Projected: Ignite My Insanity

by J. Joe Smith

Projected is John Connolly handling vocals and guitar (Sevendust), Scott Phillips on drums (Alter Bridge), Vinnie Hornsby on bass (Sevendust) and Eric “E-ROCK” Friedman on guitar and vocals (Tremonti). As you can see these guys are all associated with great bands, but now they have joined together to form Projected, this endeavor is a side project, and the result is a released entitled Ignite My Insanity on PatPak Records.

It’s been five years since their debut album, Human (2012), so they rewarded the long wait with a concept album, and with twenty-one tracks on tap, Ignite My Insanity is a double album.  You can’t keep good tracks down eh?  The theme is; having total control of your own thoughts and the way you view the world, but sometimes, you lose control and then one must make both realties work. Having control and not having control of ones’ inner thought process.  This spirit rang through for me as a listener.

Connolly is a strong front man; his voice is full and sets well within the Projected sound envelope. The band is remarkable and the sound they produce is heavy, and I mean that in a good way, frankly it’s got balls.  The title track is an excellent example, there are a lot of moving parts. The two guitars are full and the vocal effect on the verse is a good production choice to convey the subject matter of the song, going insane. Connolly is a prodigious songwriter, but each member still brings their own voice to the mix, and fans of their respected bands with hear and appreciate that aspect of the music in each tune, this project truly is a group effort.

Connolly has a great sense of melody and has mastered the art of the ‘hook.’ Case in point, “Reload,” with its hook oriented double guitar riffs and catchy choruses, you will find yourself singing this long after the track has come and gone, and as we all know that is the sign of solid pen work that makes or breaks a song.  Connolly’s wah-wah solo, is just what you would expect. The song is meaty and rocks with a full-bodied sound, but the true grit is in the many parts that keep your interest.

A double album is a lofty project. Obviously, the band had a great time making Ignite My Insanity, but I believe that choosing the best ten to twelve songs would have delivered an outstanding second project. A small cavil but, still a cavil.

 

Tracks to sample first: “Reload,” “Ignite,” “Gomorrah” and “Inhuman.” The song to take a chance on is “Six Feet Below.” Connolly again show his songwriting skills and his singing is wonderful.  The band does have their own sound, but sometimes is does sound like a variation of Sevendust.

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