Pillar - Confessions

Artist: Pillar

Album: Confessions

Release Date: 9/22/09

Label: Essential Records

Pillar returns with their seventh studio album, titled Confessions. Pillar changes their style a bit here being mainly hard rock/arena rock. There are also some songs that are CHR radio friendly. Confessions was produced by Rob Graves (Red, Wavorly) and does have a more Red sound to it. The album starts out with the hard - hitting track titled "Fire On The Inside" and is the band's current single from the album at rock radio. "Whatever It Takes" follows and does include some screaming almost similar to Red's. The album's CHR track "Secrets and Regrets" is about past sins that are keeping you from going anywhere. It also talks about us having second chance. Lead singer Rob Beckley states that if the album had a title track, "Secrets and Regrets" would have been it. The next track, "Better Off Now" sounds a little like "Smiling Down" from For The Love Of The Game. Somehow, the song also seems to resemble the song "Watching Over Me" from the new TFK album. It even mentions "like an angel, I know you're watching over me". "Not Without A Fight" is really a song about a spiritual battle according to Rob Beckley. "Will You Be There" is a song that is asking God if he will be there through all our struggles and pain. Confessions also features two covers. They are "Shine" originally by Collective Soul and "Call To Action" originally by Copper. Both covers are good, but personally, I like "Shine" better. "Lose It All" is a more softer song on the album. It is about basically losing someone, but having to move on. The album closer "You Are Not The End" is a different song which has Beckley almost talking instead of singing, but then the chorus is like a typical Pillar song. It is not a typical album closer, but it does fit the album.

Album Highlights: Fire On The Inside, Secrets & Regrets, Better Off Now, Shine

Rating: 7/10 A pretty good hard rock album. It has it's highlights, but not the best rock album of 2009.