Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Protest the Hero - Scurrilous (2011)
Protest the Hero is never your friendly neighborhood extreme prog-metalcore band. They're one of the freshest, most interesting bands in modern metal times. Their ability to go from extreme to experimental to melodic has gained them massive success in their previous albums Kezia and Fortress, with this record Scurrilous having quite some hype. However, even with the expectations being unable to reach, this album never disappoints, and it's one of their most realized albums yet!
Scurrilous sees Protest the Hero focusing less on aggression and beginning to evolve towards a more powerful melodic progressive metal sound. With that, the songs feel more realized without having to grab a hold of you with technical riffs and complex arrangements. Of course, with or without melody, Protest the Hero is always known for its technicality, so they never ignore their full abilities. That's why the technicality is still around, and they won't stop having their musical tricks such as sudden tempo changes in every section. The technical parts in this album fit better than in their previous album Fortress. These technical elements make the album have more polished production that still needs some good listening. However, the weakest link of the band for this album is drummer Moe Carlson. He did great in previous albums, but here he's feeling burned out to the point where his drumming is getting stale. That's why he had to leave the band before the next album. Luckily, the band still has their top-notch skills.
The melodic progressive metal feel is already hinted in the standout opener "C'est La Vie", one of only a few songs in this album written by bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi. The track takes every awesome advantage of Protest the Hero and blends them together in an epic 3 and a half minute song. A h*ll of an entrance after a 3-year gap! The band made the right choice of releasing that song as the album's first single. Of course, there are other strong tracks here, but this one is so perfectly put together with vocalist Rody Walker's screams and cleans weaving through Arif's lyrics of optimism. Next song "Hair-Trigger" is about a man and his girlfriend, a "sweet little redhead". The man expects a strictly casual partnership but then he has enough and wants out. The song takes a look at smoking addiction as part of the man's struggle out of his modern relationship. What really stands out is the vocals performed by Jadea Kelly (as the redhead girlfriend), her comeback since their debut Kezia! Then it segues to the chaotic anthem "Tandem" filled with touching emotion as Rody sings about the man losing his redhead girlfriend to cancer. Death before decision, that's sad, man...
"Moonlight" doesn't have any special lyrics but the music is still powerful with beautiful intertwining guitars. Those kinds of guitars continue in its successor "Tapestry". Cranking the sarcastic lyrical roasts a full 360, "Dunsel" takes on the manipulative music industry in a scurrilous manner, criticizing musicians going down the sellout path that make it hard to "swallow all this s**t that we keep feeding" and learning that "some a****les' hands ain't worth shaking". Those guys are f***ing geniuses! Their frantic pace keeps going, and the band doesn't give a s**t if they hurt any feelings. "The Reign of Unending Terror" has precise drumming to make up for its weakness in other songs along with solid jarring bass to help create the epic full sound Protest the Hero wanted. The raw edginess and methodical concept of their first two albums reign to create!
The great "Termites" has the band's mystic combination of Coheed and Cambria and Iron Maiden. The apologetic yet aggressive "Tongue-Splitter" takes some shots away from the usual self-loathing ("I'm not asking for your pity 'Oh woe is me' sarcastically"). That song really pumps up me with its adrenaline. Well done guys! On "Sex Tapes", the band takes a clever view at celebrity sex tape scandals and how little accidents like that cause those celebrities fame for the wrong reasons. Interesting reference to the Jonas Brothers getting "rings wrapped 'round their d*cks". The bonus track "To Porter, With Love" is just a progressive instrumental. Nothing interesting happens there...
In conclusion, Scurrilous is a progressive metal rollercoaster ride through melodic power metal-ish variation, personal lyrics, and fantastic arrangements that would make you want more. With all that said, this album continues Protest the Hero's quest of progressive greatness. An interesting thrill-ride with more to come in the next!
Favorites: "C'est La Vie", "Hair-Trigger", "Dunsel", "The Reign of Unending Terror", "Tongue-Splitter"