Project 86 - Picket Fence Cartel Review

Posted by Marshall Slayton on 07.28.2009

Project 86 returns with their seventh album on the Tooth and Nail record label. How well does it fare up with other Christian metal bands?



1. Destroyer
2. The Butcher
3. The Spectacle of Fearsome Acts
4. Dark Angel Dragnet
5. Cold and Calculated
6. Cement Shoes
7. A John Hancock with the Safety Off
8. Two Glass Eyes
9. Cyclones
10. The Black Brigade
11. To Sand We Return

Picket Fence Cartel is the seventh album from Project 86, released on the trusted and true Christian metal label, Tooth and Nail Records. Andrew Schwab, the main vocalist, has promised this to be a heavier album from its predecessors, and he is certainly correct in that regard – the band has never sounded more intense than it does here.

Project 86 wishes to keep up with its heavier best friends, The Chariot and Haste the Day. And like those two bands, they’re participating in the “Scream The Prayer” tour, a great combination where people get to listen to evil, grinding metal music while still singing about the Lord Almighty. So what does Project 86 have to lose by turning up the distortion a bit?

The opener, “Destroyer,” begins the full out assault on your eardrums without apology. It's the kind of song you can pick cues from other bands, but still manages to come across as a fresh perspective. At first listen, it sounds like Marilyn Manson -- and you'd be correct. Manson took a particular interest in the band several years ago, when the Blair Witch 2 soundtrack included one of their songs on its track listing. There’s no question that Schwab probably read a page or two out of Brian Warner's elusive book of secrets. But “Destroyer” is like the best Manson: upbeat and gloomy all at once, never repetitive, and showing a sense of character.



One of the highlights here is “Cold and Calculated.” It's the most memorable, due the dominance of drums and the wicked fast tempo. The screaming sounds less like Marilyn Manson and more like Static-X. It could have fit comfortably if placed anywhere on the Static-X album Cannibal, and no one would have noticed otherwise. Even better is the surprise the saves for the end: it decides to go apeshit crazy in the last 10 seconds, making you feel like you've just been slapped in the face on your way out the door. It's this kind of moment I wished to the album had more of, one where unpredictability simply caught me off guard.



Perhaps the biggest disappointment is “A John Hancock with the Safety On,” because the title is so awesome. With lyrics like “kill the radio -- kill the video -- kill the satellite,” it seems painfully ripped off from Mudvayne and System of a Down. We get it -- killing our entertainment devices is trendy and cool. I think I’ll throw my laptop down the sewer.

On the other hand, it all ends wonderfully with “To Sand We Return.” There's a brief interlude in the middle of the song with acoustic guitar, faint church organ, and high-pitched wailing -- both beautiful and relaxing. When these elements return for the finale, it sounds outright great. I wish the album in general had more of these unique moments scattered evenly throughout, and when you hear a song this good, you wonder why they didn't spend more time and make every song as exceptional.

Picket Fence Cartel has amazing bookends and a whole lot of pretty good stuff in between. Very little in the middle portion rarely blew up my skirt, but I was never bored by it. When Christian bands such as The Devil Wears Prada and Underoath are releasing balls-to-the-wall metal albums, a band like Project 86 simply doesn't sound as innovative even when they try to be heavier. This is an album “with its moments,” but those moments make it all worthwhile. Fans of the band will not be disappointed, as it continues their usual staples of hard rock, electronica, and a dash of faith -- though it’s unlikely to win over any of the unconverted.

The 411: A solid release from a prolific band, Project 86 proves that they can scream their prayers just as effectively as a lot of those other God-loving musicians can -- but could easily please secular audiences as well. It's all very entertaining and consistent, even if you think you've already heard most of this stuff before. Recommended.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]