news as of NOV 18th 2009musical output: 'antagonist' 7" and split 7" w/NORTHLESS are OUT NOW!!
almost out of the Northless split. hurry!!like FOUR left!!
PAYPAL BUTTONS ON THE PAGE.
wholesale/trades:
antagonist 7": Ebullition, RevHQ in the US. BLINDEAD PRODUCTIONS for europe.
NORTHLESS split: INBLOT RECORDS, Ebullition, RevHQ.
we have maybe 20 of "the hate. the hollow." Cd's left.
the LP's of the same name are getting a bit more scarce.
maybe have 8 left.
got some GET RAD / PROTESTANT split 7"s lying about. like 6 or so...
here's a few reviews for the
"antagonist' 7inch:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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from
PROFANE EXISTENCE:
PROTESTANT - antagonist 7"
Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the 23rd largest city by population in the
United States and has many things to be proud of, besides it's noble
brewing tradition, home of Pabst and Miller, being the hub of American
Socialism in the first half of the last century and home to TV's
Fonzie. Milwaukee can also boast PROTESTANT. PROTESTANT's latest
release,
Antagonist is nothing less than beautiful. It's a
full, rich sounding 7" with screaming, intense vocals at times
reminiscnet of DYSTOPIA and SCORCHED EARTH POLICY. This is heavy
melodic hardcore, changing pace on almost no notice. It's nothing short
of erotic in it's execution. I really love this record.
http://www.myspace.com/protestantmilwaukee (stinkbot)
from
Razorcake:
PROTESTANT:
Antagonist: 7”
Beautiful and scorching three-song EP here. It’s got all the requisite
elements: stunning chipboard/silkscreen packaging (complete with
booklet), top-notch, thematic graphics, bleak as hell lyrics (but with
song/band explanations that are tinged with hope) and some of the
meanest, darkest epic-style hardcore since that jaw-dropping Fighting
Dogs LP came out a few years ago. Think Havoc-era From Ashes Rise and
you’re off to a pretty good start. When it’s done well (and Protestant
most definitely do it well), this shit makes me want to punch walls
with a shit-eating smile on my face. If you’re looking for dark and
brooding hardcore, Antagonist is your golden ticket.
–Keith Rosson (Halo Of Flies)from
MAXIMUM ROCK N ROLL #313PROTESTANT - "Antagonist" EP
They keep getting better. Last year's The Hate. The Hollow. LP was pretty bad-ass, but these three tracks
should place PROTESTANT amongst the best melodic crust bands going
today. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that their songwriting is totally
original - there are no obligatory TRAGEDY guitar leads, there are no
by-the-numbers WOLFBRIGADE melodies, and while there might be an
occasional (and slight) nod to '90s Midwestern screamo from the guitars, it is set
to absolutely pummeling crust, and the delivery is all PROTESTANT. The drums are full of fills and stops that come out of
nowhere but always make sense, and the vocals are a touch less growled
this time around, almost (dare i say?)intelligible, and it makes the
songs more manic and removes a lot of the metal that often bogs down
heavy bands. Additionally, the lyrics are bleak and well written, and
the artwork/packaging is superb. This record kills. (WN) (Halo of Flies/Blindead)
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here's a review for the NORTHLESS / PROTESTANT split 7"
from
PUNKNEWS.COMThis is apparently Vol. 2 in Inkblot Records' newly launched split
series, featuring one six-minute romp from Milwaukee's Northless and
two throbbing cuts from fellow Brew City hardcore act Protestant.
Northless' "Temples of the Weak" is a craggy, sludgy track
that bubbles and bristles through its extended course. The vocals are
bellowed, though, and are actually somewhat clear in that department as
their guy roars only a little vaguely about religious hypocrisy and
hatred, while the guitar riffs poke and prod in mostly dense
mannerisms. A decent Side A.
Equally decent is Protestant's "Ruin" and "No Chance," which,
together, total just a bit longer than "Temples of the Weak." Their
style isn't too far off what Northless does, but their thick,
restrained pacing is left behind when the crusty, faster tempo picks up
in "Ruin," which closes with some more demonic elements in the vocal
area. That more elevated tempo also opens "No Chance," which slows down
midway through for a second with some relaxed, nosebombing riffs.
In this particular subset of hardcore, it takes a lot to
really make a mark, and while this split doesn't quite do that, it
definitely provides an enjoyable slab of it all the same.
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here's a couple reviews for "the hate. the hollow." LP/CD
from
SCENEPOINTBLANK.COMProtestant
The Hate. The Hollow.
