Pillar’s seventh album has finally been released. “The Reckoning” as defined by dictionary.com states that reckoning means, “the settlement of accounts” or “an appraisal or judgment”. This album by far is a settlement for Pillar.
Pillar, along with many other Christian rock bands, have not been very edgy in their sound. I have tried for many years to jump into the Christian rock music scene, but never found anything to really match the sounds of Three Days Grace, Korn, Trust Company, Nine Inch Nails, Etc…
Well, needless to say, I was introduced to this album by my wife. The albums before this really reminded me more of a garage band sound, and I’m not interested in that. So without further ado, let me get to the meat of the review.
--- Album Breakdown ---
Pillar introduces the album with a very strong, choppy start. “Everything” comes in with just a bass kick drum, snare, and a heavy hi-hat chop. Following up with a clash of metal and guitars, the singer rears back and seemingly screams with conviction the whole first verse. Only one time in this whole song does it break the aggressiveness, at which time it focuses directly on the chorus asking you if you would be willing to give up everything, obviously for your Christianity, if need be.
The fourth song on this album, “The Reckoning”, also their title, is to me the most aggressive with an even higher level of choppiness mixed with extreme guitar riffs. The guitar riffs are almost intoxicating, and the drum line matches so seamlessly. The song seems to focus on accountability of our sins, how we cannot look at others when the day comes, but how we need to realize that we are accountable for our own win, lose, or die.
Tragedy is very reminiscent of a metal song in my opinion. They break from verse to chorus rather dramatically, setting the chorus as more of a rock song than a metal song. The screams at the beginning almost drowned out everything else. Focusing the song around the tragedy of one’s self, you see quickly how you are the reason for your own faults and failures. The tragedy is that you cannot get away from yourself.
Crossfire is an all too close to the heart song; Focusing on being fired at upon by your own. It may not have happened to you in your own church, but many people within the walls of your own church have been fired upon. Maybe someone looked at your walk with God and challenged you, or maybe you fell, and instead of helping you up, they just laughed and said “I told you they would fail”. This song really touches on that subject very well.
The rest of the album has many good songs. The last song, “Chasing Shadows at Midnight” sounds so much like a Trust Company song that it isn’t even funny. There is also a filler song, “Elysian”, that is another song that sounds like Nine Inch Nails.
Overall, this album is definitely worth looking into. If you like the normal Rock and Alternative Rock scene, then you will be pleased with Pillar’s seventh release.
Experience the sights and sounds of a live Pillar show with this expanded, CD/DVD edition of their 2006 release The Reckoning. Includes all songs from...More at Christianbook.com
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