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FarCry - Optimism


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Actually I was hoping for some avante garde jazz infused extended jams with ambient leanings

Oh, we did that... I mean we didn't go REALLY experimental or anything... ;)

So the Yak squeals are out then!

They're still in, but we did use autotune on them... ;)

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Ordered! Can't wait, Pete. Like others, no hesitation to make a "blind purchase" is this instant. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Love that album cover!

 

I agree with that! Looks like a classic already. Can't wait to hear it.

 

 

Thank you for the kind words on the album cover art. We always pride ourselves here on making sure our releases have a visual impact as well as musically. This particular concept was one i was very excited about doing. A BIG credit to Mike Mayhew for delivering this concept in spades. Both band and label couldnt be more pleased. Feel free to visit his website as he is a mega talent! http://www.mikemayhewstudio.com/

 

As for the new album. I promise that if you enjoyed the first album. Then you are going to LOOOOOOVE This one! The band really gelled on this album. I think people will find alot of what they enjoyed of the HIGH GEAR release, but will be pleasantly surprised with the evolution of the band as well. No that is not code for some experimental sounds, material etc.LOL. This isn't Queensryche.(Not that there is anything wrong with Ryche) This album does have it all (excuse the Farcry Pun) You have your fist pumping top down doing 90 on the highway tunes. There are the sing along anthems. The fun toe tapper i love my girl pop along tune. Ofcourse there are two killer ballads(You have to have them right!?). The heartwarming pulling on the heart strings one that leaves a smile on your face. Then there is the inspirational, i wont be held down ballad. There is also a song that may surprise everyone how in your face and mean FARCRY can get. It you liked Have It all, then your going to love hearing this particular tune, It's fierce!

 

I cant say enough about this album. Everyone involved delivered! We made sure not to rush it, as we wanted this to be the best we can offer.The fans deserve as much. I don't just say this as the guy behind the band/label etc. I say this as a fan of MUSIC and the genre. I haven't stopped listening to this cd since it was completed. I promise that it will deliver and not disappoint fans of the bands past work.

 

Big thanks to everyone that has pre ordered it already, and sent in the very kind emails showing support. I personally appreciate the support you have showed both my label, and this band. Farcry is just getting started...!

 

 

Thank You

John

Kivel Records

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After the quality of the first one, I'd buy this blind too. Btw: when you say 'the band were more involved this time around', does that mean the label had a big influence over the first one?

Absolutely, and the label continues to have an influence, which is part of what John's vision is for the bands on his label. But whereas the first release included more outside songwriting and band members that had never played the material live, this release has much more in the way of band contributed material as well as a band that's hung out, rehearsed extensively, and played live together. Overall I think it breathes more life into something that was already very good, and now all that much better... I hope! ;)

 

well judging on many Kivel releases that I like such as your old band Rockarma, along with the other names like Damn Cheetah, Goodbye Thrill, Talon, and TNA, I trust John's taste and influence :)

 

Thank You Night train. Very much appreciate the kind words!!! :-)

 

John

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Congratulations, Blue Charvel. Does the CD come with a 'Pete Fry' wig so the fans can wear at gigs to show support?

Lord knows there have been a lot of inquiries to that effect. That and a Ronnie Parkes cowboy hat. Both of those will only be released with the magenta vinyl 45rpm version of Optimism though. ;)

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Loved the last album so much I bought (2) copy's. Just placed order for the new pup! Can't wait! GREAT STUFF! Just the way I like my music! Time to dust off the air guitar and get the Vega's pumpin' :party421:

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Ok HH boarders!!!

 

I want you to chime in on this one. We are going to do something a lil differant this time. As some of you know, i like to do things differant from the other labels. SO, with that said.....i want the fine folk of HEAVY HARMONIES to pick the next single from the FARCRY CD!! Thats right....YOU. Crazy i know.... :crazy:

 

So.....do u want to hear a song similar to the one we already released?BEST OF ME. Or,would you like to hear something a lil moody/edgy? Prehaps a, i will get a speeding tix while listening to this song kinda song? The inspirational feel good fun song that leaves a smile on your face? Or the kick your teeth in we have a mean in your face side song? Then, ofcourse there is also the MONSTER BALLAD!!!

