Review Summary: On their sixth record, Project 86 shift directions and at the same time hone their signature sound, creating an unexpectedly tasty (if short) collection of catchy-yet-heavy songs.
Wait…catchy? Project 86?
Yes, I described Project 86 as catchy. You might never have made the connection between the word “catchy” and Project 86 (unless maybe you were talking about “Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy…”), but think about it; a lot of their riffs are simplistic, memorable and, well, pretty catchy (see: “The Spy Hunter”, “One Armed Man (Play On)”, “All Of Me”, “Something We Can’t Be”, you get the idea).
Project 86 takes this idea a step further on
Rival Factions. When I first heard “Evil (A Chorus of Resistance)” a couple months ago, I must confess that I was less than impressed. It didn’t seem as heavy or as their other material (which was what really drew me to the band in the first place), and it seemed like the band was starting to try to go for a more mainstream sound. I waited apprehensively, and when the record came out I picked up a copy.
After listening to it 30 or so times (to put that in perspective I’m writing this a day and a half later), I can say that this is a good record. It’s not for everyone, and fans that are expecting another “Stein’s Theme” will be surprised. It’s more accessible, and seemingly more poppy (in contrast with their other material), but this isn’t a bad thing; instead of sounding like the wanted to impress people, the band just sounds like they want to impress themselves.
There are some major changes in the band’s sound that shape this album; the biggest change is the addition of synthesizers. They are employed brilliantly, never standing out, but always adding to the mix perfectly, weaving in and out of the guitar or supplementing the bass. They really stand out on tracks like “Molotov” and “Pull Me Closer, Violent Dancer”, the latter of which’s bridge features nothing but synth claps, the bass drum and the band chanting. It’s something I never would have expected from Project, but it sounds great.
Another significant change is the absence of original drummer Alex Albert. Jason Gerkin steps in for the skins on the album, and he does a good job, with a bit of a different feel than Alex had. He does some amazing stuff (like on “The Forces of Radio Have Dropped A Viper Into The Rhythm Section” – the title sums does a better job than I ever could describing the drums in this track), and some of his fills are straight out of Alex Albert’s repertoire.
The other obvious change (at least to me) is in Andrew Schwab’s vocals. His shouts are more melodic and at the same time more frantic. However, he doesn’t roar nearly as much as on other albums. Some of the time he’s singing in a faux-Billy Idol voice (most notably on “Normandy”), which again is something totally unexpected, but it really does work. Just give it a couple listens.
Don’t be fooled, though. This is a Project 86 album. The way that the guitars, bass and vocals meet bears the undeniable Project 86 signature. Andrew still writes great lyrics, but I think that compared to the last two records
Rival Factions pales a little in comparison. The lyrics here are still well thought out, but they aren’t as cryptic as one previous P86 outings, which is what really drew me to them before. There are a few interesting one, though; the car crash metaphor on “Normandy” is pretty cool, and “The Sanctuary Hum” has some good stuff.
It’s a very easy album to listen to, yet very detailed at the same time. Vocals on a lot of songs are very multilayered, and the synth and bass are often inconspicuously crucial. The songs have surprising staying power, too; after 30 plus listens I still find the songs fresh and interesting to listen to.
The song quality is very good and consistent, as always. There are some styles on here that, again, one wouldn’t expect to hear on a Project 86 record, but they all sound great. Most of the songs have something to differentiate them from previous material. Some of the more interesting departures are “Molotov”, which has an Eighties-synth feel, and “Normandy” which is kind of like progressive meets Billy Idol (as mentioned above). There are some heavy cuts, too; longtime fans will like “The Forces of Radio Have Dropped A Viper Into The Rhythm Section”, one the most frantic songs Project 86 has ever recorded, as well as “The Sanctuary Hum”, which sounds the most like older material. “Caveman Jam” is a good representative of the album as a whole. It’s heavy, yet extremely accessible and catchy.
All in all, this record blew away my expectations of what Project 86 are capable ofS. It’s undoubtedly one of their finest, up there with
Drawing Black Lines and
…And The Rest Will Follow. If you’re a fan and you’re not sure about the new changes, approach it with an open mind. You’d be surprised how much of the old P86 you can hear once you get over the shift in direction. If you haven’t heard Project 86 before, check out
Rival Factions; it’s a refreshingly different hard rock album.
Recommended Songs:
Put Your Lips To The TV
Molotov
The Sanctuary Hum
Caveman Jam
Normandy
