F Project - Infinity Axiom

F Project – Infinity Axiom

F Project is a solo venture from a Canadian musician by the name of François Meg. His genre is described as ‘guitar-based rock’, which doesn’t quite tell the whole story, as you may expect. His songs are instrumental and whilst his playing style is definitely in the rock spectrum, he boasts a wide range of influences.

Released independently via Bandcamp, Infinity Axiom is a follow up to his debut album, 2019’s Paradigm Shift. The first album tells the story of a few years of “ups and downs” in his life. The songs reflect the full range of emotions and combine his energetic rock guitar stylings with some more melodic and contemplative moments. The more insistent, punchier, fusion style of this second set is no doubt born of a different set of circumstances, and a sign that F Project has plenty of options for future albums.

My first impression of Infinity Axiom, and first track In the Light, is that this is what the Dixie Dregs would sound like now if Steve Morse reunited the band and plugged in what he has learned from his stint in Deep Purple. To create his own version of jaunty, all-action instrumental funk-rock François swaps out the pre-dominant country style of that band with virtuoso lead guitar playing that fuses rock with elements from other genres.

His guitar style, in the same way that Dixie Dregs managed so successfully, is used to particularly good effect to substitute for the lack of vocal lines. It’s an unusual and creative way to tell his stories and for the large part it works extremely well. Notes are used like syllables to form distinct passages of prose, and different guitar tones are introduced to delineate verses and choruses. On bass guitar he forms a formidable rhythm section with companion Martin Plante on drums. Guest bassists Robert Pallen and Carl Mayotte add their own creative slant on selected tracks. My only quibble being that I think a bit more variation in tempo and some breaks in the ‘wall of sound’ that the duo creates would enhance the listening experience. The album of seven songs is just 35 minutes long but the pace is relentless throughout and there are clearly points in particular tracks where pauses for breath could have been introduced to give the listener some respite.

Whilst this is primarily a rock album with a hint of fusion there are prog moments as well. Mindset Inversion starts off with some spacy synth chords and works up to a very heavy, bass-led mid-section and the track finishes with one of the few truly melodic guitar solos. Central to the track are the deep guitar tones and heavy drums that weave exotic patterns, sounding particularly reminiscent of Rush.

Overall, François Meg does a great job of focusing on his own song-writing style first, and blending other influential sources into the mix, just to add spice. Similarly, the dominant use of the guitar, bass and drums as a musical foundation is supplemented effectively by other instrumentation, primarily keyboards of course, but used selectively without resorting to the kitchen-sink or the temptation to noodle. Although keyboard whiz Derek Sherinian drops in a stellar solo on the title tune.

It is not really until the final track Mysteries that we get a short acoustic interlude comprising some accomplished piano work – a short oasis of calm in an otherwise energetic and boisterous set of songs. The guitar players among you will enjoy ‘picking’ over François Meg’s playing style and technical abilities, whilst for me the album is simply a solid and very enjoyable set of tracks, feeding my curiosity for fusion-tinged rock, innovative song-writing and confident creativity.

TRACK LISTING
01. In The Light (4:40)
02. Is There Hope? (4:32)
03. Inner Force (4:16)
04. Mindset Inversion (6:20)
05. Roots (4:13)
06. Infinity Axiom (6:43)
07. Mysteries (4:44)

Total Time – 35:28

MUSICIANS
François Meg – Guitars, Bass, Programming
~ With:
Martin Plante – Drums
Derek Sherinian – Keyboard Solo (6)
Johnny Maz – Keyboards
Robert Pallen – Bass
Carl Mayotte – Bass

ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Bandcamp
Country of Origin: Canada
Date of Release: 16th February 2024

LINKS
F Project – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube