Protomartyr is an American

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

band formed in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, in 2010. The band consists of

Joe Casey Joe Casey is an American comic book writer. He has worked on titles such as '' Wildcats 3.0'', ''Uncanny X-Men'', '' The Intimates'', '' Adventures of Superman'', and '' G.I. Joe: America's Elite'' among others. As part of the comics creator gro ...

(vocals), Greg Ahee (guitar), Alex Leonard (drums), and Scott Davidson (bass). In 2020,

Kelley Deal Kelley Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American musician and singer. She has been the lead guitarist and co-vocalist of the alternative rock band The Breeders since 1992, and has formed her own side-projects with bands such as R. Ring and the Ke ...

joined the band in a touring capacity, providing additional keyboards, guitar and backing vocals. To date, the band has released six studio albums: '' No Passion All Technique'' (2012), '' Under Color of Official Right'' (2014), '' The Agent Intellect'' (2015), '' Relatives in Descent'' (2017), '' Ultimate Success Today'' (2020) and '' Formal Growth in the Desert'' (2023).

History

Prior to Protomartyr, Greg Ahee and Alex Leonard performed as a duo under the name Butt Babies. They later started playing with

as Protomartyr. Kevin Boyer of Tyvek played bass and guitar in the band for a short time. In 2010, Scott Davidson joined on bass. The band released their debut album, '' No Passion All Technique'', in 2012 via Urinal Cake Records. This was followed by the single "Colpi Proibiti" in the same year, via X! Records. Their second studio album, '' Under Color of Official Right'', was released in April 2014 via the

Hardly Art Hardly Art is an American independent record label based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in early 2007 by Sub Pop Records, Hardly Art is run by three full-time employees and is distributed by the Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) and Sub Pop ...

record label. A third studio album, '' The Agent Intellect'', followed in October 2015. The album was critically acclaimed, achieving an 85/100 on accumulator website

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

, and featured in best of 2015 lists in ''

The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...

'', ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'', ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'', Metacritic, ''Spin'', and ''

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...

''. Protomartyr signed to Domino Records in 2017, and released their fourth studio album, '' Relatives in Descent'', on the label in September 2017. The group's fifth album, '' Ultimate Success Today'', was originally scheduled to follow in May 2020, but was subsequently postponed to that July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the band released their sixth album, '' Formal Growth in the Desert''.

Musical style

Protomartyr's music has been labeled as

and

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

. Josh Terry of ''

'' stated that the band "blends the moody atmospherics of ‘70s U.K. post-punk with the raw sensibility of their

Motor City Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

garage-rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...

forebears." The band's sound was compared to other post-punk acts such as

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, the Fall,

Pere Ubu Pere Ubu is an American rock group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. The band had a variety of long-term and recurring band members, with singer David Thomas being the only member staying throughout the band's lifetime. They released their ...

the Constantines Constantines is an indie rock band from Guelph, Ontario, Canada. History Constantines was formed in 1999, by vocalist and guitarist Bryan Webb, drummer Doug MacGregor, and guitarist Paul Bright, all of whom had played together in the emo band S ...

and

Iceage Iceage is a Danish punk rock band from Copenhagen. The band was formed in 2008 and has released the albums '' New Brigade'' (2011), '' You're Nothing'' (2013), '' Plowing Into the Field of Love'' (2014), '' Beyondless'' (2018), and ''Seek She ...

, as well as local acts, most notably Tyvek. Vocalist Joe Casey also expressed appreciation for Pere Ubu and the Fall. His

baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...

vocals have been compared to

Ian Curtis Ian Kevin Curtis (15 July 1956 – 18 May 1980) was an English singer, songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, lyricist and occasional guitarist of the band Joy Division, with whom he released the albums ''Unknown Pleasures'' (197 ...

Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...

Mark E. Smith Mark Edward Smith (5 March 1957 – 24 January 2018) was an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead vocalist, lyricist and only constant member of the post-punk group the Fall. Smith formed the band after attending the June 1976 Sex Pistol ...

of the Fall, and

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian musician, writer, and actor who fronts the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Known for his baritone voice, Cave's music is characterised by emotional intensity, a wide variety ...

Influence

Protomartyr have been cited as an influence by modern punk and post-punk bands such as

Shame Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. Definition Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...

Idles Idles are an English post-punk band formed in Bristol in 2009. The band consists of Adam Devonshire (bass), Joe Talbot (singer), Joe Talbot (vocals), Mark Bowen (guitar), Lee Kiernan (guitar), and Jon Beavis (drums). After spending eight yea ...

Priests A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, ...

The Dirty Nil The Dirty Nil is a Canadian rock band formed in Hamilton, Ontario in 2006,"The Dirty ...

Vundabar Vundabar is an American indie rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band consists of Brandon Hagen (vocals, guitar), Drew McDonald (drums, synthesizer), and Zack Abramo (bass). Vundabar is most well known for their song "Alien Blues", which w ...

Meat Wave Meat Wave is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois, United States. Their music is described as post-something, melancholic and aggressive. They have released four albums.https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/meat-wave/meat-wave-share-what-w ...

, Rendez-Vous, Dehd,

Citizen Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality ...

, TV Priest, and The Devil Wears Prada. In an interview with

Beats Per Minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...

in August 2020, Casey revealed that the lyric "''shouted slogans of leapers''" from the track "The Aphorist" off of '' Ultimate Success Today'' is a reference to "the young bands

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

I feel are attacking us and doing a shitty job at it, or a watered down version of us. But then the next line is 'Why didn't I smash the copier when I was through?' Because, when we started, people accused us of copying bands and not being original. So who am I complaining about those shitty bands when once I was a copier?" In addition, the band has many notable fans.

