After over a decade now, we rock music lovers have been blessed with the band Pillar. This, their sixth full-length installment, is apparently on a musical level that has never been heard before according to front man Rob Beckley. While I can't say that I have never heard the overall sound before, I must admit that this is the best Pillar album since Fireproof in 2002. So, what are fans to expect from Confessions now that the band includes two new members and a achieves a noticeably different Pillar sound?

The album starts off by introducing us to this new style with "Fire On The Inside." It has a slightly similar feel to Where Do We Go From Here or The Reckoning, but the chords are delivered harder and Rob stretches his vocals a little more. "Not Without A Fight" and "You Are Not The End" follow the same path of the expanding musical approach we're hearing. Confessions also has a message to listeners – Confess. The acknowledgment in the spiritual sense that makes us clean before God and our peers is a message that you can't help but to take home while listening.

The release also contains your typical slower/ballad type tracks such as "Better Off Now," "Will You Be There," and "Lose It All." Again, Rob uses his vocal abilities more and the background drops in violins and piano keys all laid beneath lyrics with a wonderful message to listeners. Topping off the near-forty minute album is a remake of Collective Soul's "Shine" that comes out great and "Call To Action" which is a classic Pillar solider-style track.

After being a band that doesn't change their style a whole lot year to year, Pillar has stepped it up a little bit here. While they don't achieve a totally new sound, Pillar serves up a notable change that comes out nicely. The new band members are obviously talented and fill in for Kalel and Lester very well, and the songwriting takes listeners a little deeper to execute a more meaningful album. All in all, it's a great record and worth checking out for fans of rock music and Pillar alike.

- Review date: 9/17/09, written by Kevin Hoskins of Jesusfreakhideout.com