This is the sixth album from Canadian progressive metal band Protest the Hero.
Within contains 35 minutes of Protest the Hero’s inimitable brand of progressive metal. The band’s style has always been a happy marriage between chaos and beauty, to a greater or lesser extent depending on what you’re listening to, and Within continues their storied discography by contributing yet another Grade A winner. So much for spoilers, eh?
Protest the Hero operate in a rarefied space somewhere between progressive metal and progressive post-hardcore. You could say progressive metalcore of course, and while that’s fine, it doesn’t quite sound right. Either way, it’s a style that the band perfected the core of a long time ago, and since then they have simply been expanding upon and adding to different facets of it. Throw into this the allure of the dramatic presence of the singer’s impassioned voice, and you have a cocktail that’s as incendiary as it is affecting.
Within is awash with engaging material, ripe for obsessing over. It’s an energetic tapestry of colour and shape, where technical wizardry and mathcore dynamics meet gorgeous melody and heartfelt hooks. It’s complex and catchy, delivering songs that boast intricate depth, massive choruses, and melodic emotional resonance. The talented songwriting saves the day; something like this could easily sound messy or disjointed, but everything on Within has a reason, and everything works wonderfully well across the six songs. (There are also two interlude tracks to contend with, but although not essential, they’re better than most bands’ pointless attempts to fill space).
Each of the actual songs packs in so much content that Within is bursting at the seams. There are more ideas explored, discarded, revived, or realised than most ostensibly similar bands have across their career. Hyperbole? Probably, but Within is a creative blast, so who cares. Basically, Protest the Hero are one of a kind.
So, a very strong new record from Protest the Hero. Within is simply a collection of great songs, and you’d do well to dive deeply into its hectic depths.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 