Since Bryan Carlstrom produced the first Stavesacre album, he did quite some jobs for both BEC Recordings as for Tooth & Nail. He did this new fruit from the Seattle-tree too. And not without merit. Project 86 is a young band that was started in 1996 with members who had some experience with bands like Innermeans and Focused. From the first song on this debut-disc the music is thick with sometimes rude-sounding riffs and the aggressive vocals of screamer Andrew Schwab who does his part full of passion. Project 86 brings a tight rapcore product full brutal power through the downtuned guitars and the drum-slayer Alex Albert. It's music that's related to colleague-bands like Edl and POD. Singer Sonny from POD has even a guest role on this album which adds something extra to the aggressive Andrew. The lyrics are poetical and not always so easy to understand. That doesn't take away that this is beautiful and it's powerful noise that has something to say. Listen for example to songs like Six Sirens and Pipe Dream. But there is more that's great here. Project 86 has more to offer. What I have to mention is the last song, When Darkness Reigns that starts calmly. The music has a threatening construction, gaining power every time and Andrew sounds depressive, defeated, close to death. Darkness reigns. The tension builds up culminating in the inflaming anger of Andrew what musically erupts with wild guitarpicking. Somewhat later the vocalist is pugnacious leading to a last eruption when the music reaches the boiling-point. Awesome song. Excellent disc.
Other coverage for this album
7ball #19Reviewed by Dan MacIntoshAlthough it borrows its rhyming cadences from hip-hop, Project 86 bellows its lyrics over incessantly eerie guitar riffs with all the raw power of a hungry young punk band, which leaves its eponymous debut sounding closer to the hardcore end of the emerging musical style known as rap-core. Besides its musical inclinations, though, there is also far too much turbulence in these soapbox rants to…HM Magazine #72Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernFollowing in the tradition of bands like POD, EDL, etc., Project 86 comes to the rap-core table with its very own brand of the style. Instead of just ripping off its contemporaries, the band takes the passion and intensity to a unique level, while it would still be tough, in my opinion, to match that of either of those other bands. Beats are usually relaxed, heavy, plodding grooves, and the…Similar sounding releases
1999StavesacreSpeakeasy
2005SeemlessSeemless
2003Dust Eater DogsHardbiter's Inn
2004DisengageApplication For An Afterlife
2005Kids in the WayApparitions of Melody
2002Cave InTides of TomorrowMore from Project 86
2004Songs To Burn Your Bridges By
2005...And the Rest Will Follow
2002Truthless Heroes
2000Drawing Black Lines
