While ‘moving on’ is said to be good thing, something that should be done after events, there is a real tragedy to it, to abandoning what had been. Recently Protomartyr singer Joe Casey both lost his mother and had to leave the only home he’d ever known, and the sorrow & anger of it all is on display in Formal Growth In the Desert.
Moving on, whether you want to or not, comes through on the number of dark processional tracks, like a forced march of life on “Let’s Tip the Creator”, “Polacrilex Kid”, and “Fulfillment Center”. There is epic, encompassing tragedy over his mother’s death with “Graft Vs. Host”, and the loss & after of his home in “We Know the Rats”. This is an album that stares right into the face of pain, not in celebration or even acceptance, but true acknowledgement and anger.
Protomartyr post-punk has been impressive for years now, infusing that often difficult genre with emotion and skill. Formal Growth In the Desert does that all to strong effect, plumbing the depths of the stages of grief.
