Protest the Hero
| Protest the Hero | |
|---|---|
 Protest the Hero live @ Southern Ontario Metal Festival, August 2011[1] |
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Whitby, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Progressive metal, metalcore, mathcore |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | Vagrant, Underground Operations |
| Associated acts | Cheddar Cheese & the Mousetrap |
| Website | www.myspace.com/protestthehero, www.facebook.com/protestthehero, twitter.com/protestthehero |
| Members | Moe Carlson Rody Walker Tim Millar Arif Mirabdolbaghi Luke Hoskin |
Protest the Hero are a Canadian band from Whitby, Ontario.[2] Originally named Happy Go Lucky, the band line-up has remained the same since their formation in 1999.[3] The band changed their name to Protest the Hero shortly before releasing their debut EP, Search for the Truth, in 2002. In 2005, the band released their first full-length album, Kezia, on the indie label Underground Operations.
On January 23, 2006, the band signed with Vagrant Records for Kezia's American release on April 4, 2006. Their second full-length album, Fortress was released by Underground Operations in Canada and by Vagrant Records worldwide on January 29, 2008.[4] The band released their third studio album, Scurrilous, on March 22, 2011.
Contents |
History [edit]
Early years (2001–2003) [edit]
The band started as Happy Go Lucky in 2001 and, shortly after, they recorded a 3-track demo (containing the songs "I Detest", "The 5th Commandment" and "Just Defy"). In 2002 they changed their name to Protest the Hero and released their first EP, Search for the Truth 7" vinyl, which included only two songs. They were included in the compilation (Coles) Notes from the Underground that same year. Luke Hoskin stated on his Formspring page that Search for the Truth was recorded when they were 13 years old.[5] The day that the band members finished their senior finals, they went on a three-week "Rock the Vote" tour from Toronto to Halifax to garner recognition and raise awareness for the upcoming Canadian election.[6]
A music video for their song "These Colours Don't Run", from the EP A Calculated Use of Sound, was released in 2003. The video begins with the band discussing the meaning of the song and features the band playing the song live at numerous locations in Toronto, with the album music dubbed over the actual live recording. At each location, the band would hand out lyrics to passers-by and encourage them to listen or sing along.
Kezia (2004–2006) [edit]
In 2004 the band recorded their debut album for release the following year. Kezia is a concept album, described by the band members as a "situationist requiem". The album achieved universal acclaim with many reviewers praising the album for its technicality and Walker's vocal range.
Fortress (2007–2009) [edit]
After extensive touring the band returned to the studio in 2007 to record their sophomore effort. The resulting album featured 10 tracks that showcased the band heading in a more technical metal style than Kezia. During the Fortress tour the band released a live album (Gallop Meets the Earth) featuring tracks from their first 2 albums. Protest the Hero played Fortress from start to finish at their shows from November 20 to December 23, 2009. This stretch marked the last of the band's shows for a while as they took the first part of 2010 to work on a new album, which was to feature a more progressive sound.
Scurrilous (2010–2012) [edit]
The band officially began recording of their third album on August 30, 2010.[7][8] On December 15, 2010, Walker posted a video indicating the completion of work on the third album.[9] Scurrilous was released March 22, 2011.[10]
Planned fourth studio album (2013–present) [edit]
On January 8th, 2013, Protest the Hero released the following statement on their Facebook page in regards to their up coming album in the summer of 2013: "We have some big announcements coming next week concerning our new album - which is a few songs away from being written. We plan on recording in March or April and have a new album out in the summer. We have been recording pre-production with our old friends Cam and Anthony. The material is more challenging than ever before and we know we'll have to work hard to bring it to life. Looking very forward to a bold 2013!"[11]
On January 15th, 2013, Protest the Hero announced that their fourth studio album would be crowdfunded through Indiegogo. The band claimed that they want to forgo record companies and that they have "finally decided to take matters into [their] own hands." The album has a fundraising goal of $125,000, a goal that was reached within 30 hours. By the end of their campaign, the band reached $341,146 in fundraising, nearly tripling their original goal. [12]
Live [edit]
Protest the Hero has performed and toured with many well-known acts, including Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Alexisonfire, Bullet for My Valentine, Against Me!, Between the Buried and Me and many others. From September 2005 until the beginning of June, 2006, the band toured across Canada, the United States, and Great Britain in support of Kezia with bands such as Death by Stereo, Bad Religion, Anti-Flag, The Fall of Troy, The Bled, and DragonForce. They then took part in the Vans Warped Tour during the Summer of 2006. Following this, they toured with Avenged Sevenfold and 3 Inches of Blood until October 2006 when they began "The Crusade" tour with Trivium, The Sword, and Cellador, taking them across Canada and the United States.
