The Protomen, colloquially referred to by fans in retrospect as Act I, is the debut album release by indie rock band The Protomen. It is a rock opera loosely based on the Mega Man video game series, and the first volume of a planned trilogy of albums on this theme. The follow-up, Act II: The Father of Death, a prequel to The Protomen, was released on September 8, 2009. While the plot of the album is adapted from the Mega Man games, it takes substantial liberties with the original storyline, functioning as a dystopic reworking of the games' narrative.
The album begins with a description of a dystopia ruled by Doctor Wily and his army of robots ("Hope Rides Alone"). Doctor Light works under Wily's government, but by night he builds a robot to lead a rebellion -- Proto Man. After twelve years, when Proto Man is finished, he is sent to fight Wily's forces and liberate mankind. However, after defeating many of Wily's robots Proto Man is weakened, and the robot army launches a final assault. The human masses, too frightened of Wily to assist Proto Man, allow him to die. Proto Man's funeral is held. In Doctor Light's grief, he sets about destroying his laboratory. Instead, he builds a new robot, Mega Man. ("Funeral for a Son").
Years later, people still talk about Proto Man, and Doctor Light knows that Mega Man will soon find out about his brother. To dissuade Mega Man from attempting to rebel against Wily, Light tells Mega Man Proto Man's story, and explains that the people have "chosen their own end"—they will not fight to save themselves ("Unrest in The House of Light"). Mega Man defies Light and sets out to defeat Wily, finding Proto Man's grave-site, and amassing a crowd of people as he marches towards Wily's fortress, seeking to avenge his brother's death and to "finish what was started, the fight of Proto Man" ("The Will of One"). Mega Man is able to fight through Wily's army of robots, reaching the commander of the army ("Vengeance").
Mega Man discovers that Proto Man was not dead. He now defends Wily, who repaired him and made him the commander of his army. Proto Man declares that mankind does not deserve to be saved if they will not stand for themselves ("The Stand"). The two raise their weapons against each other, and argue angrily, Mega Man slowly being convinced by his brother that humanity isn't worth saving ("Sons of Fate"). Confused and encouraged by human onlookers crying out "Destroy him, you can save us, you're our only hope, kill Proto Man", Mega Man delivers a mortal wound to his brother, who tells him before he dies that humanity may one day realize how to save itself if they tell this story to their children. Distraught, Mega Man drops his helmet and walks away from the fortress as Wily's robots advance to "punish" the crowd that was watching the battle, turning them into victims of the slaughter. ("Due Vendetta").[3]
Critical and press reception
The album received favorable press from 1UP[4] and The Escapist (in the form of an interview with the band).[5]Nintendo Power said the album was in a league of its own, and recommended it especially to fans of the Mega Man games.[6]Pushstart praised the album as "one of the most interesting albums, or sagas, related to video games" and called the multimedia storytelling format "significant for the world of video games."[7]Mix said "[t]he emotion, the music and perfomance's power certainly landed" and positively described "Unrest in the House of Light" as a "bizarre, heavy crash-and-burn blend of Spaghetti Westerndistorto-rock and dark country".[8]Piero Scaruffi describes the album as a "style reminiscent of prog-rock of the 1970s, simply updated to the videogame subculture of their age and with the occasional heavy-metal discharge."[9]
The Commercial Appeal recommended the album for people who thought rock opera Kilroy Was Here (1983) by Styx "just didn't go far enough," and highly rated the stage performance: "Folks [...] owe it to themselves to check out the band's self-titled CD. Better yet, go to the show."[10]
The album has gained a number of supporters from fans of the Mega Man games and music listeners in general, highlighting the storytelling, music, and dark interpretation of the game's mythology. The success of the album, bolstered by an article in the gaming magazine Nintendo Power, began a huge cult following for the band, with fans attending concerts in costumes inspired by the band's storyline and participating by way of singing along with the band's music, which was further exemplified by the group's work in Act II: The Father of Death.[citation needed]
In 2015, Unrest In The House Of Light appeared as a cover song on Murder By Death’s As You Wish: Kickstarter Covers Vol. 2.[citation needed]
Track listing
All tracks written and composed by The Protomen.[11]
↑ The Protomen (2005).The Protomen. Information not explicitly stated by the album's lyrics can be found in the album insert, which provides non-lyrical narrative context for the songs.
↑ "GET OUT - Best bets for the weekend and beyond". The Commercial Appeal. Gannett Media Corp. August 3, 2007. p.G.2. ISSN0745-4856. ProQuest2597449267. Do the robot. Nashville's Protomen dress up as robots to perform their progressive rock opera based on an obscure figure from the Nintendo video game Mega Man. So, guys, if you're looking to meet a girl this Sunday, Neil's might not be the place to go. But if you want to hear some truly inspired, epic rock, you could do no better. The band is largely made up of music graduates from Middle Tennessee State University, though they are so stubborn about staying in character you're hard-pressed to find that they have not only an inspired and closely held conviction in their conceit, but the musical chops to pull it off. Folks who miss Queensryche and Yes, or who thought Styx's Kilroy Was Here just didn't go far enough, owe it to themselves to check out the band's self-titled CD. Better yet, go to the show. 8 p.m. Sunday at Neils, 1835 Madison, with Makeup and Vanity Set. Call 278-6345.
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