Protest the Hero-Scurrilous

[zukobro]

I just got my hands on the new Protest the Hero album yesterday, and I must say, it is far easier to listen to than it is to spell.

I've been an on and off follower of this band since Kezeia, and usually was kinda on the fence due to Rody's vocals. Usually they dominated, but they still had that tendency to whine that I couldn't quite justify.

Musically I've always felt the band has a fantastic grasp on theory and originality, and an emphasis on technical skill. That doesn't falter in this album, and in fact, I feel that there's a bit more heart in it as well.

Rody has put a bit more of a low end bite in his voice, and it does sound like he's worked on more control of his voice in general.

The album musically and lyrically is just freakin amazing, as a general review. Comparatively, I do like it better than any of their other albums. I'd highly recommend this baddy to anyone who liked earlier protest. It's a much more refined version of the same style they typically use, without sacrificing creativity.

Memorable moments of the album:
2:07 on in Moonlight strikes a new sound that I haven't heard from this band before. I heard something similar from The Mars Volta like, 7 or 8 years ago, but it was only one small bit.
Tapestry, Hair Trigger, and Tongue Splitter I enjoyed front to back as overall epic songs, but I think my favorite moment of the album was the fill on "Sex Tapes" in which Rody snarls "Be careful what you're looking at because it might be looking back".

I've carved my opinion in stone on this one, but any other opinions or thoughts on the album would be a great read!

 

[Islandjam2990]

Here's my published review!!

--

As a fan of Protest the Hero since 2005, I can honestly say I love both albums and the EP they’ve put out, without question. They were pushing the boundaries by writing what they wanted to hear, with just the right amount of calculated chao, and the instantly identifiable voice of Rody Walker – the band seemed unstoppable. Unfortunately, that’s as far as they went, or have for now. With the release of “Scurrilous,” fans are going to be shocked that Protest the Hero, masters of the unpredictable and catchy, have resorted to formulaic music that’s lackluster at points, and even predictable.

Songs like “Tandem,” “Tapestry” “Dunsel,” “The Reign Of Unending Terror,” “Termites,” and “Tongue Splitter” have sections in each of them that are undeniably catchy and extremely well-written, and while those will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day, each of those songs sound like they’re just vehicles to lay the good sections to tape instead of solid songwriting ideas formed around them. Even the closer, “Sex Tape,” massively lacks any real substance to it that hasn’t been heard on the album already, and it goes hand-in-hand with “Tapestry” because it’s so rooted in the lyrical content that the music seems to play merely second fiddle to the vocals. Inconsistency and mediocrity is the name of the game for each of these tunes, and not in any of the ways that defined Protest the Hero’s iconic sound.

With regard to the loss of their identity on “Scurrilous,” there’s not much in the way of heaviness or harsh vocal; instead, more of a “Protest the Hero goes power metal”-esque direction. The moments that shine do so extremely well, and give little glimpses into what could have been, but they constantly let you down and back into boredom. Well, save for the three songs that are “C’est La Vie,” “Hair-Trigger” and “Moonlight.”

“C’est La Vie” wastes no time in letting you know that it’s not going to jerk you around into the doldrums and back every twenty seconds, by audibly kicking you in the head from the get-go. The song continuously gains momentum until splintering off into a classic, melodic, mathy breakdown-type riff that gives way to something that’ll shock listeners: atmosphere. The best part is how well they pull it off, and, seeing as how the song is about suicide, this section, coupled with the lyrics, drags you in and doesn’t let go. Finishing up by taking that driving rage from the beginning and reprising the concepts from the atmosphere in this style, the song is pure gold.
“Hair-Trigger” continues the fury with reckless abandon, and is basically everything I loved about “C’est La Vie” in a different, yet creative and original, context. The song is great, but the kicker is in the ending, which will make fans of the band’s 2005 release, “Kezia,” very happy: the female vocals and acoustic guitars are back. From all the hell they put you through between the two songs, the end of “Hair-Trigger” is just beautiful, and somehow fitting.

The opening of “Moonlight” holds easily one of the best riffs off the album, and the way it reprises itself throughout the song, in slightly different reincarnations, is flat out amazing. They pull off the structured song concept here, for once, and it goes to show how well it could’ve worked, if done right. The song even has clean parts with wide open-sounding drums, and yet another infections, hook-laden “Kezia” ending. If this album were a three song EP containing the aforementioned, it would have been an instant classic.
I wish I could have liked “Scurrilous” more than I did, because I massively respect everyone in the band and want to like what they’re doing, but the album falls pretty short of being consistent and well written.

Maybe next time.

 

[xmetalhead69]

^^ yeah I'm much more inclined to agree with the second review. I thought the album was overall VERY mediocre. I'd actually be less generous than that, the only song I really liked was Cest la Vie. I'm not usually someone who cares about lyrics, but I thought they were flat out awful on this record, embarrassingly bad at points. The guitar work is cool and all, but in general its a bit too Charlie Sheen for my taste (one tempo, go), nothing really catching or moving imho. It really sucks that I have to write this cause Kezia and Fortress are two of my all time favorite albums

 

[Vidge]

I enjoy the album but still prefer Fortress. They do a good job at a "controlled chaos" sort of thing with their song structures, but Scurrilous fell a little short this time in that aspect; For being a sporadic band, Scurrilous was just a little too sporadic for me.

 

[PyramidSmasher]

I enjoy the album but still prefer Fortress. They do a good job at a "controlled chaos" sort of thing with their song structures, but Scurrilous fell a little short this time in that aspect; For being a sporadic band, Scurrilous was just a little too sporadic for me.

