smarterthan3's Full Review: Rival Factions by Project 86
It's probably been more then a few months since I briefly settled my metaphoric tent under the pop-punk dome of music, and it was past a due time that I should have had a "flashback" to my hardcore past. Okay, I'm (thankfully) not that far gone, although it would be fair to conclude so judging by most of my review of late (Is it health to realize it’s just a faze?). But it was with some reluctance that I picked up "Rival Factions" by Project 86 (the greatest independent hardcore band the mainstream has rarely heard of) in its opening week. Early press had been all but non-existent, but I pulled this from the scrambled portions I did hear: This wasn't an album that grabbed you by the neck and immediately tried to choke you with it's intensity; it instead slowly befriended you until you realized that there was a skull underneath the mask. (Laymen's terms: It took a while to grow on you). Despite this, while I wasn't exactly rooting against the OC group (Now a trio since drummer Alex Albert's departure), I was going to be surprised if I enjoyed it on the same level as “Songs to Burn Your Bridges By” (Their best, among other things) or even 2005’s ”…And the Rest Will Follow.” A severely underwhelming first listen left a week and a half worth's of dust briefly occupy the case's tiny creases, before I needed some background music for some petty duty. A second listen proved less disastrous, but still nothing grand. But a few tracks, namely "The Forces of Radio..." and "Lips to the TV's" closing line, hooked me and had me coming back for them. And, with each rerun I'd take a step further in the track count. Now I've lost count on the number of spins the CD has taken in the past month. If it worked for me, it can work for you.
Handshake and grinning time. If you're not familiar with Project 86, it is lead by vocalist/songwriter/generally creative guy Andrew Schwab, and followed up very capably by guitarist Randy Torres and Steven Dail behind the bass. Jason Gerkin pitched in on the drumset work for "Factions," though I hesitate to comment on his permanent role in the band.
If it is one thing you know Project 86 by, it may be their penchant for traditionally raucous, all around hardcore album openers. "Evil (A Chorus of Resistance)" shrinks in comparison to past #1's, and that immediately does the album a disservice on those decisive first listens but once, if, you ever get to the stage where your positively encompassed by this album, "Evil" becomes alot more appealing. Randy's guitar lights up early and often here, Schwab offers some unsettling chants of "Evil....evil..." and the song does exceptional, especially if you consider that it may be looked on as an obligatory number full of rough riffs and turns, and a ravageous chorus best utilized by a shouting crowd in a seedy bar. The punk-esque "Put Your Lips to the TV" has yet to make a real impact on me, although it's not hard on the ears (and the straight-up piano that introduces the track is a nice touch). The concluding line, "Just put your lips to the TV, 'cause it's the only way you'll see me again," delivered with all the desperate power of a Schwab final rasp, I do like though. "The Forces of Radio Have Dropped a Viper Into the Rhythm Section" picks up the red-hot baton and starts running with it again. "Radio" is, simply put, the best hardcore song I have heard in a while (that means this year, at least). Jason absolutely destroys his drum collection, giving added meaning to the song's title, and Schwab just tears into the belly of this song (darkly tinted with nostalgia) with frentic screams and severed vocal chords left in his wake.
I'm anything but a fan of 98% of the music that came out in the 80's, but "Molotov" (Easily the most perfect song title ever made, no matter what band) takes what works best and puts it in a modern (read: clear) setting. The song basks in a pleasant fog; a concoctation made when Randy's white waves off his guitar group and rotate with Steve's black, laid back, bass. "Slaves to Liberty" is a bit too shrill in its strained, but lyrical well-written, verses, but the chorus is the opening of a small time capsule from a rougher versions of "Songs to Burn Your Bridges By" then most of us heard. It's rusted around the edges, but still plays good.
"Pull Me Closer, Violent Dancer" isn't as suave as it's title would suggest (well, with 'violent' excluded), but the boisterous approach Schwab and company take borders on gleefully mad genius. The foundation of Randy's inhibited guitar is confident but shaky, and the track revels in split personalities. Seemingly sensual lines like "Don't stop pulling me closer" give way to "I love it when you let me fall from your hands," although there won't be any confusion about the cryptic nature of the track when actually listening to the gothic atmosphere. "Illuminate" gets a spark with a shout-along chorus that is subdued without losing any potential for fist-pumping, but the rest of the song, mainly the lyrics, are far too simplistic to truly get enjoyment from. The general consensus seems to be that "The Sanctuary Hum" is the top track on "Factions," and I couldn't agree more. It's all here, and it's nothing new for Project fan's: Schwab's furious vocals and ambiguous songwriting, Randy's ghostly, musky background voice and musicianship, that ranges from poignant and musty to fevering and flashing, that syncs with the storytelling. It's a recipe for some of the best nu-metal songs around today, and "Hum" doesn't break that chain.
I'm not quite sure what I think of "Caveman Jam." It's an unorthodox lyrical account to be sure (Schwab explains the mental results after a confrontation with a 'fan(?)' who asks why all of the negativity in the songwriting). I like the lack of boundaries, the intensity and the lyrical conclusion, although the stuttering pre-chorus is a pain deep in my eardrum. Still, it's a track that won't come near a "Best of..." compilation. Equally puzzling but more enjoyable is the misty "Normandy." Schwab lowers his vocals to such a grungy level of baritone that most will find it hard to recognize him outside of a P86 album. It's like a film that centers, in a high-tech world, in a room where the general energy is dangerously low but stable. It's a mysterious number that, despite never explaining it's origin, keeps me coming back.
Whenever a band alters their sound, remaining in the same race league but veers onto the next track, some fans will call them sell-out, others will justify them by saying they are 'experimenting.' What do I say about it? I don't bother. Project has never been a band to fit neatly into a specific description, but the nu-metal turned hardcore crowd is their target audience. If there isn't a longetivity factor here, this album may not make as quick a growth spurt on you, but for most established fans, this should be a no-brainer. Once you get past the awkward puberty period that is the first listen or two, there is quite a rigid gem to be found.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bottom line of a Kelly Clarkson review to update.
SoCals Project 86 returns with a fresh batch of hard edged jams focusing on the struggle between the light and dark sides in everyone. Sonically, the ...More at Christianbook.com
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