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

has called them "the best band we’ve got in America right now" on his Radio 6 Music show.

Ana da Silva Ana Paula de Lima Pita da Silva is a musician, best known as a founding member of post-punk rock band the Raincoats. Career Born in Madeira island of Portugal, she grew up without television and little access to popular culture. She had exposu ...

The Raincoats The Raincoats are a British post-punk band formed in 1977. They were founded by Ana da Silva (vocals, guitar) and Gina Birch (vocals, bass) while the two were students at Hornsey College of Art in London. Other prominent members have included ...

has called the band's music "so exciting and passionate and carries you to places where their imagination opens doors to yours" and praised ''Relatives in Descent''.

Greg Dulli Greg Dulli (born May 11, 1965) is an American musician from Hamilton, Ohio. Debuting as a member of the rock band the Afghan Whigs in 1986, Dulli has been a member of the Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins, and in 2020 released his debut solo albu ...

The Afghan Whigs The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members Greg Dulli (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), and John ...

is a fan of the band as is

David Bazan David Shannon Bazan (; born January 22, 1976) is an American indie rock singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona who now resides in Edmonds, Washington. Bazan is the lead singer and creative force behind the band Pedro the Lion and was the lead ...

of Pedro the Lion, the latter of whom called their music "the most perfect distillation of my taste in the world" and covered " The Devil in His Youth" for the 2017 anti-

Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

compilation ''

Our First 100 Days ''Our First 100 Days'' is a compilation album that was released track-by-track from 20 January to 29 April 2017. The album was sold as a subscription for a one-time payment of $30, and one song per day was released during the first 100 days of Do ...

''.

The Breeders The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), her twin sister Kelley Deal (lead guitar, vocals), Josephine Wiggs (bass guitar, vocals) and Jim Macpherson ( ...

, an admirer of the band, has gone on to collaborate with them on numerous releases (most notably 2018's ''Consolation'' EP) and even played with them live on numerous dates as a special guest. When asked to name some of his more recent influences in 2017,

Billy Gould William David Gould (born April 24, 1963) is an American musician and producer. He is best known as the bassist of Faith No More. Biography Early years Gould was born on April 24, 1963, in Los Angeles, and he is of Scottish and Hungarian desce ...

Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...

named Protomartyr alongside musicians such as

Burial Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

and Getatchew Mekurya as those who " ake himwant to continue making music."

Band members

Current members *

– vocals * Greg Ahee – guitar * Alex Leonard – drums * Scott Davidson – bass guitar Touring members *

- keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (2020–present)

Discography

Studio albums

* '' No Passion All Technique'' (2012, Urinal Cake Records) * '' Under Color of Official Right'' (2014,

) * '' The Agent Intellect'' (2015, Hardly Art) * '' Relatives in Descent'' (2017, Domino) * '' Ultimate Success Today'' (2020, Domino) * '' Formal Growth in the Desert'' (2023, Domino)

EPs

*''

Consolation Consolation, consolement, and solace are terms referring to psychological comfort given to someone who has suffered severe, upsetting loss, such as the death of a loved one. It is typically provided by expressing shared regret for that loss and ...

'' (2018, Domino)

Live albums

*''Rosé, a Fine Wine to Be Enjoyed by Couples or Friends at Any Occasion'' (2012, Double Tapes) *''Vari-Speed Mithridates'' (2013, Gold Tapes) *''Dredging the Grotto'' (2015, none) *''Security by Shadow'' (2020, none)

Singles

*"Dreads 85 84" (7") (2012, Urinal Cake Records) *"Colpi Proibiti" (7") (2012, X! Records) *"Dope Cloud" (2015, Hardly Art) *"Scum, Rise!" (2015, Hardly Art) *"Jumbo's (Live)" (2015, Joyful Noise) *"580 Memories" (2015, Joyful Noise) *"Born to Be Wine" (2016,

dult swim Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representativ ...

*"My Children" (2017, Domino) *"Don't Go to Anacita" (2017, Domino) *"Wheel of Fortune" (2018, Domino) *"Processed by the Boys" (2020, Domino) *"Worm in Heaven" (2020, Domino) *"Michigan Hammers" (2020, Domino) *"Old Spool and Gurges 1" (2020, fund-raising

Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...

-only release of two previously released songs: "Born to be Wine" and "French Poet") *"Make Way" (2023, Domino) *"Elimination Dances" (2023, Domino) *"Polacrilex Kid" (2023, Domino)

Split and collaborative releases

*''A Half of Seven'': "Blues Festival"/"Loud Underneath" (with R. Ring) (2015, Hardly Art) *''Live at Vera'': "Uncle Mother's"/"Barfuß durch die Scherben" (with ) (2017, Roekie) *''Irony Prompts a Party Rat'': "Corinthian Leather"/"Bags & Cans" (with Spray Paint) (2018, Monofonus Press) *''Telemetry at Howe Bridge'': "Pontiac '87"/"Forbidden" (with

Preoccupations Preoccupations is a Canadian post-punk band from Calgary, Alberta, formed in 2012 under the name Viet Cong. The band consists of Matt Flegel (vocals, bass), Scott Munro (guitar, synth), Daniel Christiansen (guitar) and Mike Wallace (drums). Fleg ...

) (2018, Domino)

References

External links

Official website
*

{{Authority control American post-punk music groups Hardly Art artists Indie rock musical groups from Michigan Punk rock groups from Michigan Musical groups established in 2010 Musical groups from Detroit American musical quartets Domino Recording Company artists