The Protomen - Light Up The Night

I think that lead singer Raul Panther III sums up The Protomen better than anyone when, asked about the formation of the band, he said “At the time, we noticed a void in rock and roll. A hole that could only really be filled with grown men and women painting up like robots and playing some fierce and furious rock music based on a 1980s video game. We were fairly certain no one else was going to fill that hole. But, by God, it’s filled now. You can thank us later.”

Well, I’d like to thank The Protomen for that right now, while I’ve got your attention! They’re a sincerely brilliant thing, a glorious mash-up of Meatloaf-esque rock opera (due in no small part to sharing producer Alan Shacklock, no doubt) based on Mega-Man and a whole mess of other obvious 80’s influence.

The band themselves are a product of the Middle Tennessee State University, with most of the members who make up the group past and present having been part of courses there. They’ve got a flair for the dramatic, too; when they’re not dressed up as robots, which is arguably most of the time, they’ve got a whole slew of bizarre stage names to accompany them. I personally like Shock Magnum the best, but I’ve got all the time in the world for, and am seriously considering naming my next child, Heath who Hath no Name.

We’ve got a cracker of a pick from them for our Rock Song of the Week, too; Light Up The Night, a slice of the catchiest piece of anything ever associated with Mega Man, besides perhaps the theme from Mega Man 2. It’s synth, guitar and wailing chorus slammed together in a package so tight you’d think it belonged to Henry Cavill (look it up, I dare you).

As an aside, if you get time out from nearly having your eye taken out, check out the list of band members on Wikipedia and tell me you don’t love not only the stage names, but some of the instruments listed. “Fist bumps, hand claps and sledgehammer?” Now you’re speaking my language.