Protomartyr (band)


Protomartyr is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It features Joe Casey on vocals, Greg Ahee on guitar, Alex Leonard on drums, and Scott Davidson on bass guitar. The band has toured extensively in the United States and Europe, and has performed at SXSW, CMJ Music Marathon, Pitchfork Music Festival, and others.

History

Prior to Protomartyr, Greg Ahee and Alex Leonard performed as a duo under the name Butt Babies. They later started playing with Joe Casey on vocals. Kevin Boyer of Tyvek joined on bass and second guitar for a short time before leaving the act due to schedule conflicts with his other band. As Scott Davidson joined the band 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 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, and featured in best of 2015 lists in The A.V. Club, Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone, Metacritic, Spin, and Consequence of Sound.
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 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. Kelley Deal, who had appeared on the band's 2018 EP Consolation, appeared as a special guest at the first three shows of the 2020 tour, though it is currently unknown if she will remain as a touring member when live performances resume.

Musical style

Protomartyr's music has been labeled as post-punk and punk rock. Josh Terry of Consequence of Sound stated that the band "blends the moody atmospherics of ‘70s U.K. post-punk with the raw sensibility of their Motor City garage-rock forebears." The band's sound was compared to other post-punk acts such as Wire, the Fall, Pere Ubu, the Constantines and Iceage, as well as local acts, most notably Tyvek. Vocalist Joe Casey also expressed appreciation for Pere Ubu and the Fall. His baritone vocals have been compared to Ian Curtis of Joy Division, Mark E. Smith of the Fall, and Nick Cave.

Influence

The band have been cited as an influence by contemporaries such as Shame, Idles, Priests, The Dirty Nil, Vundabar and The Devil Wears Prada.
Metz, Cloud Nothings, Eternal Summers, FRIGS, Fontaines D.C., Bully, Parquet Courts, Greg Dulli, Ana da Silva, and Iggy Pop are fans of the band.

Band members

Current members

  • Joe Casey – vocals
  • Greg Ahee – guitar
  • Alex Leonard – drums
  • Scott Davidson – bass guitar

    Discography

Studio albums

  • No Passion All Technique
  • Under Color of Official Right
  • The Agent Intellect
  • Relatives in Descent
  • Ultimate Success Today

    EPs

  • Consolation

    Singles

  • "Dreads 85 84"
  • "Colpi Proibiti"
  • "Dope Cloud"
  • "Scum, Rise!"
  • "Jumbo's "
  • "580 Memories"
  • "Born to be Wine"
  • "My Children"
  • "Don't Go To Anacita"
  • "Wheel of Fortune"
  • "Processed By The Boys"
  • "Worm In Heaven"
  • "Michigan Hammers"
  • "Old Spool and Gurges 1"

    Split and collaborative releases

  • A Half Of Seven: "Blues Festival"/"Loud Underneath"
  • Live At Vera: "Uncle Mother's"/"Barfuß durch die Scherben"
  • Irony Prompts A Party Rat: "Corinthian Leather"/"Bags & Cans"
  • Telemetry at Howe Bridge: "Pontiac '87"/"Forbidden"

    Live albums

  • Rosé, A Fine Wine To Be Enjoyed By Couples Or Friends At Any Occasion
  • Vari-Speed Mithridates
  • Dredging The Grotto