Project 86

Item: Drawing Black Lines
Author: Jesse N.

Drawing Black Lines

(2000)

Reviewed by Jesse N.

Discogs Bandcamp Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label BEC RecordingsReAL Magazine2000

alternative metal hard rock hardcore rapcore

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 this mean? It means I hear it nearly every night at work with my metalhead co-workers. It also means Project 86 will be touring with various hardcore bands (Queensryche being the last one), which gives the band an opportunity to be a light in the midst of a very dark industry.

Project 86 is a lot like POD or Limp Bizkit in that they use heavy guitars and mosh-pit starting drum beats. However, there is much less rapping on Drawing Black Lines and a lot more yelling, whispering, screaming, and yes… even some singing thrown in. The vocals are the most unique aspect of the CD. This is seen in 'One Armed Man' as the vocals shift from yelling and screaming to beautiful harmonizing background vocals during the chorus. They experiment with various vocal effects and at times have background vocalists throwing screams in to mix things up. However, other than that, Drawing Black Lines fails to color outside of the lines. Although this is without a doubt the best Christian Hardcore album I have ever heard, it does not go much beyond what the heavy secular bands have already been doing. Musically, Project 86 has plenty of flaming power chords, but relatively few guitar riffs, and no guitar solos. It has one song in a different time signature, but other than that, the album lacks rhythmic diversity.

This record may not offer something that people have never heard before, but it does rock! From the slightly dissonant first strum of the guitar, you know it is going to hit hard in a hurry. Lyrically the band doesn't preach, but keeps a positive light throughout the album. This should help them to not scare away non-Christians as they tour on the road. Songs such as 'A toast to my Former Self' and 'Chapter 2' (my favorite song on the album) hints at the God's acceptance and ability to renew. 'One Armed Man' talks about the emptiness of alcohol, while other songs emphasize unity. Project 86 makes an attempt to play a slow song in 'Star' but it's obviously not their forte as it's droning and repetitive. The album ends very anticlimactically with almost 10 minutes of screeching noise after their last song. While this may work in concert, it only serves to annoy on the album.

This CD gets the job done without having some idiot telling you to break stuff or to kill your friends. If you are into heavy music at all, get off of your chair right now, drive as fast as you can to your local music store, and buy the new Project 86 album. You can thank me later.