Project 86 has been around for quite a long time. Beginning in the late 90’s as more of a Rage Against the Machine sound alike, but with much better articulated lyrics, Project 86 gained many fans for that similarity alone. Not wanting to be lumped in with many other bands playing the same style at the time, the band drastically beefed up their sound on their sophomore album Drawing Black Lines. This move propelled them into the spotlight quickly and netted them a deal with Atlantic Records. For their third album the band felt pressured to produce radio singles due to demands from Atlantic which lead to a less than heavy sound. Although still a very creative record, Truthless Heroes was a personal disappointment for the band. This disappointment prompted them to leave Atlantic Records and to eventually re sign with Tooth and Nail Records. On Tooth and Nail the band was able to fully explore their creative side, putting out the diverse albums Songs to Burn Your Bridges By, And the Rest Will Follow, Rival Factions, and Picket Fence Cartel. Over the course of those four albums, Project 86 shifted from a loud rock band with hardcore tendencies to a band that encompassed a huge range of influences from new wave to traditional heavy metal, all the while providing highly insightful lyrics from lyricist and lead vocalist Andrew Schwab.
Now in 2012 the band has fulfilled their contract with Tooth and Nail Records and have gone the independent route and funded their latest album Wait for the Siren via Kickstarter. I was lucky enough to snag a copy of the album at a CD Release show in St Louis MO. On Wait for the Siren Project 86 has shifted back to more of a guitar driven rock sound. The bass is loud, distorted and thundering and really drives the album through, even on slower songs like New Transmission the bass is still loud and driving. Vocalist Andrew Schwab really shines on this album and he really tries to encompass all of his previous vocal styles. He screams, yells, sings, and whispers his way through each song with as much ferocity as allowed by this style of rock. Song dynamics range from slower more radio friendly songs like New Transmission, Blood Moon, and Defector, to heavy in your face songs like SOTS, The Crossfire Gambit, and Off the Grid. Each song has its own flavor and hearkens back to the band’s diverse discography while still sounding fresh and original. With 12 full on new songs and 1 instrumental song, fans who helped fund this album via Kickstarter will not feel ripped off in the slightest.
Lyrically this is one of the strongest Project 86 albums so far. Although the band has always spoken about Christianity in their lyrics and their albums have always pointed to God, there has always been an overshadowing negativity in their music. In Wait for the Siren the lyrics have shifted from being so dark and depressing to actually being empowering and uplifting. Songs like Fall Goliath Fall and SOTS use the story of David and Goliath and are about overcoming what may seem to be completely overpowering odds and situations. Off the Grid and Take the Hill talk about freeing ourselves from the shackles of our society. This type of lyrical direction is very fresh for the band and I think will attract people and empower them. I also think that longtime fans of the Project 86 will not find the positive lyrics cheesy or shocking, if the lyrics to the previous albums are to be believed it may be relieving for people to see that despite these hardships that the band has faced, that they simply served to reinforce and strengthen them in the end,.
Overall this album is very solid, the only gripe I had was that there were maybe one or two too many slower songs that were distracting from a fairly fast paced record. Longtime fans of the band will have nothing to complain about and new fans will be treated to an established band who they will spend weeks exploring more into.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review by: Daniel Terry
