This is a cool and well developed disk by Pillar. It is a really different kind of rap-core that sounds like Pax 217 only harder like 311 (recent). The raps are very clever but kinda repetitive. I am into this pretty much because of the DJ's scratching style.
The singer also sounds a bit like Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit in a few songs but other than that it's 311 from there. I didn't really know what to expect from a band with quite a bit of hype from HM Magazine. I thought this would turn out to be one of the years top albums, but it hardly blew me away. The method for this band was attack Satan by means of battle rap. They yell about 2% of the time and the other 98% is rap and harmony/rock. A few of the songs are nothing but hip-hop.
I did enjoy the song " Open your eyes" a bit, but in the end I gave it a 7. It just didn't make me jump out of my seat, but if you like recent 311 this might be your disk free of all that defilement mess, and how they talked about girls that drove me away from them.
7/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #87Reviewed by Jason DoddSound on lease from 311, sterilized, safe-street-vernacular-injected -- Pillar come stamped, signed, sealed, and ordained as youth-group-ready. "Original Superman" is perhaps the best 'sum-up' example of the vibe running through Above, displaying all of their strengths and weaknesses in one song. Strengths: the wonderful character DJ Double K adds to generic intro-riffing, and the band's…ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Shawna T.One of the most energetic concerts I went to this year was Pillar playing at a local club. I met their lead singer, Rob Beckley, before the show, and found him to be a quiet and reserved individual. Of course I was astonished when their set started and Beckley was jumping around all over the stage. This was before they released Above, and naturally I became curious to hear how they would sound on…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Kerry MaffeoEven before being signed by Audio Adrenaline's new record label, Flicker Records, this edgy rock/rap/funk group from Hays, Kansas was hooking fans and sparking the notice of the music industry. And for good reason. Since the release of their first indie album, Metamorphosis in June of last year, and the subsequent release of their sophomore indie album, Original Superman, Pillar has been getting…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Matthew RiddleEach time a style of music gains popularity on the backs of its forefathers, a plethora of similar bands flood the market. Trendsetters like Rage Against the Machine, 311, Korn, and EDL (on a smaller scale) paved the way for hugely successful artists like Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, and P.O.D. Of course, they also paved the way for the wave of wannabes that invariably follows. Does Pillar,…Similar sounding releases
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