“Does that mean we’re going back to Drawing Black Lines, or does that mean we’re taking our line back? Seriously, man, what does it mean?! I have to know!” –A sarcastic, amused Andrew Schwab

Triumphant. Refreshed. Renewed. This is the new Project 86.

Back from their 2004 effort Songs To Burn Your Bridges By (which, in hindsight, deserves a 3.5 star rating instead of a five), the Southern California boys come with a brand new record to wipe that sneer off the musical industries’ collective faces and an energized sound to blow the ears off their fans. And the Rest Will Follow, their fifth studio album, comes in as the best—yes, it even beats their wonderful, brilliant Drawing Black Lines of 2000—Project effort ever. Every album, this quartet has tightened their sound, Andrew has improved his lyricism (though nothing beats Sad Machines from DBL), and grown as a whole. They’ve had a rough, up and down ride; bounced from record label to label, had their fights, and hit the speed bumps hard, but this time the boys have risen to the challenge of improvement and stand tall. Bringing a gorgeous post-hardcore sound once more—influenced by the likes of Fugazi and vaguely similar to labelmates mewithoutYou (only P86 owns mwY . . .)—and the rest will follow culminates all their previous efforts into a twelve-song soundbite.

Project 86 is
Andrew Schwab (the Schwab): Vocals, Lyrics
Randy Torres: Guitar, Backup Vocals
Steven Dail: Bass
Alex Albert: Drums

Kicking off strong with Sincerely, Ichabod, the band opens with the statement I quoted in the title: “We once drew lines in black, but right now it’s time we take them back.” These guys are determined, and they’ve made the record of their lives. The Sleepy Hollow motif of the song (although one line sounds like the Red Queen from Alice In Wonderland) brings both a literary flair and cleverness coupled with an awesome sonic heaviness that draws the listener in immediately. The transition from uber-heavy on the prechorus to a light, somber piano part and immediately into a roaring yell, OFF WITH YOUR HEAD! The song continues with the soft/heavy dynamic until the climatic close. First single All of Me is the weakest of the album, though not bad by any stretch; the heavy emphasis on clean vocals is a welcome switch and Andrew pulls it off well. If one repetition of the chorus were cut, the song would be absolutely solid. As it is, it’s merely okay.

Doomsday Stomp, on the other hand, absolutely slays. Starting off with an allusion to the game Hangman, Andrew utilizes a creepy-cool, roaring sort of sing-song in this odd tune.

Oh! Swollen anthill sore, insects’s desperate cries
Oh! Infected for the Doomsday Stomp from the skies
The town made its guesses, but can’t spell her own name
A five letter word for the oncoming plague
A stick figure hanging from stoplight grave

When one really thinks about the imagery here, you have some amusing observations about ants before getting smashed into oblivion by a passerby’s shoe and the macabre aspects of the best waiting-in-restaurant-for-food game of all time, Hangman. With punchy, thudding bass, a soaring main riff, and crisp drumming, Doomsday Stomp is an immediate favorite. Something We Can’t Be veers away from Project’s standard, reaching toward the beautifully melodic while retaining a heavy edge. Most of us would be lying/holding to denying, if we said we’re all feeling swell and content,, Andrew sings in a restrained, hushed, heavily emotional tone; all of us would be slipping, backpedaling gripping/so tight to our fragile confidence . . . Randy and Andrew blend their voices gorgeously on the heartfelt, confessionary chorus; what an awesome concoction, this mix of post-hardcore and melody.

The heavy, rip-your-face-off-and-hand-it-back Subject to Change proves to be another extraordinary cut, as Steve plays the heck out of his bass (perhaps channeling some of the Ox, John Entwhistle—using the bass as a more primary instrument) and Andrew brings the gap between his screams, yells, and surprisingly smooth and powerful singing voice. Cold, hard dread swelling into parallels to everything you ever said you would repel/Once with a glimpse now, second your guess, it’s tough to admit, and admit and admit that—

