Review Summary: A solid release from a very successful metal band, but wait... why is this labeled as punk rock?
Protest the Hero – Search for the Truth
Evolution, a word that could be labeled or implemented to many things, such as people, entertainment, or the world in general. Music seems to enter stages of experimentation constantly, with new and old bands alike attempting to revolutionize the industry with their interpretations of specific genres. Some artists even combine elements of multiple genres to create a whole new one, the prime example being Black Sabbath, the technical inventors of metal. Now there are dozens of subgenres included into the main genre of metal, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to create something completely original and revolutionary. One could look at Protest the Hero’s progression from their first EP, “Search for the Truth,” to their newest album “Fortress” for a prime example of musical evolution.
Protest the Hero has obviously changed and altered their sound quite a bit since the early years, basically changing from metal-influenced punk music (similar to “Chuck” by Sum 41), to just straight-up metal with technically advanced instrumentation. The evolution and changes this band has gone through are just unbelievable, and they haven’t just changed their genre, they’ve found themselves as musicians. They have improved greatly while simultaneously creating their own brand, or sound. Does this mean that they were terrible in the beginning? Not necessarily.
“Search for the Truth” is an enigma to me, it’s blatantly obvious that they were a punk band, yet their influences of metal are even being displayed on this EP. Upon listening to the intro to “Is Anybody There?” the listener will hear some thrash influenced punk riffing. The quality of the music is also weaker than their newer releases, creating this slightly raw feeling to the music, which also adds to the metal feel of the album. But the undeniably catchy choruses of the songs give it a punk feel, and also define this as a punk EP. The perfect example of these catchy punk lyrics are displayed within the first track’s chorus:
“Whoa oh oh!
Don't turn your back,
Your a victim of consequence.
Whoa oh oh.
Fight back!
Start a revolution.
Whoa oh oh!
Just close your eyes,
And think of no one but yourself,
Consider someone else.”
The sad fact is that the lyrics can also be the downside of the EP, as they really aren’t that good. Rody doesn’t really deliver the lyrics well either, almost sounding like a crappy Deryck Whibley rip-off in some instances. It’s actually quite pleasing to see that Rody has changed the way he has in more recent efforts, because the vocals on this album borderline terrible at times. If you’re looking for good vocals, do yourself a favor and go pick up “Kezia” or “Fortress.”
This is a solid release from a band destined to receive lots of attention in the future, but it’s a very rough and immature release at that. You’ll find yourself flat out laughing at Rody’s lyrics sometimes, and at the same time you’ll be headbanging repeatedly to the two songs’ addicting metal-influenced riffs. After listening to this EP, I feel it would be interesting to see what Protest would be doing right now if they were still a punk band, because they would undoubtedly be a standout punk band. Overall it’s a fun experience listening to such a successful band’s old material, even if it has a few hiccups here and there.
Song Ratings:
Is Anybody There? – 3.5/5
Silent Genocide – 3/5
