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Protest The Hero

PROTEST THE HERO - SCURRILOUS (4)
VAGRANT

Protest The Hero are back with their latest contribution to the hardest difficulty setting on Guitar Hero. As usual, their fretboard tapping is impressive simply as a feat of stamina. On 'C'est La Vie', the first single and opening track, there are some encouraging signs of actual structure - various ups and downs that almost resemble a real song.

It doesn't last. The album benefits from being mostly in a foot-tappable 4/4, but verses and choruses are largely absent. That's not always a bad thing, but in this case it's like the songs are trying so hard not to repeat themselves that they haven't realised they all sound the same.

The vocals flying over the top of all this are of a crooning, Iron Maiden-ish style, which is at least slightly less common than they pot-bellied boars that usually belch along to this kind of thing. Unfortunately, one effect of singing instead of yelling is that you can hear every word - every awful, cringe-worthy word. "Every kiss is sickening, I can feel death's fingers quickening," are just a sample of the lyrics that would have been better off not inflicted upon the world.

Fans of well-rehearsed guitar theatrics will probably put this album up on a pedestal and pray to it every morning, but the rest of us will just wonder at the irony of such practiced musicians having no imagination in which to pour their skills.

Reviewed by Nick Oakden
‘Scurrilous’ is out now on Vagrant

You’ll like this if… you sleep with a fretboard.

 

Protest The Hero