Wow,
who would have thought that despite producing quite possibly
the worst follow up to a hit record, the band Crazy Town would
have inspired other bands?
This
is another example of major labels (Geffen in this case) attempting
to capitalize in on the nu metal craze that passed over a
year ago. The oversaturation of the genre by the labels with
groups like this has given good nu metal bands bad reputations.
It is because of the proliferation of the weak sound that
it makes it easy to compare this band to a legion of other
groups.
Following
the blazed trail set by groups like Crazy Town and P.O.D.
is Pillar, a Kansas band now based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Infusing
their Christianity in their music like P.O.D., Pillar unfortunately
comes across more like the "Butterfly" creators throughout
much of their new album, Fireproof.
The
group released the title track as their first single. "Fireproof"
is undeniably catchy, but meaningless. Punctuated with thick
distorted guitar lines and the ridiculous harmonizing backing
vocals (to give more oomph to the oft-repeated line "I am
fireproof"), this song could be one of the cast-offs from
a Trapt album.
Unfortunately,
much like the aforementioned Crazy Town, the rest of Fireproof
is prevailingly one-dimensional rap metal.
Case
in point is the song "Indivisible". Pillar manage to make
being patriotic sound bad with a chorus that goes: "All the
people let me hear you give a holler/In God we trust, In God
we trust/We stamp it on our penny, nickel, dime, quarter,
dollar/In God we trust, In God we trust."
The group goes on to say that if you are offended by 'In God
we trust' being on the currency you should leave the country.
In a nation built on freedom of beliefs this quartet wants
to ship the atheists overseas. Very patriotic.
While
not all of the rhymes aren't as horrid as in "Indivisible"
(Kansas white guys asking for you to "give a hollar" - it
can't get much worse), a predominant portion of the songs
on Fireproof should just be avoided.
For
the religious folks out there, "Light At My Feet" will be
the most appreciated track on the release. Pillar wears their
faith on their sleeves saying "Now that I see it's so easy
for me to proceed on the my destiny (sic)/And let it be seen
the light that you've given thee". Yes, P.O.D. does a better
job infusing their faith in their music.
The
one song that deserves recognition is "Further From Myself"
- easily the best track on Fireproof. With a slower pace,
no rapping and a smooth groove and catchy chorus it stands
above the rest of the songs. It is much closer to a slower
12 Stones tune than a Crazy Town rap metal train wreck. If
it wasn't for this song, Fireproof would have no redeeming
qualities.
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