Protest the Hero Return With Brand New Album 'Within'

07-17-2026

(Looters) Protest the Hero have officially returned with their new album "Within", marking their first new music being released in six years. The album has already received wide acclaim from Guitar World Magazine, Metal Injection, Metal Hammer, Decibel Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, and more!

The first single "Mouthpiece" has racked up over 300K streams, from views on the music video and added to multiple playlists on Apple, Spotify and YouTube including New Music Friday, New in Metal, New in Hard Rock, Breaking Metal, Rock Now, and Breaking Hard Rock. Stream the album here

For over two decades, Protest the Hero have existed at the outer edge of progressive metal in a place where technical precision collides with razor-sharp lyricism, and an irreverent spirit refuses to play by genre rules. With their latest release Within, the Ontario-born band pushes deeper into uncharted territory, delivering their most sonically expansive and ambitious work yet.

Of the album, the band says, "Most people are pretty familiar with hermetic maxim "as above so below" but the entire passage isn't quite as well known. "As above so below, as within so without, as the universe so the soul"

Obviously I focused on the middle portion of the quote. "Within" represents the individual inner world, which is largely defined by our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. The songs are all representative of how external factors affect our inner world.With that being said it's probably the most personal stuff we've ever released."

The result is the most personal body of work the band has released to date, balancing introspection with the expansive scope that defines their sound.

But Within is more than just a musical milestone. It marks a defining turning point in the band's career. As their first truly global independent release, it represents a complete reclamation of creative and business control after years of navigating restrictive industry deals. Every aspect of the record, from composition to release, was executed entirely on the band's own terms.

"We are excited to have this record as the first in our catalogue that we fully own," says guitarist Tim MacMillar. "We've paid to make our own albums and do everything on our terms. Owning our intellectual property is incredibly important to us. In the past, we signed away those rights and saw firsthand how that hands control to someone else, sometimes to the point where we couldn't even access or manage our own work. That's something we're no longer willing to accept. This record is us putting our foot down. We're not interested in participating in that system anymore. We're focused on the future. And for the first time, it's completely in our hands."

The album's creation reflects that same sense of ambition and intention, recorded
across a network of home studios and creative spaces. Guitars were tracked with Derya Nagle (Good Tiger) in Boulder, Colorado, while vocals were produced and recorded by Milen Petzelt-Sorace at frontman Rody Walker's home studio in Whitby, Ontario. Bass and drum production were led by longtime collaborator Cameron McLellan in Toronto, with drums written and recorded by Nathan Bulla at Jukasa Studios. McLellan also performed bass on the album. The album's cinematic scope is further elevated by orchestral compositions from William Lamoureux (Nelly Furtado), seamlessly woven into the record's structure. Mixed by acclaimed producer Adam "Nolly" Getgood (Periphery, Haken, SikTh), Within stands as Protest the Hero's most ambitious and fully realized production to date.

As anticipation continues to build around the band's long-awaited return, Protest the Hero will bring their explosive live show overseas this summer for a run of UK and European dates. Kicking off July 30 in Glasgow, the tour will see the band performing across major cities and festival stages including Radar Festival, Brutal Assault, and Free & Easy Festival.

PROTEST THE HERO
07.30.26 Glasgow, UK @ Slay
07.31.26 London, UK @ Scala
08.01.26 Manchester, UK @ Radar Fest
08.03.26 Utrecht, Netherlands @ Tivolia Pandora
08.04.26 Berlin, Germany @ Metropol
08.05.26 Jaromer, Czech Republic @ Brutal Assault
08.07.26 Karlsruhe, Germany @ Substage
08.08.26 Munchen, Germany @ Free & Easy
08.09.26 Budapest, Hungary @ Durer Kert
09.04.26 Kelowna, BC @ Anarchy In The OK (Kelowna Events Center)
09.12.26 Hamilton, ON @ Supercrawl festival