me back to the glory days of seeing great local bands on the NJ & NY scene in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Farcry has really captured that vibe and sound but with more mature and thought-provoking lyrics at times and it certainly makes for an enjoyable listen. If you are a fan of east coast acts like the current House of Lords or Trixter, Danger Danger, Firehouse and the like but with also a bit deeper lyrical subject matter then you should find a lot to like with Balance. Welcome back Farcry, now let’s hope it’s not another 10 years until their next album!