Halo of Flies/Rust and Machine, 2008
Sometimes
bands lose sight of what they originally set out to accomplish. They
get whipped up in their popularity and compromise themselves, and in
turn can pander to a wider audience for fear of losing their
reputation. Protestant is not likely to be one of those bands. This
Milwaukee hardcore crossover outfit promotes their DIY roots, and they
have no intention of pandering to anyone. They stand by the spirit that
drives their music; not the pointless sub-labeling that divides so many
groups these days. And this specific context gives a whole new side to
the group as I popped in their latest full-length,
The Hate. The Hollow.Protestant
plays an interesting mix of genres that brings obvious comparisons to
bands like Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone. But where these bands add a
sludge element to their songs, Protestant replaces with more of a
heavy-hitting urgency that shows their hardcore sensibilities. Many
parts seem to slow down and simply let the riffs do their job, similar
to how Mind Eraser segues between vocal segments. A lot of these tracks
feel like what you get when hardcore kids fully embrace their metal
side, and have the musical abilities to combine the two without
pretension.
This record does not necessarily feel new to me;
these kinds of things have been done many times before. But that
doesn't mean that this isn't fun to listen to, because it's well
intended and well executed. I could probably do without a couple of the
long instrumental parts, but the consistent punk beats give the whole
record its own validity in some ways. At only nine tracks, you rarely
feel like your time is being wasted by repetition and egotistical
guitar solos.
The lyrics seem to fit the theme of the album
quite well. “The distance left between and behind, I resent everything,
every time.” When I think of the phrase “the hollow,” I don't go to the
misfortunes of one Mr. Crane like some might. I think of the void left
in the lives of those with the overly negative mindset, driven by the
people they've pushed away. It's the sacrifice of either your friends
or your disposition, rarely able to reconcile the two. This
inevitability seemed to resonate with me almost too well, and may not
have anything to do with what Protestant is referring to on
The Hate. The Hollow.But for some reason this album doesn't feel redundant, and I'm glad
that bands like this still plug away, regardless of their placement on
the musical spectrum.
FROM
ATTACKFANZINE.NETPROTESTANT The Hate. The Hollow. CD(Rimbaud)
It would be easy to write this off as another band doing the dark and heavy hardcore thing and then write around that to get enough words to make it a review. But to do so would not only be wrong, it would also prove that I hadn't bothered to listen to the CD more than once or maybe twice. Sure, there are the heavy and dark melodies over hard rhythms and thundering beats, but Protestant are a lot more hardcore than that with their speed and aggressiveness. There's more to this band and there's another level of depth that many other bands that could fit that first sentence lack. Where the main path here is in fact dark and powerful hardcore the music takes more than one turn with the occasional doom-laden riffs lurking around one corner and blastbeats around another. The guitar work on here also brings forth thoughts of black metal from time to time with their evil sounding harmonies.
Spitting vocals, ravelling riffs, and an alternation and combination of the crushing rhythms and rapid deliverances makes me, now that we're approaching the end of the year, very seriously consider to enter this nine-track CD on the "best of 2008" list. [Krogh - November 20, 2008]
and here it is.....yay us. ;)
from attackfanzine.net
Top 10 reviewed of 2008:
1. AGRIMONIA s/t CD
2. WORLD BURNS TO DEATH The Graveyard of Utopia LP
3. WOLFBRIGADE Comalive CD
4. MOB 47 Dom Ljuger Igen MCD
5. RAGING FUGITIVES s/t 7
6. AGUIRRE/HONGO split CD
7. ESKATOL/BLACK BLOOD WORLD split LP
8. PROTESTANT The Hate. The Hollow. CD
9. SKARPRETTER Ammunition EP CD
10. THE ASSASSINATORS Sigt Efter Hjertet CD
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FROM
THEROCKBLOGGER.COMPROTESTANT - the hate. the hollow.
The Hate The Hollow is a killer crust punk/hardcore album from a little known Milwaukee band. Protestant takes the grit and grime of early crust bands like Amebix and infuses it with the technicality and raw power of modern hardcore. The result is an intense storm of grinding riffs, raging vocals and suffocating bass lines.
If Converge had pared back their more melodic moments and focused more on a DIY aesthetic, they might have sounded something like Protestant. Its not all blood and dirt here though. There are some slower tracks like "Obituary" that centers on slithering math-rock riffs before the chugging maelstrom kicks in. Moments like these add balance to the fist-clenching madness of the affair and gives Protestant some ample room to push their sound further.
Like most hardcore albums, The Hate The Hollow passes by like a flash flood, leaving you feeling abraded and disoriented in a very short period of time. It delivers intensity in spades while still balancing things out with its sophisticated compositions and doom-inspired atmosphere. For its crushing density and piercing emotions, The Hate The Hollow is one of the top hardcore albums to sneak under the radar. Keep your eyes open for these guys.
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FROM
COLLECTIVE-ZINE.CO.UKPROTESTANT - the hate. the hollow.
Protestant do the whole d-beat hardcore thing in a particularly humourless and unremitting way, but what really drags them out of the depths of mediocrity are those great crunchy, catchy riffs and neat time changes. It doesn't exactly pluck many surprises out the hat, but it is a well-crafted, speedy and angry piece of work, plus you do get some epic instrumental sections that mix some Envy in amongst the Tragedy. - kunal nandi
tours/shows: nothing right now. more shows/weekends in winter/spring 2010.
Future (2009/2010): a tape release should be out later this fall.
new LP next year.
tour of europe next year.