 

So there you have it HH dwellers. Let us hear what YOU think we should play for you next. Remeber there is 9 days left til the new cd drops. So if you havent pre ordered it yet, then head on over and rectify the situation and purchase it now! :git:

 

Thank You

John

KIVEL RECORDS

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Ok everyone......here you go!! This should hold everyone. Just 4 more days!!! :dance:

 

When The Lights Go Down is off the upcoming FARCRY release and was a collaboration between FARCRY Guitarist Pete Fry, and Paul Logue of EDENS CURSE. We hope you enjoy the final results as much as we do!! Look foward to hearing some feedback. Remeber to order your copy of the new FARCRY disk NOW!

 

Click the below link to hear When The Lights Go Down

http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/40936450

:party421::guitbannana::banger::git::party421:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Great Review from Rock Eyez website.

 

http://www.rockeyez.com/reviews/cd/farcry/rev-2011-05-df-farcry-optimism-5-0.html

 

Sometimes the greatest of things can come from the most unlikely of places... take the new sophomore release from Kivel Records recording artists FARCRY entitled Optimism, for example. Well... I shouldn't say COMPLETELY unlikely when it comes to FARCRY as their debut CD was an awesome record in and of itself but when I popped Optimism into my stereo, what came out was nothing less than an utter triumph! For a release coming from a smaller label like Kivel it's simply mind-blowing... every song, every lyric, every chord is just perfect and the production value goes WAY beyond what anyone would ever expect..

 

 

 

The CD opens with an edgy rocker entitled "Satisfaction" but this ain't no ROLLING STONES song! With it's catchy melody combined with some slick guitar fills by Mr. Fry, "Satisfaction" is the perfect track to kick this album into gear with and the soft climb right before the solo was a very nice touch... and as for the solo itself? WoW! 'nuff said...

 

 

 

This leads into a VERY cool track called "Over and Over (Again!)" This one is a bit more melodic enhanced by a strong chorus, some absolutely tremendous vocals by Giovi, another tasty guitar solo by Fry and some very nice underlying keyboard support compliments of none other than our old friend, masterful keyboard player Eric Ragno! "Nothing You Can Do" continues on in this same vein almost reminding me a little bit of old TRIUMPH... great track with a sweet acoustic intro leading into the solo. Then "Better Than This" is the album's only true ballad... absolutely perfect with Giovi's vocals reminding me a bit of that of Jon Bon Jovi. This acoustic driven tear-jerker, nicely builds into a powerful chorus that could compete with the best of them and the nice piano accents by Ragno really give the whole thing that added little touch of class... very nicely done and lyrically just brilliant.

 

 

 

"Love at First Sight" is the first of two songs on this release that is just so good that alone it's worth more than the price of the entire CD. A melodic masterpiece, Giovi simply shines on this one and the powerful, upbeat melody is perfectly flattered by a magnificently executed chorus and a tight groove that I could imagine back in the late 80's would have been giving the likes of BON JOVI or DANGER DANGER some serious competition with for the top spot atop MTV's daily top ten... when MTV actually used to play MUISIC! Just an incredible song and it wasn't until the CD release party that I found out that this was actually a cover originally recorded by a country artist by the name of Eric Michael Hopper and while the original was good, what FARCRY did for this track has made it nothing less than pure gold!

 

 

 

"Now That It's Over" is a little heavier with a bit of a darker verse but still maintains another impressive melodic chorus and a guitar solo which has almost a bit of a sound of a "toned-down" IRON MAIDEN. "Free" is another just amazing track with it's anthem-like chorus, it again reminds me a little bit of a BON JOVI mid-tempo rocker through Giovi's delivery and accents. Even the lyrics themselves have a bit of that BON JOVI-lyrical theme as well... very cool tune an definitely amongst one of the best on the release.

 

 

 

But then there's "Best of Me"... as I said there were TWO tracks on this CD worth more than the price of the album alone... but that's really an understatement when it comes to "Best Of Me." This track perfectly blends it's catchy, memorable verse, a sharply executed chorus filled with layers upon layers of brilliant vocal harmonies, a thick, rich bass line carrying the melody and an additional layer of incredible keyboard fills to produce a song that's nothing less than an instant melodic rock/ AOR classic. This song has anything and everything any fan of the genre could possibly ask for and once more, it's all executed with a class and style that's plain and simply FARCRY. Still gives me chills listening to it....