^^ I didnt think it was too sporadic, I felt the opposite. I felt like I could get too comfortable with the songs, where as in Foretress you'd think you knew what was up then it'd be like "BAM! Fuck you!" and there'd be a new sick part.

 

[manozi]

I have to agree about not digging the new album too much. I've only heard a few songs, but based on those, it doesn't interest me that much. The songwriting seems a bit stale and uninspired and the 'attitude' seems to be gone (along with the scream vox, which I dug a lot .

And, I too love Kezia and Fortress - two of my fav. albums and based on those two albums, one of my favorite bands. But 'Scurrilous' doesn't quite work for me.


-M

 

[Islandjam2990]

I'm not one to bitch and be all, "OH MY GOD THIS ISN'T THE WAY THEY USED TO SOUND," but it's a little bit of an issue here. When I think PtH, I don't think formulaic, trite, and generic. I think ridiculous, well thought out chaos that's going to oddly grab me by my attention span's proverbial balls and not let go. I didn't really get into this like I did with the other two so much as I did just float through and find myself thinking about other stuff. They didn't take the sound we all know and love and change it up, they completely abandon it... and it wasn't good at all.

 

[leftyguitarjoe]

What I loved is how the album seemed to be a continuation of fortress. Like, they kept the same style, ya know? They didnt bank on making a major change. Instead, they just wrote a bunch of really awesome songs.

 

[zukobro]

Great reviews! I'm really glad to see so many people disagree with me, haha.

I completely agree though, Fortress is an album that will continue to deliver face punching "fuck you, didn't know that was there, did ya?" moments, probably until the day I O.D. at 27.

This one definitely plays with melodic a TON, and one of the reasons I liked it was it followed the same pattern that I would expect from Protest-unpredictable.
Despite the fact that the album has fairly predictable riffs throughout it, the sound of the album remained musically advanced, but with a completely different direction. Fortress and Kezeia are two very different albums, (ok, I wasnt' a fan of calculated use of sound), and I feel that Sur..surril...what the fuck ever it is, makes me want to do horrible, horrible things to five boyish looking canadian men...er...

I liked the album.

 

[bluffalo]

I never really got in to kezia, but fortress is one of my all time favourite albums. scurrilous has some awesome awesome moments, but overall i think i like fortress best.

 

[troyguitar]

From the reviews it sounds like I might like this more than their other stuff, I'll have to check it out. They're the only -core band that I think is decent

 

[DLG]

there's really nothing core about PtH. there were a couple breakdowns on Kezia, but that's about it.

It's straight up prog metal to me.

And I agree with whoever said that it's an awesome album much in the same vein as Fortress, but overall, not as good.

 

[zukobro]

there's really nothing core about PtH. there were a couple breakdowns on Kezia, but that's about it.

It's straight up prog metal to me.

And I agree with whoever said that it's an awesome album much in the same vein as Fortress, but overall, not as good.

They classify themselves as "Mathcore" but yeah, I have a hard time considering them a coreband as well. They have too many elements that are more progressive than anything.

Although one decent "core" band I've been listening to lately is Evergreen Terrace, who actually toured with Protest. They're simple, but good.

 

[georg_f]

...but in general its a bit too Charlie Sheen for my taste (one tempo, go)

ahaha, brilliant

you're right
but maybe we all need a coulple of more listens until the album grows

It's hard to shine next to "Fortress" though

 

[rippedflesh89]

i thought the last two sucked... will this album change my mind? i mean ive seen these dudes play before and theyre pretty good, i just couldnt get into kezia or fortress....

so is this album a bit more mature in the songwriting?

 

[zukobro]

i thought the last two sucked... will this album change my mind? i mean ive seen these dudes play before and theyre pretty good, i just couldnt get into kezia or fortress....

so is this album a bit more mature in the songwriting?

Just a different sound overall. I don't know if it's more mature by any means, but I do think this is an album that will have to grow on die hard fans for sure, and I'm sure many won't ever really dig it. But if you didn't dig the first two albums, definitely give this one a try anyways, it is a fairly different direction, it may appeal to you.

 

[Homebrew1709]

I really like Scurrilous. I don't know that I can quite quantify what I like about it more than Fortress or Kezia. Seems to me that there's more focus on melody and harmony in this one. The songs invoke more emotion than those of the previous two albums. I also find Scurrilous to have more memorable riffs and hooks throughout. Okay, I guess I can quantify it!

For me, Kezia < Fortress < Scurrilous

 

[rippedflesh89]

Just a different sound overall. I don't know if it's more mature by any means, but I do think this is an album that will have to grow on die hard fans for sure, and I'm sure many won't ever really dig it. But if you didn't dig the first two albums, definitely give this one a try anyways, it is a fairly different direction, it may appeal to you.

nice... this is enough for me check it out

 

[heineken_fretwalker]

i thought the last two sucked... will this album change my mind? i mean ive seen these dudes play before and theyre pretty good, i just couldnt get into kezia or fortress....

so is this album a bit more mature in the songwriting?

I fail to see how the writing on Fortress isn't mature.

 

[Levi79]

Yeah, I've had Scurrilous for a while and at first I was kind of thinking they were trying to do Fortress allover again and that the riffs weren't as catchy. It took me alot of listens to this album to get me to where I am now, liking Scurrilous more than Fortress. Everytime I'd notice something different and I still do everytime I listen to it. All the songs and riffs also got catchier and catchier over time. You can tell that Rodys vocals have improved, while still maintaining his original style.
I had the opportunity to see these guys live a couple weeks ago and it blew my mind. They were so good and everything was so spot on. The venue they played was also really small and it was totally packed so there was alot of energy there.

Amazing show. Amazing Album. Amazing band.