ProtoMartyr

Born in Detroit in 2010, Protomartyr formed around Joe Casey, Greg Ahee, and Alex Leonard before the arrival of bassist Scott Davidson, fixing the structure of a quartet that sits within a tense, abrasive and lyrically inclined post-punk lineage. The band develops a dry and dense sound, at the crossroads of post-punk, noise rock and art rock, carried by Ahee's angular guitars, a rigid rhythm section and lyrics declaimed by Casey in a grave register, more spoken than sung. After a first album, No Passion All Technique in 2012, Protomartyr circulated its name on the American indie scene with Under Color of Official Right in 2014 and then The Agent Intellect in 2015, where its writing gains breadth without losing its roughness. Having signed to Domino, Protomartyr continues with Relatives in Descent in 2017, the EP Consolation in 2018 in collaboration with Kelley Deal, then Ultimate Success Today in 2020, which broadens the band's palette with darker arrangements and greater tension. Kelley Deal then joins the live lineup in the role of an additional musician. In 2023, Protomartyr releases Formal Growth in the Desert, extending this trajectory between the nervous energy of rock, controlled dissonances and a disillusioned outlook inherited from Detroit.