I'll admit, I wasn't too fond of the first Project 86 CD. It was well-done, but the music just didn't grab me like it seemed to do so many others. After listening to their sophomore effort, however, I have gained new respect for them, as this disc is both well-done and very musically captivating.
On Drawing..., Project 86 takes their approach to heavy alterna-core / rapcore to new levels. If you could take the best of the emotional heaviness of Stavesacre and then incorporate the heavy feel of bands like Rage against the Machine (minus the political stance and repetitive ragy innuendos) or maybe EDL or even P.O.D., you could begin to envision the soundscape that encapsulates Project 86. I just love the contrasts within songs on this CD. Sometimes it seems like I am listening to a band with a feel like Stavesacre, melding emotion and melody with an astute heaviness. Other times I feel like I am listening to an all-out, thrashy rap-core band, and then there are the times when I feel like I don't know exactly what I am listening to, but I still love it. The instrumentation is very well thought-out, with lots of chunky guitars, hard-hitting bass, and kicking drums. They do a very good job juxtaposing heavy riffing, bass-driven sections, and less heavy, melodic lines. The drumming complements the rest of the instruments extremely well, neither feeling overpowering nor underused, seeming to fit the music perfectly. The vocals range from the emotive yet heavy Mark Solomon-like attack, to a more harsh attack, to gang singing and shouting, to melodic singing, to even the rapcore feel. Overall, the disc has very bold approach, and it quite frankly is a lot of fun to listen to.
I may not listen to their first CD very much, but I plan on spinning this disc a good bit. This is a very solid effort, and all lovers of hard music should check it out. Let it "Play on!!"
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Jesse N.I didn't fully realize how big Project 86 was until I heard one of their songs on the local hard rock radio station. In the footsteps of POD, Project 86 has gone mainstream to be heard on the radio with the likes of Metallica and Ozzy Ozzborne. From the band's sophomore release comes the single 'One Armed Man'. In its debut week the song ranked as the #5 most added song in the country. What does…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by ConradThis is pretty good rap-core. The musicianship on this album is totally solid. The production really adds to make the sound hard. Andrew's voice is really strong - he screams incredibly well. There is also a good amount of creativity on this record. There's nothing really bad on the whole album. If you like this genre, then you'd probably want to take a listen to it. B-Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Tom BastianThis would probably best be described as rap-core, although it seems to be a step above many of the other bands that are currently in this genre. Project 86 definitely has a good thing going on here. Great production, creative riffs, and penetrating vocals all come together to make this one solid release. Probably the stand-out track on this CD is "One-Armed Man (Play On)", look for this one to…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Jim ShadyProject 86 is one of BEC's hottest selling artists right now and depending upon your musical tastes you may want to add to the numbers. They put together a hard rocking rap-core album that has components that are diverse. First, the same guy who works with Rage Against the Machine produced this album. Second, the same guy who works with Marilyn Manson and Orgy programmed this album. On "Drawing…Art for the Ears 2000Reviewed by Marco PovervestIf you read my review of the debut-CD of this band you'll know I was quite impressed with it. When a debut is so great I always wonder whether the band's abled to prolong that high level. Well, my first impression of Drawing Black Lines is that Project 86 is on the right track again! You can hear a mix of hardcore and rapcore. But when I write that I realize that this record offers a wider…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Michial FarmerFor their sophomore album on BEC, Drawing Black Lines, Project 86 has recruited famed producer GGGarth (Rage Against the Machine, The Melvins) to tweak their signature sound a bit. GGGarth and his programmer, Fu (Marilyn Manson, Orgy) have done a splendid job, and eliminate most of the monotony and poor production that plague most hardcore albums. Unlike tourmates Blindside, Project 86 does not…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Josh MarihughI knew to expect insanely intense rapcore with no-compromise lyrics when I cracked the seal on Project 86's new disc. The Project delivered my expectations and more. The cover is suitably dark and angry-looking. This looks like the kind of CD you'd find with one of those little black-and-white "Parental Advisory" stickers on it. Have no fear...this IS the Project 86 you know and love. Once you…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Josh SpencerSolid State Records should be busting with pride for their releases this past year by Zao, Training for Utopia, Embodyment, and Project 86; each band has reached peaks previously unsurmounted, pushing boundaries and pummeling listeners with power and excellence. In particular, Project 86's latest is a masterpiece of original hardcore. It has it all: rough aggression, memorable songwriting, quiet…Dead Zine 2000Reviewed by SORGAlthough usually labeled "rap-core" by the media, Project 86 is one of those bands that defies labels. They are more of a hybrid or mixture of styles ranging from rapcore to aggro-metal with a lot of emotion. The music is thick, heavy and driving with plenty of groove. Project 86 has stamped their own signature on this sound. The vocals are harsh and angst filled at one moment but then make sharp…Dead Zine 2000Reviewed by GrindboyHardcore, rapcore, rock 'n' roll -- it's none of them, it's all of them. It's angry, it's sad, it's eerie (sp?), it's exploding with energy. It's more or less just picked me up and tossed me across the house. Project 86 has just taken everything that made their debut cd a winner, then expanded and improved upon those things. Andrew's vocals boil over with pent-up rage, but are now occasionally…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by Treble BandopplerImagine a poetic sage getting doused with gasoline, lit up and then dropped off a roof, who then crashes through a storm drain, lands in the subway, gets nailed by a train, flies through the windshield of an oncoming train...takes a breather to moan a little...then gets thrown out of the train by some gang bangers, gets plastered by another train that then carries him along at 95 miles an hour…Similar sounding releases
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