Protest The Hero - Scurrilous (2011)

Protest The Hero has finally released Scurrilous, their third studio album, and followup to the 2008 Fortress. It's an easy call on my part to say that this is a very solid album, and if you find yourself not liking Protest The Hero at first, they easily grow on you.

1. C'est la Vie [3:33]
2. Hair-Trigger [4:50]
3. Tandem [5:16]
4. Moonlight [4:50]
5. Tapestry [4:35]
6. Dunsel [4:54]
7. The Reign Of Unending Terror [3:24]
8. Termites [3:58]
9. Tough-splitter [4:34]
10. Sex Tapes [4:39]

With the release of Scurrilous, Protest the Hero has once again demonstrated that they've got skill and talent in abundance. They don't capture the majesty that was their first album, Kezia, however Scurrilous either holds up to and excels Fortress on almost every level. Tracks like Tandem and Tapestry are prime examples of how skilled Protest the Hero are at composing music, and their lyrics are still as enigmatic, beautiful, and profane as their previous albums.

C'est la Vie is an average track, compared to the rest of the album. Hair Trigger raises the stakes a lot more, giving you a better taste of the other great tracks to be found on the album. Tandem, Moonlight, and Tapestry are all instant favorites of mine, showcasing all that I enjoy about PtH; Rody Walker's unique voice capturing both low and high notes bang-on, the constantly changing time signatures and tempos, and the many catchy riffs present in any single track. Dunsel and Termites are both average tracks, and pleasant to the ears, however The Reign of Unending Terror and Tongue-Splitter I would consider lower points on the album. And last, and in this case, least on the album there's Sex Tapes, where I don't find many redeeming qualities; the lyrics are humourous and intriguing, but I'm not the kind of person who likes my metal to contain the repeated lyrics "And all the boys are jerking off in private on the internet" for example.

Overall, a pretty solid album. Like I touched on above, Scurrilous didn't impress me to the degree that Kezia had when I first heard it, but it has a much more polished and practiced sound to it than either of their previous albums. In no particular order of preference, Hair-Trigger, Tandem, Moonlight and Tapestry are all standout tracks on this album, and I know they'll be included on best-of playlists of mine for years to come. Dunsel and Termites are other tracks I would recommend, though maybe not to the degree to the four I previously mentioned.

Final Score:
86/100