Under Color of Official Right, Protomartyr‘s breakthrough second album, was one of 2014’s most thrilling releases. Now, the Detroit quartet have announced its followup, The Agent Intellect. The album is named for the philosophical inquiry into how the mind conceives of itself. Sounds heavy, and lead single “Why Does It Shake?” has the muscle to match, pitching horrifying, striated sound from Greg Ahee’s guitar against Alex Leonard and Scott Davidson’s driving rhythm. But the spotlight still belongs to vocalist Joe Casey, the blazer-wearing everydude who delivers profundities like he’s pulling them out of dry storage—”I am the founder of myself and I’m never gonna lose it,” he deadpans in the lead-up to the chorus. “It’s a back-handed ode to humanity’s resilient self regard in the face of inevitable oblivion,” Casey says of the song in a statement. “Then the trap door opens.” Give it a listen—and check out Protomartyr’s North American tour dates—below.
The Agent Intellect track list
1. The Devil in His Youth
2. Cowards Starve
3. I Forgive You
4. Boyce or Boice
5. Pontiac 87
6. Uncle Mother’s
7. Dope Cloud
8. The Hermit
9. Clandestine Time
10. Why Does It Shake?
11. Ellen
12. Feast of Stephen
Protomartyr tour dates
July
16 – Indianapolis, IN @ Joyful Noise
18 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
18 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas (Official Pitchfork Aftershow)
24 – Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
October
9 – Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
10 – Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
11 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
12 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDT
13 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
17 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
20 – Raleigh, NC @ King’s Barcade
21 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
22 – Nashville, TN @ Stone Fox
23 – Bloomington, IN @ Blockhouse
24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
