Here we are in the 21st century and it seems rock is everywhere. Rock bands are multiplying and pouring out of every available musical outlet. Some might say it's a bit of overkill, but that's just some. Out of this abundance of noise comes the latest Project 86, and to these ears, each successive album has been an improvement. Truthless Heroes was released at the end of 2002, and without doubt is their finest moment to date. Here there is some melody, which was in short supply in previous offerings. Andrew Schwab (lead singer) sings and that is one of the highlights of this album, although you still get the 'shouty bit,' this is ROCK, right from the hard end, fully in your face and it's taking no prisoners. Full on guitars, a pounding rhythm and Mr. Schwab's dominating voice are the order of the day.
Project 86 is generally regarded as a Christian band, and certainly they do have spiritual influences. But Schwab says he doesn't want the band to be known as a positive band per se but would rather be known as an honest band with a quiet sense of hope in the cold reality of the world around us, because the world is a harsh place. Which is fair enough I suppose, but why have quiet hope when the cold, harsh world is screaming out for real, loud, no doubt about it hope?
According to lead vocalist/songwriter Schwab, Truthless Heroes is a concept album. It is a thirteen-chapter story and the main character is a person, who through his formative years was ignored and neglected by his peers and family. The anger and frustration that develops from that is channeled into seeking greatness and all that goes with it, fame, fortune and lust. But the story doesn't have a happy ending. Read into that what you like. Looking through the lyrics, I got the impression the theme was about the hollowness of fame and how what we think our heroes to be or how they are portrayed is not always in fact, the truth.
I do like Project 86, and I love this album. We even get a little enhanced section on it as a bonus, where the band members say lots of nice things about each other and there are a few little snippets of the band live ...aaahhh!!! lovely.
5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis December 2002Reviewed by Nate BaileyProject 86 is from California and has released several albums with Tooth and Nail. They feature ex-members from Innermeans and have recently released "Truthless Heroes." Having moved away from their early rap-core roots, Project 86 is back with a lengthy 17-track album of hard-edged melodic rock. While being fairly standard for this type of music it's not without its catchy moments. "Salem's…HM Magazine #98Reviewed by Doug Van PeltThis album will stretch but probably please most of the band's fans. Ditching the rap/rock stylings that gave them a foothold, P86 seems to have taken the lessons in songwriting melodies that have benefited their peers in Stavesacre and P.O.D. and crafted some memorable and punching hooks that stay in your head longer than the somewhat brutish riffs of Drawing Black Lines. Another surprise is…Art for the Ears 2002Reviewed by Marco PovervestHere's a real gem. The third album from Project 86 exceeds all expectations. To be honest, I wasn't sure it was going to be. Their debut was one of my favorite discs of the year 1998. The follow-up, Drawing Black Lines, didn't satisfy me though. Yet Truthless Heroes is ten times better. The production (Matt Hyde) is excellent. Each song is a pleasure to listen to. From the harsh, thrashy S.M.C.…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Vik BansalBack in 2000 the future was looking rosy for Project 86. Their major label debut, Drawing Black Lines, aptly produced by GGGarth, the producer of Rage Against The Machine's seminal debut album, had just been released to critical acclaim, and they were touring the US as part of a dream line-up with P.O.D. and Linkin Park. In the intervening two years, however, Project 86 have had to watch P.O.D.…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Tony LaFianzaProject 86 has released a kind of concept record, but Truthless Heroes should not be wrapped in that subtext and left in the heady, contrived, section of your collection. It's more than that; it's a rock and roll party. Truthless Heroes takes Project where they haven't been before. The music has evolved, as also have the concepts and lyrics, into a progressive hard music groove that wasn't…Similar sounding releases
2002Jacks of All TradesSuperior
2002P.O.D.Satellite
2005As Cities BurnSon, I Loved You At Your Darkest
2000A Perfect CircleMer de Noms
2004A Faith Called ChaosForgive Nothing
2003Lucerin BlueTales of the KnifeMore from Project 86
2005...And the Rest Will Follow
1998Project 86
2004Songs To Burn Your Bridges By
2000Drawing Black Lines