YOUR FATE’S STILL UNDECIDED—RETURN! screams Andrew as Randy riffs away, utilizing a tiny bit of feedback, a lot of distortion, and much awesomeness. Listening to Project is like eating a sonic éclair. Necktie Remedy is a chilling account about addiction; some have wondered if the song is about absinthe (see the lines about the sugarcube mixture and green cloudy water), but Andrew said something about a friend who lost himself in the bottle and paid for it dearly. It’s a deeply emotional, haunting tune; first Andrew/Randy sing from the viewpoint of the substance or object at the root of the addiction, then transition to a more general viewpoint. Randy’s sung, chilling vocals layered with Andrew’s desperate scream of let me in! collide in the chorus climax: You’ll raise your drinks up high/we’ll swallow to forget . . . WOW, what a fantastic cut. The heavy/soft dynamic appears once again, with the rage of the hurricane and the calm of the eye; Randy’s guitar guides the sound up and down as Alex batters his drum kit and Steve steadily upholds his low-end responsibilities. If one were to compile a list of Project’s best efforts, this song would be near the top.

My Will Be a Dead Man finds Andrew experimenting further with that charismatic voice of his as Randy and Steve function as a machine, guitar and bass screaming and thudding together in perfect time. The Wild West imagery here—high noon cometh not a moment too soon/there’s gonna be a firefight tonight/A reckoning to confront the residents of this tomb/a gunpowder party and it feels just right!—make the song stand out lyrically. The beautiful conclusion, though, comes with Andrew’s realization that this duel is only in his mind—a battle between human and divine wills. Hence, the title—let not my will but Yours, oh Lord—and the ensuing strength of the tune. From December is another amazing, melodic, almost ambient tune worthy of any song of the year list. Haunting, gorgeous, and lyrically gut-wrenching, From December uses programming along with the standard guitar/bass/drum thing. Andrew’s singing never sounded so pure, either; Randy’s contributions are not to be sneezed at either. The soft/heavy dynamic (again, yes) finds another home, bridging the gap between verse and chorus perfectly.

You always gave me refuge—Unconditional
You always offered shelter—from December’s snow
My chin still rests upon you
While my feet, they sway
I wonder if you’ll look the same
When you embrace me on that day . . .

An element of hope envelops the song, despite its intentionally cold feel; it’s like the song actually transports you into wintertime. Oh man, it rules. The Hand, the Furnace, the Straight Face features as a continuation of 3 Card from the previous album, though this is considerably less punk and a lot more hard rock. Frenetic and crazy, I have no clue what it’s about—but the lyrics are printed in the booklet this time, unlike 3 Card. I have to say, I absolutely adore the guitar parts on this tune, but Andrew’s vocals conjure up memories of that goofy whoooaaa-ooohh thing he did on the weaker parts of Truthless Heroes. Oh well, it’s still a good tune. The title track functions almost like an acrostic, featuring awesome vocal blends and ambient programming; it’s really short, but still manages to be really poignant.

Then comes Cavity King. As a delighted Andrew Schwab stated on the making of DVD (Subject to Change: the Making of And the Rest Will Follow), “Dude, that song . . . is stupid. It is ridiculous how awesome that song is.” He nailed it.

I know, you ache
But she is alive
I know, you ache
But she’s more than a story
Your entries made public, your journals in crimson
Her veins filled with red ink
Your quill spills in crimson

Talking of the Cavity King, or the guy filling his emptiness with lust, the song rip-roars through and hovers close to five minutes. It’s probably my favorite track of the disc with its echoing, distorted guitars, sarcasm, and phenomenal vocal performances from both Andrew (mostly screaming with a little singing mixed in) and Randy (background singing that borders on ghostly for parts of the song). Your quill still draws her in/Red ink/spills from her veins/in curses, in cursive . . .

The concluding cut, Wordsmith Legacy, takes advantage of Randy’s programming skills once again for a heavy tune with changing tempos and awesome vocals rhythms and tones. The onomatopoeia of the knock, knock, knock bit is absolutely eerie; some parts of the song border on industrial combined with the soaring hard rock/post-hardcore style of the norm. Every word a double-edged sword, my every word, chants/screams Andrew. The vocal delivery is almost anthemic, and it rules, as does the borrowing of lyrics from previous albums (I see stuff from Hollow Again, PS, One-Armed Man (Play On), and Stein’s Theme). What a sonically awesome composition . . .

All right, I’m sure you’ve had quite enough fangirlness now. In any case, and the rest will follow is clearly Project 86’s best, and at this point, tops my CD of the year list. Don’t let this one fly under your radar.

The coveted rating: 5 (*****) stars

Great Music to Play While wishing someone well with a steady, steady hand, hand hammer, hammer blade, blade

Recommended: Yes