PALIMPSEST

I must admit, Palimpest and I really got off on the wrong foot. Here were a bunch of emo Canadians out to tell Americans everything wrong with their history was my initial impression when listening to the record shortly after it first dropped. Thankfully, I recently realized how silly and defensive this was and understood that a group as talented and influential as Protest the Hero deserved serious consideration regardless of how I may have misinterpreted their intentions. By putting my ego aside, I discovered a record full of beauty, rockin' riffage, and some genuinely refreshing takes on some of America's lesser known historical episodes and milestones. The preachy emo character of the music definitely lingers throughout but it is backed by real substance that is worth your attention even if you are not the biggest fan of the post-hardcore vibes.

The case can and will almost certainly be made by many that this is Protest the Hero's finest record. And while I can certainly understand this position, I don't quite share that same level of enthusiasm. For my personal taste, Protest the Hero is at their best when they pull together frantic technical riffage with big and maniacal choruses and melodic passages. There are just too many moments on this record (e.g. "Migrant Mother", "Rivet", etc.) where the post-hardcore influence is just too dominant. If you are a prog fan with a soft spot for the likes of My Chemical Romance, this album is all world. For the rest of us, a 3 of 5 stars will suffice.