Protest the Hero, Kaonashi, ’68
October 25, 2024
History, Toronto, ON
Canadian progressive metal juggernauts Protest the Hero have made their mark on the last two decades of the scene. This legendary Canadian act has embarked on a North American tour in celebration of the 11th anniversary of their 2013 album Volition. On October 25th, 2024, this awesome tour made a stop at History in Toronto with support from Kaonashi and ‘68.
Kaonashi is a difficult band to sum up. The simplest description I can conjure is unhinged post-hardcore. The instrumentals range from catchy, and beautiful to down-right chaotic and grating. The vocals are the most unique part of this band. The screams of vocalist Peter Rono are high-pitched and bizarre at first but once their idiosyncrasies grow on you, Kaonashi becomes a special band. A true breath of fresh air within the post-hardcore genre. Kaonashi’s brand of weirdness was an excellent opener for this show and they are a group I recommend you keep your eye on.
‘68 is an equally weird band and they fit right into this bizarre lineup. ‘68 is a two-piece indie-ish, rock-ish, noisy-ish bluesy band fronted by Josh Scogin on vocals and guitars. Some of you might be familiar with Josh Scogin from his previous band The Chariot. The music of ‘68 translates well to the live setting. When I listened to their recordings, I didn’t think I understood what they were going for. Seeing them live made me understand what this band does and why they are great. ‘68 essentially jams these songs in a loosely arranged way that only a two-piece band could. The interaction between Josh Scogin and drummer Nikko Yamada feels jazz-influenced and musically conversational. The way the band uses triggers, loops, and effects really fills up the space and makes these songs sound massive. I’m not sure that ‘68 will crossover well into Protest the Hero’s audience but it was a pleasure to witness something that felt creative and earnest.
Simply put, Protest the Hero blew my mind. I have watched this band many, many times throughout the years and I never get sick of it. The Volition album is one of my favourites and they pulled off the whole record without a hitch. It’s no secret that vocalist Rody Walker has had difficulties with his voice. I’m happy to say that he sounded immaculate and very confident. The instrumentals of the band sounded perfect and the sound of History provides such clarity which is so important given that the songs are so technical and fast. The crowd went nuts during Protest the Hero’s performance. Everyone was singing along to every word and the energy in the room was special. It felt like a return to form, so to speak. It is amazing to see Protest the Hero be on top of their game this late into their career. Though their audience is fairly niche, they have held a solid grasp on their fanbase and they seem eager to do larger tours again for the first time in years.
This show was rather special to me. I loved every minute of Protest the Hero’s setlist and the openers made for a night of unforgettable music. Though this tour will be over by the time you are reading this, I think we can expect more large-scale treks from Protest the Hero in the near future. I can assure you that when they come around, I’ll be there.