::@:: Reality of Dreams ::@::

I am a massive fan of Project 86 (one day I may even get to see them live…), and in my mind they have yet to release an album that is less than good, and usually they are in the excellent category. “Rival Faction” is the bands 6th album and keeps their refined style of the latest few albums, think Foo Fighters (when they’re heavy) meets Papa Roach, not an exact metaphor but it gives you something. While keeping the strong lyrics, which have shades of Clutch, in that what you hear is not always what it means… engage your brain basically.

So anyway, I managed to get my copy of “Rival Factions” months after it was released mainly due to Wesley Owen (major Christian bookstore/music store in UK) which has a pitful selection of good heavy music and takes ages importing new stuff. I would have got it in HMV but they didn’t have it in stock in Edinburgh (although they do on the web and ironically for once Wesley Owen was cheaper, usually they are way more expensive), but I will be going to HMV to get As I Lay Dying’s latest, but thats another day.

So, how is the album? Well, its the shortest album Project 86 has done at 35 minutes for 10 tracks, the previous albums have been between 45 and 55 minutes… that’s quite a cut in length. It seems to be a pattern repeated across other bands, and to be honest is very annoying when paying a minimum of £10 (sometimes £15 for my favourites) for a CD where one is only half an hour and the other is a good 20 minutes longer!

That being said that is my only complaint. Again its a solid album filled with thumpingly good tunes, I think the previous release “…and the rest will follow” was slightly stronger, but its a close one. The tracks all flow well together but are separate enough to be distinct. Current favourites are the opening track “Evil (A Chorus Of Resistance)” (video) and “The Sanctuary Hum”, if just for the line “God save us, from your chosen ones”.

As for a score, well, I would say this is a solid 7 out of 10, it would have been 8 if it was a bit longer but if you like Project 86 you will not be otherwise disappointed.

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Listening to: Project 86 - Normandy
via FoxyTunes