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Pillar: The Reckoning
 As long as you're not looking for something totally original, the latest release from the Mid West's Pillar is something to get excited about. These four hardworking musicians have crafted an extremely radio friendly album here on The Reckoning, filled with references to popular acts such as Kings X, Nickelback, P.O.D., and Sevendust. Catchy melodies, thick guitar riffs, a mixture of clean and screaming vocals (more of the former), and a positive outlook adorn most of the songs here, many of which fall into the 3-4 minute range, just perfect for a slot on mainstream radio or MTV video. While at times it might be easy to classify Pillar's music in the metal catagory (and on occasion they do venture into nu-metal territory), for the most part this is just good, sing-along hard rock, with a few ballads ("Angels in Disguise" & "Wherever the Wind Blows") thrown in to keep up the variety factor amidst the more rocking tunes like "Crossfire", a song that is like a head on collision between Kings X, Linkin Park, and Sevendust.
I'm not sure if Pillar have enough to stand out amonst the throngs of bands that pop up left and right these days that play this type of rock music, but seeing as they do have a penchant for the crafty hook, and can kick some butt, there's always a chance. As an independent band, they have already sold a fair amount of their back catalog so far, so maybe The Reckoning will be their big break.
Track Listing
01. Everything
02. Awake
03. When tomorrow comes
04. The reckoning
05. Tragedy
06. Last goodbye
07. Angel in disguise
08. Elysian
09. Crossfire
10. Resolution
11. Sometimes
12. Wherever the wind blows
13. Chasing shadows at midnight
Added: October 6th 2006
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:  
Related Link: Pillar Website
Hits: 2336
Language: english
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Pillar: The Reckoning
Posted by Michael Popke, SoT Staff Writer on 2006-10-06 22:29:40
My Score:
While The Reckoning, Pillar's fourth album, firmly establishes this Oklahoma-based hard-rock/heavy-metal quartet as a force to be, um, reckoned with by the mainstream, the massive two-hour DVD that accompanies a special version of this disc reveals the many musical and personal facets of the band. A manic 40-minute live performance from Cornerstone 2006 (alternative Christian music's biggest festival) traces Pillar's entire career trajectory and finds lead singer Rob Beckley screaming a lot more than he does on The Reckoning – in part because of Pillar's early attempts to fit in with the so-called nu-metal revolution. Other segments include insightful (and sometimes actually moving) song commentary by all four band members, as well as a "how to" section in which each player explains the equipment used to record The Reckoning and describes the technical aspects of their playing.
The album itself picks up where 2004's monumental Where Do We Go From Here left off, sounding slightly more claustrophobic but still soaring with resounding melodies in the unlikely vein of King's X, Nickelback and Linkin Park. Beckley's vocals ring out loud and clear, backed by a wall of crunchy guitars and noisy percussion. No snotty whining and no screamo-emo. Aggressive yet upbeat, Pillar's music is filled with lyrics about letting go of anger, resentment and bitterness ("When Tomorrow Comes") and how "frustration's overrated" ("Sometimes"). In fact, Pillar's CDs are released by Flicker Records, a respected label in the Christian music world. The Reckoning doesn't necessarily sound innovative, but most of it (save the throaty title track and a few other songs) is far more palatable than most of the material that passes as rock music on commercial radio these days. I actually prefer Where Do We Go From Here, but The Reckoning is nearly as potent. With this album, and especially with the accompanying DVD, Pillar's foundation is firmly established.
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