Reviewed by Graeme Crawford

Pillar have come a long way from their rap-rock beginnings and are set to maintain their popularity with 'Confessions'. We'll get it out of the way at the start: this is not a groundbreaking album; it is exactly what they have done on the previous few records. Given that these were very well received records, this cannot be seen as a bad thing. There are a few changes, with a new permanent drummer in place, and a change of producer from Travis Wyrick, their long-time collaborator, to Rob Graves (Red, Wavorly). This average listener will not notice any difference in the sound with these alterations, as Graves allows the band to play to their strengths. As usual, it's the big rock anthems that grab your attention. "Whatever It Takes", "Not Without A Fight" and "Call To Action" are classic Pillar fist-in-the-air singalongs, while "Better Off Now" proves they can do ballads as well. "Secrets And Regrets" steals a bit too much from Lostprophets for my taste, while "Will You Be There" is a ballad too far. Their cover of Collective Soul's "Shine", however, proves that they can still have booming bass without Kalel in the band. It may be a bit short at only 10 tracks and 38 minutes, but Pillar retain their typical focus and deliver a strong album in their usual style. It may not quite be their "best one yet" as the band had predicted, but this will have you reaching for both the volume control and the repeat button.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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