Canadian prog metallers Protest The Hero will have their brand new 8-song album “Within” out on July 17th. This long-awaited follow-up to 2020’s “Palimpsest” features co-production from Derya Nagle (Good Tiger), Milen Petzlet-Sorace, and the band’s own Cameron McLellan. Adam “Nolly” Getgood of Periphery, etc. fame took up mixing the record. After some teasing throughout the week on social media, the opening track from that album, “Mouthpiece“, is now available to stream below.
Guitarist Tim MacMillar stated of the album, “This record is us putting our foot down. We’re not interested in participating in that system anymore. We’re focused on the future. And for the first time, it’s completely in our hands.” Further insight on the title and theme of the record from the band read as follows:
“Most people are pretty familiar with hermetic maxim ‘as above so below’ but the entire passage isn’t quite as well known. ‘As above so below, as within so without, as the universe so the soul. Obviously, I focused on the middle portion of the quote. ‘Within‘ represents the individual inner world, which is largely defined by our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. The songs are all representative of how external factors affect our inner world. With that being said it’s probably the most personal stuff we’ve ever released.”
Vocalist Rody Walker also dug into this lead single, which is flanked by a music video directed by Troy Maher:
“On the record focused on the micro, ‘Mouthpiece‘ is the only song from a macro perspective. This is not without reason. It is about the controlling powers that have convinced us that everything needs to be divided into binaries despite the fact that very few things truly exist within them. It describes a world of brilliant colour reduced to black and white by charlatans like podcasters and corporate media. It suggests the only true binary we should pay attention to is the very wealthy and everyone else.”
“Within” track listing:
01 – “Mouthpiece“
02 – “Fishhook“
03 – “l. above“
04 – “Grandfather’s Axe“
05 – “The Orchard“
06 – “lI. below“
07 – “Liberty Spike“
08 – “The Mariner“
You can pre-order that record now via sheethappenspublishing.com/collections/protest-the-hero.
