Kansas' Pillar explodes on its fourth CD with a burst of aggressive and intelligent rock that puts to shame bands with whom its shared the stage – Korn, Mudvayne, Powerman 5000, to name names. Where Do We Go From Here answers its own question with 12 tracks of resounding mainstream rock that recalls early King's X in both sound and spirit.
By exploring painful subjects from a positive perspective, Pillar offers refreshing views on tracks like the rousing radio hit "Bring Me Down," which attacks anything and anyone that tries to hold a person back; the groove-heavy "Dirty Little Secret," which urges listeners to let go of their addictions; and the staccato riff-fest "Frontline," which likens war in the world to the wars raged within the human soul. Even when Pillar plays ballads, songs like "Simply" and "Rewind" overflow with emotion, honesty and strong songcraft. Every song on Where Do We Go From Here simply sounds huge.
In singer Rob Beckley, Pillar has one of the genre's strongest voices. Lacking a nasally tone, a snotty attitude and displaced angst, he infuses the band – which also includes drummer Lester Estelle, guitarist Noah Henson and bassist Kalel – with a clear and commanding voice that's equally effective singing along to an acoustic guitar or screaming over a barrage of power chords. Harmony-laced background vocals and a definite sense of musical purpose further enhance these guys' appeal, despite some rapped lyrics that are more subtle than you'd expect.
Put aside any prejudice you may have toward young bands that, wrongly or justly, get lumped in with the so-called rap-metal/alternative-metal movement. Pillar rocks. Truth. End of discussion.
Track Listing:
1) Hypnotized (3:50)
2) Bring Me Down (3:30)
3) Holding On (3:21)
4) Let It Out (3:20)
5) Simply (4:14)
6) Rewind (3:45)
7) Frontline (3:10)
8) Underneath It All (3:11)
9) Dirty Little Secret (2:18)
10) Staring Back (2:51)
11) One Thing (5:28)
12) Aftershcok (3:09)
Total Time: 42:12
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