''Scurrilous'' is the third studio album by Canadian progressive metal band Protest the Hero. It was released on March 22, 2011. The word ''scurrilous'' is defined as "vulgar verbal abuse; foul-mouthed; coarse, vulgar, abusive, or slanderous." It is the last album released under Protest the Hero's original lineup, due to the departure of drummer Moe Carlson and bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi two years later.

Overview

Recording for Scurrilous began on August 30, 2010. Walker stated on his Twitter page on that day: "it has begun" and also on his Facebook page on the 31st that "It is underway", both in reference to the band's next full-length album recording. During the recording process, Protest the Hero posted three studio updates showcasing bass, drums, guitar and vocals. The band has stated that the album will contain a more "progressive" sound compared to their last two albums. In support of the album, Protest the Hero embarked on a North American tour, with a large number of dates in their native Canada, from March to May 2011. The band released the first single "C'est La Vie" on February 3, 2011.

Cover art

The album cover is a picture of a 60-year-old painting by bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi's grandfather
Jafar Petgar
titled "Scurrilous".Protest the Hero’s album title and cover explained
/ref> The painting was inspired by a disagreement between Petgar and his wife that stemmed from "conjecture and scurrilous lies" being spread by a neighbor. The painting is meant to represent the world fleeing from the lies originating from the human tongue. According to Mirabdolbaghi, the piece was selected by Protest the Hero as the cover art for ''Scurrilous'' because they "thought the wide and varied use of color in the piece reflected the contrasting sonic landscapes of the music on the album."

Reception

Critical reception for ''Scurrilous'' has generally been positive, with the album receiving four out of five stars from Allmusic, who lauded the band for its shift toward more personal lyrics. Adam Thomas of Sputnikmusic found the album to be "a lot less jarring when compared to their past work, with the transitions between the light speed arpeggio runs, tight modern metal riffing, and mathy stop start sections seamlessly binding it all together." However, ''Decibel'' magazine gave the album a five out of ten.

Track listing

All music by Protest the Hero

Trivia

* ''C'est la vie'' is a French figure of speech that translates to "such is life," meaning that life is sometimes harsh, but one must accept it. The phrase coincides with the lyrical content of the song which discusses the futility of suicide. * The track title "Dunsel" is a reference to

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

, which all members of the band are known to be avid fans of. The term is first used in the episode "

The Ultimate Computer "The Ultimate Computer" is the twenty-fourth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek''. Written by D.C. Fontana (based on a story by Laurence N. Wolfe) and directed by John Meredyth Lucas, it w ...

", where Spock explains that the term is used by midshipmen to describe a position or role that serves no real purpose. This too coincides with the lyrical content of the song.

Personnel

Protest the Hero * Moe Carlson –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

* Luke Hoskin –

guitars The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

* Tim Millar – guitars,

keys Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

* Arif Mirabdolbaghi –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Rody Walker – vocals Guest musicians * Julius Butty – vocals * Chris Hannah – vocals * Porter Hoskin – vocals * Jadea Kelly – vocals Artwork and packaging * Ben Goetting – design, layout * Jafar Petgar – artwork Production and recording * Nick Blagona – engineering * Marco Bressette – editing * Julius "The Juice" Butty – engineering, production * João Carvalho – mastering * George Hadji-Christou – pre-production * Jonny Harris – assistant engineering * Andy Mack – guitar technician * Darren "Jeter" Magierowski – assistant engineering * Larry Mazer – management * Cameron McLellan – pre-production * Greg Pavlica – guitar technician * Jeff Zurba – drum technician

References

External links

''Scurrilous'' album stream
at Myspace Music
Track-by-track from Rody WalkerAlbum Review
{{Authority control 2011 albums Protest the Hero albums Vagrant Records albums Albums recorded at Metalworks Studios