The Far Cry really took me by surprise. This prog ensemble literally shows up out of nowhere and delivers the goods. Vocalist Jeff Brewer and drummer, Robert Hutchinson put this band together. Both Brewer and Hutchinson are veterans of the prog and rock scene, but The Far Cry might just be their goldmine. 
The music on If Only… is very well developed. The experience is very visible here, and they fully use it to their advantage. The songs are very richly structured, and it’s a very lengthy delivery. The band allows the tunes to develop. At times, you feel like you’re back in the 1970s listening to prog rock at its best.
My current favorite is the title song, but for awhile I favored the opening “The Mask Of The Deception.” So, as you can see the album is still growing on me, but the goods are definitely there. It will be interesting to see what a month of listening to the record will do. Any of the eight tracks included here has its own personality, yet they all come together as a great album.
The packaging is really great, too. There is something about this cover that completely stands out. It’s one of the few times when you know you’re going to like this even before you hear a note, and luckily, the music only confirms this. The Far Cry was able to match their music with great visual art.
Musically, it’s hard to pinpoint them. The songs are long with a lot of tempo changes. At times, it feels like old Genesis, but only in parts. The Far Cry has their own style, and there is no doubt about it.; they excel at what they do. What’s consistently true is that there is a strong 1970s influence here, which works for the band.
If Only… is like a coloring book. There are so many images this music is capable of. The Far Cry is definitely a band to watch out for, and I hope there is more to come from this very talented group.