Protest the Hero's Scurrilous is far and away my most anticipated album of the year. The progressive metal quintet's sophomore release Fortress was a massive, one of a kind achievement--no other band in heavy music performs such technically proficient, catchy, and relentlessly creative songs while refusing to cycle in typical verse/chorus/verse structures AND blazing through each cut in about three or four minutes. "C'est La Vie," the leadoff track on the new album, begins by quoting the manic stop-start shred found on Fortress but soon features jazzier arpeggios and some sweet dual guitar interplay after the huge drop at 45 seconds in. Rody Walker remains the most multidimensional vocalist in metal (aside from Devin Townsend perhaps), showcasing an aggressive semi-growl to a power ballad falsetto to anthemic closing roars backed by gang shouts reminiscent of the group's debut album, Kezia.Check out the song at the band's myspace.
Scurrilous drops March 22nd.
