Brian Larkin - Far Enough Into the Void (2014)

This is a debut album from guitarist / singer Brian Larkin. Short introduction to Brian, he was singer (also contributed as guest guitar soloist) for Dark Empire and now focus on soloing career. He stayed and teach guitar in NYC area. Far Enough Into the Void is instrumental guitar album, only three tracks featuring vocals. The album fall into progressive metal, hard rock all the way to fusion and jazz.

The opening song Disembodied Profanity is vocalized track, progressive metal with thick dissonance on the singing. The singing is so unusual that maybe the result of converting guitar licks to vocals, listen the last few second from the last where the main theme performed by guitar. You may want to leave that alone and move on the what Brian offered the best, the instrumentals. Favorite tracks are Delete You, a funk infused track combined with shredding in style of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and John Petrucci. Self-Deprecation Boogei, a track demonstrated Brian Larkin's blues scale comprehensive mix into intrigue progressive metal vocabularies. And Fail Again is dark lower string riffs, this time bring listener to modern metal zone. Then we have Habit Magnet, a total funk attack that just like a magnet attached to your ears. Something Inflammable is a track featuring Christophe Godin, a French jazz-metal virtuoso. This track has a high dose of jazz feel in its foundation.

Brian Larkin performance is superb. He brings a lot of Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal influence, which is natural because Brian was once study under Ron. Ron Thal himself featured in a song Darkest Place. The other guest solo is prog/fusion shredder Chris Brooks. Far Enough Into the Void is a rich prog fusion instrumental album. The distinguished progressive trade mark Brian has, combined with elements of funk-fusion-jazz, made this album easily stand out for its kind. A debut album with maximum pleasures.

Metal Harem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

Brian Larkin - Far Enough Into the Void (2014)
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1. Disembodied Profanity 5:27
2. Live It Down 6:34
3. Delete You 4:11
4. Dabble 1:27
5. Self-Deprecation Boogie 7:08
6. Less Blue 0:35
7. Words Fail 5:27
8. And Fail Again 7:13
9. Habit Magnet 5:42
10. Something Inflammable 4:14
11. The Situation in Room 205 6:08
12. Itch 3:03
13. Darkest Place 5:58
14. Swam

Brian Larkin, with guest guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, Chris Brooks, Christophe Godin