Where to start with Protest The Hero? Such a difficult band to pin down, their relentless energy which incorporates prog, punk, indie college rock, and anything else they feel necessary, it really does make for a disorienting listen at first. Exploding out at you like some frenetic fly dosed up on amphetamine, their latest album Within is a non-stop cavalcade of ideas which at first make no sense whatsoever. Only after repeated listens do you start to recognise the absolute genius at work, and also start to identify what are some glorious, beautifully written songs.
Coming at you like some pop-punk mix of Weezer and At The Drive In, those comparisons barely scratch the surface of what this band are all about. From the frenetic opening of ‘Mouthpiece’, through the even more bonkers ‘Fishhook’, and eventually culminating in the wondrous ‘Liberty Spike’ before heading out for one last ride with ‘The Mariner’, it’s a relatively short at 35 mins (and yes, it really is prog) escape from sanity but oh so repeatable and rewarding.
Listen to the way the vocals veer from snarled punk, through death metal growls, into soul elevating moments of joy. Feel the instruments pulling you in all sorts of directions before settling on a humble interlude of melodic beauty. Rejoice as the lyrics pull you into its marvellous world, as the band play off each other to create moments destined to stick with you forever. 35 minutes which feels both too short and just the perfect length. It’s utterly fabulous.
So there you have it. Protest The Hero have shot straight to the top of this reviewer’s favourite bands and this album should deservedly sit high in those pesky end of year polls. Within is an utterly bonkers, yet wonderfully delivered piece of music which hits all those emotional feels right where never knew you needed it to. Essential listening.
