Project 86 (album)
Encyclopedia
Project 86 is the debut album of the American
band Project 86
. It was released on June 16, 1998 on BEC Recordings
, a the Christian imprint of Tooth & Nail Records
. This album established Project 86 as one of the more promising hardcore/metal groups in the Christian music scene. According to one critic, Project 86 became "one of the few Christian acts to gain exposure to the general market" by the turn of the millennium. The album sold over 30,000 copies before the release of the band's second album
in the year 2000.
styled vocal delivery over hard-edged, downtuned guitars. While the music itself was not heavily influenced by hip hop
, vocalist Andrew Schwab was a fan of the East Coast hip hop
scene. Partly due to this influence, and the popularity of rapcore
at the time of this albums release, many reviewers classified the album with that genre. Others saw the prominent influence of other hard music genres such as hardcore
, metal, and speed punk
.
Their music, which was said to "take passion and intensity to a unique level," was matched with a "gloomy lyrical perspective." The closing cut, "When Darkness Reigns," exemplifies the form, which one reviewer called a "climate of pitch black darkness." Christian reviewers noted that this was introspection
, one stating that the lyrics deal with "wrestling with the inner man and life core issues." Themes of apathy
, guilt
, and oppression
appear on the album; one reviewer described these as the vocalist as wearing his "wounded heart on his ragged sleeve." For his part, Schwab states, "there were a lot of things that I was going through, personal struggles, life issues." The same reviewer went on to state that the album wasn't really dark, but "merely honest."
The music video for their song "Pipe Dream" received rotation on The Box and later MTV2
. The album features Sonny Sandoval
of P.O.D.
on "Six Sirens". Frontman Andrew Schwab
stated that P.O.D.
was an influence and of all Christian bands the one he most respected. "The Warriors Tour" later featured P.O.D., Project 86, and Blindside
.
As for rapcore, the band maintains that it was never their intention to become associated with the genre. "You wouldn't call Beck
a rapper, even though he raps," Schwab once told an interviewer. Guitarist Randy Torres
echoed the sentiment, stating, "I feel the new wave of rapcore is both predictable and boring" in a year 2000 interview. Their follow up effort, Drawing Black Lines
, followed and expanded upon the style of "Pipe Dream" most closely.
Originally released for a generic Christian compilation titled Moms Like Us Too Vol. 1 (Tooth & Nail, 1999), there is a separate track titled "Numb" that is sometimes cited as the 11th track on the B-side of this album. Due to album production dates and its musical similarity to the debut disc, "Numb" was most likely recorded at the same time, but not included in the main release. In Drawing Black Lines
, the final song titled "Twenty-Three" is most likely named because, with the inclusion of "Numb", it is the 23rd track released by the band.
Project 86 eschewed the label of being a Christian band from the beginning, hoping to avoid stereotyping associated with the genre. In an interview for HM magazine the band stated that many "Christian bands" bill themselves as such because it is easier to make a successful start in that market. Andrew Schwab continued, "One thing we want to do is to be ourselves... were coming at it with more of a creative outlet lyrically. I don't always say specifically what I'm talking about." Even so, the band considers their work to be a ministry. Project 86 seeks to "put out the best art possible" in the hopes of reaching out to the secular world. "If we're playing at Ozzfest
or on Family Values
...," the band told 7ball after the release of their second album, "there is a greater level of tact necessary in order to reach that sort of audience."
.
Separate Release Track: "Numb" – 5:40
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band Project 86
Project 86
Project 86 is an American Christian rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1996. The line-up consists of bassist Steven Dail, vocalist and songwriter Andrew Schwab, and guitarist Randy Torres. The band has released seven studio albums, which have collectively sold over 500,000 units...
. It was released on June 16, 1998 on BEC Recordings
BEC Recordings
BEC Recordings is a Christian rock record label that is a subsidiary of Tooth and Nail Records. The label was formed in 1997 in partnership with the EMI Christian Music Group....
, a the Christian imprint of Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
. This album established Project 86 as one of the more promising hardcore/metal groups in the Christian music scene. According to one critic, Project 86 became "one of the few Christian acts to gain exposure to the general market" by the turn of the millennium. The album sold over 30,000 copies before the release of the band's second album
Drawing Black Lines
-Personnel:*Andrew Schwab – vocals*Randy Torres – guitar, vocals, piano*Stephen Dail – bass, guitar*Alex Albert – drums*GGGarth – producer, additional engineer*Brandon Ebel - executive producer*Andre Wahl - engineer, mixing...
in the year 2000.
Style and content
Project 86 features a rapRap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
styled vocal delivery over hard-edged, downtuned guitars. While the music itself was not heavily influenced by hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, vocalist Andrew Schwab was a fan of the East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
scene. Partly due to this influence, and the popularity of rapcore
Rapcore
Rapcore is a subgenre of rap rock fusing vocal and sometimes instrumental elements of hip hop with punk rock .-History:...
at the time of this albums release, many reviewers classified the album with that genre. Others saw the prominent influence of other hard music genres such as hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, metal, and speed punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
.
Their music, which was said to "take passion and intensity to a unique level," was matched with a "gloomy lyrical perspective." The closing cut, "When Darkness Reigns," exemplifies the form, which one reviewer called a "climate of pitch black darkness." Christian reviewers noted that this was introspection
Introspection
Introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations. It is a conscious and purposive process relying on thinking, reasoning, and examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and, in more spiritual cases, one's soul...
, one stating that the lyrics deal with "wrestling with the inner man and life core issues." Themes of apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
, guilt
Guilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
, and oppression
Oppression
Oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as an act or instance of oppressing, the state of being oppressed, and the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, and...
appear on the album; one reviewer described these as the vocalist as wearing his "wounded heart on his ragged sleeve." For his part, Schwab states, "there were a lot of things that I was going through, personal struggles, life issues." The same reviewer went on to state that the album wasn't really dark, but "merely honest."