 

 

 

Optimism winds down with another edgy rocker with a touch of that west-coast metal style called "Too Hot To Hold." I really love the harmonies in the chorus on this one as well as the bass-heavy bridge leading into one of Fry's best guitar solos on the release. And finally, "When The Lights Go Down" creeps me out a bit in the beginning as the opening chords so closely resemble those of Steve Vai's intro to David Lee Roth's "Just Like Paradise" I can't help but wait for the percussion and Roth's vocals to kick in! Purely accidental and unintentional I have been assured but once you get past that, "When The Lights Go Down" unveils itself to be another tight

 

melodic rocker which is anything but David Lee Roth.

 

 

 

I can't say enough about this release. The melodies, the arrangements, the production, the flow... everything a melodic rock/ AOR fan could ever ask for all wrapped up in one, nice, neat little package called Optimism. Ya know, I've said it in the past that I really do hate giving 5 out of 5 star reviews simply because to me, a five out of five should be something like PINK FLOYD's The Wall or QUEENSRYCHE's Operation:Mindcrime but I have become more lenient over the years realizing an album doesn't have to be something of "epic proportion" to deserve a 5 out of 5 and to me, right now nothing is more deserving of that honor than FARCRY. We'll see ya in December guys for Rockeyez's Top 10 of the year honors!

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Band Lineup:

•Mark Giovi - Lead Vocals

•Pete Fry - Guitar

•Ronnie Parkes - Bass

•Tommy John - Drums

•Angelo Mazza - Guitar

 

 

Track Listing:

1.Satisfaction

2.Over and Over (Again!)

3.Nothing You Can Do

4.Better Than This

5.Love At First Sight

6.Now That It's Over

7.Free

8.Best Of Me

9.Too Hot To Hold

10.When The Lights Go Down

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok HH boarders!!!

 

I want you to chime in on this one. We are going to do something a lil differant this time. As some of you know, i like to do things differant from the other labels. SO, with that said.....i want the fine folk of HEAVY HARMONIES to pick the next single from the FARCRY CD!! Thats right....YOU. Crazy i know.... :crazy:

 

So.....do u want to hear a song similar to the one we already released?BEST OF ME. Or,would you like to hear something a lil moody/edgy? Prehaps a, i will get a speeding tix while listening to this song kinda song? The inspirational feel good fun song that leaves a smile on your face? Or the kick your teeth in we have a mean in your face side song? Then, ofcourse there is also the MONSTER BALLAD!!!

 

So there you have it HH dwellers. Let us hear what YOU think we should play for you next. Remeber there is 9 days left til the new cd drops. So if you havent pre ordered it yet, then head on over and rectify the situation and purchase it now! :git:

 

Thank You

John

KIVEL RECORDS

 

Hard to pick just one, but I can't get FREE out of my head (Not that I want to).

Great song :beerbang:

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Ok HH boarders!!!

 

I want you to chime in on this one. We are going to do something a lil differant this time. As some of you know, i like to do things differant from the other labels. SO, with that said.....i want the fine folk of HEAVY HARMONIES to pick the next single from the FARCRY CD!! Thats right....YOU. Crazy i know.... :crazy:

 

So.....do u want to hear a song similar to the one we already released?BEST OF ME. Or,would you like to hear something a lil moody/edgy? Prehaps a, i will get a speeding tix while listening to this song kinda song? The inspirational feel good fun song that leaves a smile on your face? Or the kick your teeth in we have a mean in your face side song? Then, ofcourse there is also the MONSTER BALLAD!!!

 

So there you have it HH dwellers. Let us hear what YOU think we should play for you next. Remeber there is 9 days left til the new cd drops. So if you havent pre ordered it yet, then head on over and rectify the situation and purchase it now! :git:

 

Thank You

John

KIVEL RECORDS

 

Hard to pick just one, but I can't get FREE out of my head (Not that I want to).

Great song :beerbang:

:tumbsup:

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I bought a second copy of this as a gift to a friend and after the first spin she said when she reached "Free" that was one track that she kept playing over and over before moving on.

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I bought a second copy of this as a gift to a friend and after the first spin she said when she reached "Free" that was one track that she kept playing over and over before moving on.

 

That would make a great single/video.

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