In November 2006, Protest the Hero toured with Welsh metal bands Bullet for My Valentine and As I Lay Dying. Beginning in the middle of December 2006, they embarked on a cross-Canada tour, named Bring Out Your Shred, with I Hate Sally and The Human Abstract. This tour was the first in which Kezia was played in its entirety. In late May-early June they co-headlined the Tour and Loathing 2007 Tour with co-headliners All That Remains, Blessthefall, Threat Signal and The Holly Springs Disaster.
In September 2007, guitarist Luke Hoskin was detained at the Vancouver–US border for possessing a bag with less than 0.2 grams of marijuana, preventing him from continuing on their tour with Trivium and The Sword.[13] In his place the band recruited Marco Bressette from the Canadian rock band Hypodust from September until November 2007.
On January 28, 2008, the band began a tour through Canada with A Day to Remember, Silverstein, The Devil Wears Prada, and illScarlett. In April they toured with Chiodos before joining Warped Tour 2008. They were on tour with Unearth, The Acacia Strain, Whitechapel, and Gwen Stacy after Warped Tour in the United States; and then will be on a European tour with Unearth, Parkway Drive, Despised Icon, Architects, Whitechapel, and Carnifex.
In January 2009 Protest the Hero toured with As I Lay Dying, Darkest Hour, The Human Abstract, and Mychildren Mybride. Then they started a European Tour with The Human Abstract and The Chariot. In April 2009, they headlined the Heads Will Roll tour in the US with Misery Signals, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, Fall From Grace, and Scale the Summit. From September 8–17, 2009, they supported In Flames and Killswitch Engage with Between the Buried and Me.[14]
On November 21, 2009, at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, the band performed their album Fortress in its entirety for the first time. On November 26, 2009, they played in Halifax and on the 27th in Newfoundland, the only two eastern Canada tour dates for the year.
Before the release of Scurrilous, Protest the Hero toured Europe in February as direct support for Darkest Hour. Born of Osiris and Purified in Blood were the other opening acts on the tour.
Protest the Hero was the third band announced to be playing at Australia's Soundwave Festival in February/March 2011, and in March and April of that year the band supported the Scurrilous album, headlining a tour across Canada and the United States with Maylene & The Sons Of Disaster and TesseracT.
Following the summer of 2011, where Protest the Hero played festivals across Europe, they embarked on a small Ontario tour in September with support from Today I Caught the Plague. Protest the Hero then ended 2011 and kicked off 2012 with a tour across America with Scale the Summit and Last Chance to Reason.
Protest the Hero continued their efforts to promote Scurrilous and have commenced a 2012 UK Tour that features support from German post-metal band, Long Distance Calling, Norwegian punk band Blood Command and Uneven Structure. They announced tours with Periphery, Today I Caught the Plague, Jeff Loomis (formerly of Nevermore) and The Safety Fire for the US. Another tour is scheduled with post-hardcore band Underoath, We Came as Romans and Close Your Eyes commencing in May in South America.
Awards [edit]
In 2004 the band won the Canadian Independent Music Award for Favourite Metal Artist/Group, beating out the better-known Alexisonfire.[15] They were nominated for the 2006 Canadian Music Week Indie Awards' Favourite Metal Artist/Group, which Kataklysm won in March of that year. Also in 2006, the band was nominated for the CASBY Award.[2] In addition, members of the band appeared in a televised commercial for the musical instrument store, Long & Mcquade. Bassist Arif was also featured in the Closet Monster music video "Mamma Anti-Facisto (Never Surrender)"; he can be seen to the left of London Spicoluk during the main group scenes.
