Review Summary: This is one of my most anticipated cds. But, if your looking to get into this band I'd pick up their last cd "Songs to burn your bridges by" before buying this cd.
In 1998, Project 86 released its self-titled debut on BEC Recordings, a sublabel of Tooth & Nail Records. Immediately the band was labeled "rapcore". Though Schwab's vocals could barely be called rapping, it was a convenient label due to the popularity of that genre of music at the time. After putting out their second album Drawing Black Lines (2000), the band was taken on by Atlantic Records. However, the promised re-release of Drawing Black Lines went from being a full-fledged reissue with new artwork and three new songs to nothing more than a bare bones repackaging of the exact same album.
Project 86 has some of the most devoted fans i've ever seen.
1. Sincerly, Ichabod - The cd starts with a drum beat. soon the guitar kicks in with a drop-C guitar riff. After the intro the verse is just bass, then the pre-chorus goes back to the intro riff, the verse/pre chorus is a VERY nice build up to the chorus. After the pre-chorus the song goes silent and all you here is very soft, faint piano playing in the background. All the sudden the song absolutly explodes and Andrew schwab starts screaming "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!". The 2nd verse is a ugly high pitch guitar riff in the background with Andrew Schwab yelling in a very angry, Agressive manor. This song is a total adrenaline rush. Great song
4.5/5
2. All Of Me - Starts off with cool bass riff. It ends there. This song completly blows, The verse is just annoying, the pre-chorus is even worse. Then the chorus is "SO, CAN'T YOU TAKE, ALL OF ME". Repeated. Oh, I forgot. There is a cool bridge/breakdown where Schwab starts yelling "THEY TRY TO BEAT IT OUT OF ME". Well I guess that's it for this song
1.5/5
3. Doomsday Stomp - The intro is some cool acoustic guitar/Mandolin playing. I can't tell which one, After about 7 seconds the song explodes into a kind of, Synister guitar riff. The verse is kind of fast paced, The pre chorus is mumbled. The chorus is very very catchy. The entire song flows togather well, If anyone could tell me what the lyrics mean i'd enjoy that very much
4/5
4. Somthing We Can't Be - This song reminds me of "All Of Me" it sucks just as bad, Theres nothing noteable about this song either. The riffs are just annoying along with the lyrics.
1/5
5. Subject To Change - One of my favorites on the cd. It starts off with a bass riff being played for about 25 seconds, then Andrew Schwab comes in kind of mumbling, With some random guitar being played. The versus are very eerie with good lyrics. The song is about returning to your true self. Kinda cheesy but oh well. Anyway, so the pre chorus is a great build up to the chorus, Right before it explodes into the chorus you hear Andrew schwab yell somthing that sounds like a far off echoe. Great effect. The chorus is Andrew yelling "RETURN! RETURN! RETURN!". But he some how makes it not sound repetitive at all, Fantastic guitar and bass riff throughout the entire song, Good if you want to get the over all feel of this cd
5/5
6. Necktie Remedy - I never could get into this song, Although it has a FANTASTIC bass line. The versus are very slow and kind of eerie. The chorus is just Andrew yelling "Let! Me! In!" and some other stuff that doesn't go with the rest of the song. All togather nothing really goes togather with this song, But I know a lot of people that are really into this song so maybe its just me
3.5/5
7. My Will Be A Dead Man - Another favorite of mine from the cd, This song makes me think of western cowboys and such. The guitar riff is just a few drop-C power chords. But extremly catchy, And yet another good bass line. The lyrics flow with the song absolutly PERFECTLY. The versus are aggressive and powerful, the chorus is a bit more laid back, But i think what makes this song so catchy is the simple drum beat. The song is medium paced and probubly the most up-beat sounding song on the cd and just a plain out fun song
5/5
8. From December - Another eerie song, the versus are just eerie sounds coming from the background, and Andrew Schwab sings very softly some poetry about his love for God, I think. Im not sure though. When the chorus comes in He starts singing "You, Always were there to rescue me, From december" it goes along with the song. At 2:40 a speed picked solo comes in which has a nice sound to it. Then the bridge comes in that just makes the song great, Schwab's lyrics are very passionate in this song. The song ends with another tremeloed/speed picked solo. Good way to end the song.
4/5
9. The Hand, The Furnace, The Straight Face - My absolute favorite song off the cd, Probubly the heaviest too. It starts with pretty piano playing, Then the song explodes Into Andrew yelling "WAKE UP!! IT'S 4 A.M.! I WAS SOUND ASLEEP! TRYING TO KILL THE SHEEP!" The versus are fast paced, The guitar riff is pretty cool and played at a high speed. The verse once again is a good build up to the chorus which just makes you want to sing along with. As I mention a lot, The song just goes well togather which is a big thing for me. The lyrics in the song are about throwing everything away and keeping a straight face (Like throwing your past into the furnace and keeping a straight face). Theres a bridge where Andrew starts yelling "THE HAND, THE FURNACE, THE STRAIGHT FACE" over and over. the song ends with the chorus.
5/5
10. ...And The Rest Will Follow - This is a filler running at 2:27 of Andrew singing poetry softly with a pretty guitar riff in the background.
3.5/5
11. Cavity King - This reminds me of Old school Project 86 for some reason, The verses are Andrew yelling and some chords being strummed at certain spots, The chorus picks up the pace and is a catchy song, Kinda just average. nothing special. No noticeable riffs.
3.5/5
12. Wordsmith Legecy - Reminds me Korn a lot, The drum beat is kinda creepy and has an african feel to it, Fast paced and aggressive. Sort of like Sincerly Ichabod. The chorus is Andrew yelling "EVERY WORD, A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD." The riffs in this song aren't really anything special. But overall a great song and a good way to close the cd
4.5/5
If your looking to get into Project 86 I'd probubly pick up their last cd "Songs to burn your bridges by" then maybe get this one. Or "Drawing Black lines". One thing about this band that makes them so special is Andrew's Lyrics, Very passionate and sincere. Also the bass lines from this band are great, Reminds me of tool a bit.
