The Protomen
Act II: The Father of Death

4.0
excellent

Review

by hastapura USER (5 Reviews)
November 18th, 2009 | 48 replies

Release Date: 2009 | Tracklist

Review Summary: The Protomen top themselves in style. A catchy, smart, and diverse collection of songs from a promising young band.

Certain things, it stands to reason, should never be musically mated. Perhaps...Mega Man, Ennio Morricone, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, "Holding Out for a Hero," and Iron Maiden are among them. Who would be so bold as to fuse these disparate parts together? To challenge the very logic of the musical universe; that is, that bands have to fit into a single genre, a sole subdivision, an idea that eventually undermines itself, yielding incomprehensible labyrinths of subgenre and a million inane arguments over the merits of blackened versus technical death metal (what's that? it's PROGRESSIVE death metal?). Who dares face such a vast hierarchy?

Stepping forth from a dystopic, smog-choked future are Tennessee's The Protomen. They've taken the general plot of the 8-bit Mega Man games, such as it is, and from this bare beginning created an epic, militant future scenario where Mega Man is pitted against his brother Protoman. However, if the mere mention of "concept album" waters your eyes, fear not. The music stands on its own as a unique statement by a group of clearly dedicated musicians, though the lyrics are smart and convey the story economically. Their self-titled debut bears the stigmata of low production values and...blossoming musicianship, but the songwriting overcomes these flaws, as do the powerful vocals of "Panther." (Yeah they use stage names, and they wear costumes. Just think...Daft Punk, not Slipknot. Genesis works too) Panther's range moves from a Mark Lanegan/Johnny Cash growl to a singular shriek which delightfully punctuates the band's thrashier moments. Just take a look at "Vengeance," which takes off like an old Iron Maiden song before shifting into a weighty chorus where Panther gives it his absolute all. Or the extended "Sons of Fate," which does a spot-on Amon Amarth before breaking open into a choral section and moving on.

Do I feel silly writing about something where a man chooses to call himself Panther? Yes, I do. But again, costumes and dumb names be damned, The Protomen have what it takes; namely, creativity and conviction. Their second album, Act II: The Father of Death begins with the serene "Intermission" before "The Good Doctor," which displays Panther's range from thick baritone to a confident upper-range as he battles himself against an escalating backdrop. "The Hounds" is a brass-laden shuffle completely unlike anything on either album and it's this song that best displays the growth from their first album. Besides the inclusion of horns, the lead guitar work has become much more on-point in terms of phrasing and tone. Whereas the guitar sound on their self-titled debut tended toward a distorted muddle, Act II benefits from a far punchier tone, as well as different clean and effect-driven textures.

"The State vs. Thomas Light" begins as a simple lament before building into a fantastic conclusion where Panther, as Dr. Light, screams "guilty" against a choir singing the opposite. It's an effective but unobtrusive way of communicating the gist of the story to the reader - Light's internal conflict - through the music alone, as well as showcasing Panther's jump in skill. Then, after the undeniably Springsteen-laced "Breaking Out" comes the flat-out 80s synth jam "Keep Quiet," which wouldn't be out of place in a Rocky montage. The trend continues with "Light Up the Night," with backing "oooh-s," palm-muted single-note guitar lines, electronic drums, and of course throbbing synthesizers. "Here Comes the Arm" moves through a gentle, Vangelis-like intro, to a piano-and-voice midsection, and finally to a crushing outro, layering fat chords, gated drums, church bells, filthy synths, and soaring choral vocals. It feels like something just went down, even if you're not quite sure what.

In conclusion, I humbly submit that The Protomen are worth your time. If the words "Mega Man" and "concept album" don't grab you immediately, the music might. It's a great album from a band with a lot of potential.

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