Protest the Hero: "Within"

Something about Canada makes it a breeding ground for prog. This is the band's first album in six years, and once again they fuse prog with a touch of metal core. It has been twenty-one years since I have paid much attention to them.  Higher-pitched, almost power-metal-like, sung vocals counterbalanced lower growled vocals. They brough in a session bassist and drummer for this album, but it flowed really well like everyone had just been rehearsing these songs like old times. "Fishhook" finds them locking into the more upbeat side of the genre that I am not as big a fan of, as it begins to sound like something Devin Townsend might do. You can also hear how they share some common ground with Pain of Salvation's older work.

"Grandfather's Axe" comes at you with a heavier thrashing till the vocals come in, then it takes on a groove, much like the Arise From Worms album; the more proggy elements take away some of the impact that would otherwise make this sound heavier. "The Orchard" is all over the place, the layered vocals are too happy for my taste.'Liberty Spike" works better than the previous song. It's energetic, but the mood is more balanced. The vocals have a little more edge and don't sound as celebratory, even though it is a hectic roller coaster of dynamics. The song ends with some of those more grandiose layers of vocals.

The album closes with the more dramatic bombast of "the Mariner". The guitar waves around things in an unhinged fashion that is not dark. They shift sounds and genres in a more Mr Bungle-like manner, though Dog Fashion Disco might be a better frame of reference.There is less chameleon shape-shifting as their core sound is present, just dialed up in a different direction.There is no denying these guys are talented, they could stand to be a little hooky and darker, but it works well enough for what they do, and fans of this band should be on board, will give this album an 8.5