LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Project 86: Band
built 613 days ago
Given the varied nature of the band's back catalog, it is hardly surprising that debate currently runs rampant over which Project 86 record constitutes the Orange County foursome's defining work. The self-titled debut and sophomore outing, Drawing Black Lines, were of a piece with the energetic, rap-metal workouts of artists like P.O.D. and Rage Against the Machine. The group followed with Truthless Heroes, a concept album of sorts lamenting the state of the modern music industry which saw front man Andrew Schwab trading his raps for actual singing and his cohorts purveying a less funk-filled, more melodic strain of music. Songs to Burn Your Bridges By, put out independently in 2003 after a difficult split with the Tooth & Nail label, was, perhaps understandably, an angry, punk-inflected release featuring little of the melodic hard rock found on Heroes.
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Near the end of 2002, the hard rock intensity of Project 86 was reaching its zenith. Frustrations over music industry ideals were beginning to show at an alarming rate, and with the release of "Truthless Heroes" came an honest account of what it was like being involved with the corporate machine from someone trapped inside. The group's abrasive music was a sore fit with the traditional record label, and after the scathing lyrical lashing of the concept album, few were surprised when Atlantic Records allowed the band to pack their things and leave. Now the group have returned to the independent scene, and have done so in fine form, as "Songs To Burn Your Bridges By" does just that, unleashing the group's residual animosity with renewed energy.
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In 1998, Project 86 released its self-titled debut on BEC Recordings, a sublabel of Tooth & Nail Records. Immediately the band was labeled "rapcore". Though Schwab's vocals could barely be called rapping, it was a convenient label due to the popularity of that genre of music at the time. After putting out their second album Drawing Black Lines (2000), the band was taken on by Atlantic Records. However, the promised re-release of Drawing Black Lines went from being a full-fledged reissue with new artwork and three new songs to nothing more than a bare bones repackaging of the exact same album.
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While most {\metal} bands who supposedly "rage against the machine" deliver little more than a few fist-pumping choruses, {$Project 86} savagely attacks the hypocrisy of the music industry on {^Truthless Heroes}. A Christian band making a significant statement on the state of musical integrity? Sure enough, this biting concept album is a no-holds-barred deliberation on the state of modern music that points fingers at the corporate machine, clueless musicians, and even fans who take part in the process. Instead of coming off as bitter, they almost seem to be warning listeners against buying into the hype surrounding most popular music. Lines like, "I don't even like the taste of blood/But it was all they had for sale today" are an example of how the band approaches the topic, discussing the way bands are bought from the underground and sold to the public in a clever manner that takes the listener by surprise. Musically, the group can be somewhat generic, but in a backwards twist their passionate lyrics salvage the weaker material and keep the material interesting.
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For this release, Project 86 knew they had to do something brand new, while still managing to capture their classic, unique sound. So, the band traveled to Vancouver, B.C. to team up with Gggarth Richardson (Rage Against the Machine, Chevelle, Atreyu) the producer who was at the helm for Project 86's most successful release to date, Drawing Black Lines. In addition, the band decided to make a film about the recording process, and has now released this film on their first DVD, "Subject to Change: The Making of ...And The Rest Will Follow." The DVD is an entertaining compliment to the record, allowing fans to get closer to the band than ever before.
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On March 28, 2007, Project 86 announced in a MySpace blog that Alex Albert had stepped down from the band. He parted on friendly terms to pursue other interests. Since then, the band has stated in several interviews that they are not searching for a full-time replacement drummer. Instead, they will continue as a three-member band with various drummers filling in at different times.
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