Ordinarily, you look for bands to show some sign of progression or slight change of direction as they grow with each album. But Protest The Hero, however, have always crammed in so many different styles and dramatic twists and turns per song that all a fan can ask is that this unpredictability remains intact and the quality remains high.
To that extent, Volition is mission accomplished. All the technical flair and brain-bubbling guitar runs are present and correct and Rody Walker’s trademark wail is as out there as always but if there is an improvement that’s clear here, it’s that the band are more focused than before.
If there’s a criticism of PTH, it’s that they can spend so much time flitting from idea to idea that none of them get truly developed and that’s something that’s improved here without losing their capricious edge. 2008’s Fortress album remains the band’s benchmark, but Volition is the closest they’ve come yet to toppling their albatross.