The band has also released videos for the songs "The Divine Suicide of K.", "Blindfolds Aside", and "Heretics and Killers" from Kezia, and for "Bloodmeat", "Palms Read", "Spoils", "Sequoia Throne" and "Limb from Limb" from Fortress. The video for "Heretics and Killers" received airplay on MTV2 and FUSE, partially because of the interesting premise of the video: the band play the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz who work odd jobs after The Wicked Witch is killed. At the 2009 Golden God Awards, Protest the Hero won best Viral Video.[16] The video features Rody, Luke, and Tim doing a dance on the side of a road when their van broke down.[17]
Members [edit]
- Rody Walker – lead vocals
- Luke Hoskin – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals
- Tim Millar – rhythm guitar, piano, backing vocals
- Arif Mirabdolbaghi – bass, backing vocals
- Moe Carlson – drums
Discography [edit]
Studio albums [edit]
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [18] |
US |
US Ind | US Rock | US Hard Rock | ||||||||
| 2005 | Kezia
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2008 | Fortress
|
1 | 95 | 10 | 24 | 14 | ||||||
| 2011 | Scurrilous
|
8 | 81 | 12 | 20 | 4 | ||||||
| 2013 | Unnamed fourth studio album
|
- | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | ||||||||||||
Extended plays [edit]
- 3-Track Demo (2002, Self-released as Happy Go Lucky)
- Search for the Truth (2002, Underground Operations)
- A Calculated Use of Sound (2003, Underground Operations)
- Sequoia Throne Remix EP[19] (2008, Underground Operations)
Live albums [edit]
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Ind | ||||||
| 2009 | Gallop Meets the Earth
|
47 | ||||
Compilation appearances [edit]
- (Coles) Notes from the Underground (2002) ("Break the Chain" and "Asperity of Sin")
- Greetings from the Underground (2004) ("Soft Targets Dig Softer Graves")
- Things Could Be Worse (2004) ("Break the Chain")
- Orange and Grey (2005, DVD) ("Silent Genocide," "These Colours Don't Run," "Red Stars Over the Battle of the Cowshed" and "Fear and Loathing In Laramie")[20]
- The Power of Music (2005) ("An Apathetic New World")
- Warped Tour 2006 Compilation (2006) ("Heretics and Killers")
Music videos [edit]
| Year | Song | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "These Colours Don't Run" | Marc Ricciardelli |
| 2005 | "Blindfolds Aside" | |
| 2006 | "Heretics and Killers" | |
| 2007 | "The Divine Suicide of K" | Colin Minihan |
| 2008 | "Bloodmeat" | Marc Andre Debruyne |
| "Sequoia Throne" | ||
| "Palms Read" | Sean Michael Turrell | |
| 2009 | "Spoils" | |
| "Limb From Limb" | Marc Andre Debruyne | |
| 2011 | "C'est la Vie" | Marc Andre Debruyne |
| "Hair-Trigger" | Marc Ricciardelli |
Video game appearances [edit]
| Song | Game | Year |
|---|---|---|
| "Divinity Within" | NHL 07 | 2006 |
| "Bury The Hatchet" | Guitar Hero II (as DLC) | 2007[notes 1] |
| "Goddess Gagged" | NHL 2K9 | 2008 |
| "The Dissentience" | NHL 09 | 2008 |
| "Heretics and Killers", "Bloodmeat", "No Stars Over Bethlehem", "Sequoia Throne" | Tap Tap Revenge 2 | 2008 |
| "Bloodmeat" | Guitar Hero World Tour (as DLC) | 2009[notes 2] |
| "Limb From Limb" | Guitar Hero (iOS) | 2010 |
References [edit]
- Notes
- ^ Turn Soonest To The Sea live @ SOMF, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPtksPIAmIA
- ^ a b Dixon Christie (2006-10-30). "Protest The Hero Talks about their new album, Kezia!". Retrieved 2007-05-09.
- ^ Brian Banks (2008-07-25). "Music Vice Features - Protest The Hero interview with Rody at Warped Tour 2008". Retrieved 2008-07-26.[dead link]
- ^ "Protest The Hero's Fortress". 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
- ^ "http://www.formspring.me/LukeHoskin/q/424336942". Archived from the original on 2012-08-01.
- ^ http://sheridansunonline.sheridanc.on.ca/feb_26_2009/entertainment_protest_the_hero.html[dead link]
- ^ "Rody Walker (jRodyWalker) on Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ "Niet compatibele browser". Facebook. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ "Protest The Hero Complete Album Number Three". 2010-12-15.
- ^ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - PROTEST THE HERO To Release 'Scurrilous' In March". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ http://www.facebook.com/protestthehero/posts/10151391956686147
- ^ http://www.indiegogo.com/protestthehero?c=home
- ^ "Protest The Hero: Detained!". 2006-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
- ^ "In Flames and Others Team Up for Canadian Tour". blabbermouth.net. June 20, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
- ^ Canadian Music Week 2004[dead link]
- ^ bravewords.com. "Golden God 2009 winners". Bravewords.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fFCONxIl98
- ^ Protest The Hero Album & Song Chart History billboard.com. Retrieved on March 10, 2011. Shows proof of all chart positions mentioned in this article.
- ^ "Protest The Hero To Release Remix EP - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ "Orange And Grey Compilation DVD Released" PunkBands.com. Retrieved on May 26, 2009.
External links [edit]
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