A Listenable Step Backwards From Where Do We Go From Here
Sky | New York | 10/06/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Where Do We Go From Here? Apparently backwards.
The Reckoning is a bit above average compared to some of the more generic Nu Metal plaguing the Rock radio airways these days, but The Reckoning is far below the high standard that Pillar set with their 2004 release Where Do We Go From Here.
Gone are song after song of unique sounding, head bobbin', melodic, kick-ass, hard rock gems like Frontline, Dirty Little Secret, Underneath It All and Bring Me Down. Gone are standout tracks with intricate beats, intricate guitarwork and anthem choruses that you can sing along to.
In are songs where some you can't even tell the track has changed, the guitarwork is mediocre, and they mostly sound like all the other Nu Metal on the radio.
Pillar does indeed put together a listenable 13 songs. But "listenable" versus their last release's "rockin'" classification is a downgrade. Rob Beckley's singing in is mostly clear on The Reckoning and you can understand almost every word. However, in a shift from the last release, Rob uses an angry growl redundantly on the first 5 songs that seems really out of place.
The Reckoning is just absent of a really standout track, while Where Do We Go From Here was full of them. So all in all, The Reckoning is a disappointment for me...an average effort.
If you're new to Pillar, be sure to pick up Where Do We Go From Here with (or instead of) The Reckoning. Where Do We Go From Here Pillar fans will probably see what I mean; devoted fans will just give me a NO vote.
"
Underrated
Sibelan Forrester | The Shire | 01/01/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I don't know why people like this CD so much less than Where Do We Go From Here and For the Love of the Game. It's consistent and has some real standouts: "Awake," "When Tomorrow Comes," "Tragedy," and "Resolution." This is just as good as any of their other CDs, but it's sadly overlooked."