The music video for their song "Pipe Dream" received rotation on The Box and later MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
. The album features Sonny Sandoval
Sonny Sandoval
Paul Joshua "Sonny" Sandoval is an American singer and rapper. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band P.O.D..-Biography:...
of P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
on "Six Sirens". Frontman Andrew Schwab
Andrew Schwab
Andrew "Macabre" Schwab is an American singer, songwriter, author, and journalist. He is the lead singer and lyricist for the rock group Project 86. With Project 86, he has released seven albums and 2 EPs to date. Through Relevant publishing he has released one autobiography "It's All Downhill...
stated that P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
was an influence and of all Christian bands the one he most respected. "The Warriors Tour" later featured P.O.D., Project 86, and Blindside
Blindside
Blindside is a post-hardcore band from Tumba, Sweden. They formed in 1994 as Underfree and kept that name for two years before releasing their debut EP in 1996.-A Thought Crushed My Mind:...
.
As for rapcore, the band maintains that it was never their intention to become associated with the genre. "You wouldn't call Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
a rapper, even though he raps," Schwab once told an interviewer. Guitarist Randy Torres
Randy Torres
Randy Torres is a guitarist, keyboardist and background vocalist who previously played for the bands Project 86 and Crash Rickshaw. He has filled in as rhythm guitarist for the band Demon Hunter and as keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist and background vocalist for Anberlin on a recent tour...
echoed the sentiment, stating, "I feel the new wave of rapcore is both predictable and boring" in a year 2000 interview. Their follow up effort, Drawing Black Lines
Drawing Black Lines
-Personnel:*Andrew Schwab – vocals*Randy Torres – guitar, vocals, piano*Stephen Dail – bass, guitar*Alex Albert – drums*GGGarth – producer, additional engineer*Brandon Ebel - executive producer*Andre Wahl - engineer, mixing...
, followed and expanded upon the style of "Pipe Dream" most closely.
Originally released for a generic Christian compilation titled Moms Like Us Too Vol. 1 (Tooth & Nail, 1999), there is a separate track titled "Numb" that is sometimes cited as the 11th track on the B-side of this album. Due to album production dates and its musical similarity to the debut disc, "Numb" was most likely recorded at the same time, but not included in the main release. In Drawing Black Lines
Drawing Black Lines
-Personnel:*Andrew Schwab – vocals*Randy Torres – guitar, vocals, piano*Stephen Dail – bass, guitar*Alex Albert – drums*GGGarth – producer, additional engineer*Brandon Ebel - executive producer*Andre Wahl - engineer, mixing...
, the final song titled "Twenty-Three" is most likely named because, with the inclusion of "Numb", it is the 23rd track released by the band.
Project 86 eschewed the label of being a Christian band from the beginning, hoping to avoid stereotyping associated with the genre. In an interview for HM magazine the band stated that many "Christian bands" bill themselves as such because it is easier to make a successful start in that market. Andrew Schwab continued, "One thing we want to do is to be ourselves... were coming at it with more of a creative outlet lyrically. I don't always say specifically what I'm talking about." Even so, the band considers their work to be a ministry. Project 86 seeks to "put out the best art possible" in the hopes of reaching out to the secular world. "If we're playing at Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
or on Family Values
Family Values Tour
The Family Values Tour was created by the band Korn in 1998 to be an annual rock & rap tour.The tour began in 1998 and would take the year off in 2000, due to heavy competition from other tours, such as the Anger Management Tour and the Summer Sanitarium Tour. After a four year hiatus, the Family...
...," the band told 7ball after the release of their second album, "there is a greater level of tact necessary in order to reach that sort of audience."
Track list
All songs were written by Project 86Project 86
Project 86 is an American Christian rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1996. The line-up consists of bassist Steven Dail, vocalist and songwriter Andrew Schwab, and guitarist Randy Torres. The band has released seven studio albums, which have collectively sold over 500,000 units...
.
- "Spill Me" – 5:25
- "Rebuttal" – 4:47
- "Pipe Dream" – 4:35
- "Stalemate" – 6:16
- "Run" – 3:37
- "Independence?" – 4:27
- "Six Sirens" – 3:35
- "Bleed Season" – 5:16
- "1 X 7" – 3:55
- "When Darkness Reigns" – 6:40
Separate Release Track: "Numb" – 5:40
Personnel
- Andrew SchwabAndrew SchwabAndrew "Macabre" Schwab is an American singer, songwriter, author, and journalist. He is the lead singer and lyricist for the rock group Project 86. With Project 86, he has released seven albums and 2 EPs to date. Through Relevant publishing he has released one autobiography "It's All Downhill...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Randy TorresRandy TorresRandy Torres is a guitarist, keyboardist and background vocalist who previously played for the bands Project 86 and Crash Rickshaw. He has filled in as rhythm guitarist for the band Demon Hunter and as keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist and background vocalist for Anberlin on a recent tour...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Stephen Dail – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Alex Albert – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Sonny SandovalSonny SandovalPaul Joshua "Sonny" Sandoval is an American singer and rapper. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band P.O.D..-Biography:...
– guest vocals - Bryan Carlstrom – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Brian Gardner – mastering
- Project 86Project 86Project 86 is an American Christian rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1996. The line-up consists of bassist Steven Dail, vocalist and songwriter Andrew Schwab, and guitarist Randy Torres. The band has released seven studio albums, which have collectively sold over 500,000 units...
– producer, art direction - Jason Parker – art direction, layout
- Suzy Splab – artwork
- Tim Owen – photography