Even though they hail from rural Indiana—known more for cornfields than as a "Hot Bed" for Hard Rock and Metal music—the members of The Protest have embraced that American heartland work ethic and used their talent, drive, and determination to take their music to a global audience. Positive energy is abundant in the band's live shows and is showcased on their Rockfest Records/Song debut album, Legacy.
"What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind—ours or God's?" says guitarist Adam Sadler of the album's inspiration. "I want people to know we love Jesus and I hope our music will impact them for His glory. Our band's life verse is 1 Peter 4:10: 'Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms' (NIV). We live in a broken world and people need Jesus. We want them to get to know Him through us and through our music. That's what we pray and hope for every day."
Rolex Replica Band member Josh Bramlett took a few minutes to walk us through the rest of the inspiration each of the ten tracks on Legacy.
"Valor"
"Valor" promotes hope and overcoming obstacles. It's no secret that following Christ sometimes brings persecution. It's challenging to be a light in the world when darkness is always seeking to snuff us out. We wrote this song not from a standpoint of torment, but of victory. We have already been made victorious. Through God, we have the ability to reach higher and higher than we ever dreamed. This was a song we had bouncing around for a while. We demoed it out, saw the potential, and got to see it come to life in the studio. It's a rare song in that the chorus is completely different musically than the verse, but it works.
"What Else You Got"
This song is very special to us. Josiah Prince and Jeremiah Jones wrote it, and they really knocked it out of the park. We've made it our own, but the credit goes to those amazing gentlemen. We wanted this song to fill people with hope and encourage them to persevere and stand strong in the face of trials. I love the confidence the track exudes. By faith, we are so much more powerful through Christ. We're very humbled by the success of the song already.
"Knockout"
We wrote "Knockout" with our good friend Andrew Stanton of Disciple. It came together very nicely from the beginning and was actually one of the first songs we wrote for the record. It may be cliché for a rock band-- especially a Christian rock band--to have a "fight song," but I think there's a reason so many artists tend to include at least one fight song on their record. Our God is a Fighter and a Warrior. He is fighting for us every day. This isn't a call to violence, it's a call to arms against the plot of the enemy. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the full armor of God. We must be ready and prepared.
On a side note, there are a lot of references to UFC in the song. We happen to be into the sport, and we often stop when we're on the road to find a place to watch it. Unfortunately, after that, we all get a little hyped and many headlocks are had!
"Straight from the Barrel"
T.J. had written the music for this one and it had a very Western vibe, and Josiah Prince helped us flesh out that idea even more. It's every boy's dream to sing a cowboy song and this one is an absolute blast to play live! This song has some very strong lines and basically calls out the enemy. He attacks us and the ones we love. "Satan is like a roaring lion seeking to devour our souls," but we have been given the tools to combat the attacks of the enemy.
"Take My Heart"
We wrote "Take My Heart" with the talented Dane Allen of the band Loyals (Check them out!). It was one of our first Skype writes ever and we went in almost from scratch. We spent hours building what would end up being the closest thing to a ballad on the record, and it's a gut-wrenching plea for God to help us up off the ground. Psalms 145:14 says God lifts up all who fall, and the truth is, we all get into a deep dark place from time and time. We try and try to climb out by our own strength but it's by His strength alone that we are able.
Sometimes we need God to tear down our walls, and when all that's left is rubble, then we can see Him more clearly. "Take My Heart" is a very vulnerable song filled with the impassioned cries of those who desperately need Him. I know I do.
"Noise Revolution"
This one is a fist-pumper for sure. Our friends Brian Hitt and Joe Pangello had some great ideas for the song, and once we were able to all sit down together and pound it out, it came together nicely. We call "Noise Revolution" the sister of "Rebel Static" on our last record. It depicts a new generation rising up, one that's unafraid and passionate to spread the love and hope of Christ. This was an exciting song to create. The production has some electronic elements and we've never done a song quite like that, but it's always exciting to expand our musical horizons.
"Legacy"
"Legacy" is the title track and fully encompasses the theme of the album. The song is about leaving behind a legacy, not of accomplishments and trophies, but a legacy of Jesus. We want people to hear our songs and witness our lives and see love, hope and ultimately Christ. We also want people to ask themselves what kind of legacy they're leaving behind. Musically, the song was inspired by Beartooth and Wage War. The vibe is obviously very heavy and "Legacy" is fast and aggressive but also has a great groove to it. I love how much it can pump you up! It's one of those songs that makes you feel like you can take on the world and be a positive force.
"Stitched"
Sometimes it takes a village to write a song. "Stitched" was definitely one of those. T.J. hammered out most the music; Sarge had the title and main idea; Jarob laid out the drum patterns, and then it took all of us and Josiah Prince (over Skype) to come up with the lyrics. The song is inspired by the fact that as humans we are capable of good and evil. We all have a "Dr. Jekyll," so to speak. The chorus is a plea for God to mold us into what He wants and to use us how He wants. Of course, we have to submit to His will, which isn't easy, but His will is better than ours. I love this song because the music and melody match what the song is about. It's got a heavy verse and bridge but an uplifting chorus.
"To the Death"
This is obviously an aggressive song, but I think that's how it had to be to get the message across. "To the Death" is a call to action, to move and not stand still when facing trials and tribulations. We can become paralyzed with fear, anxiety, and doubt when we're up against real struggles, and we often forget that even in the lowest of lows there is an all-loving God right there with us in the depths. He is with us until our final breath on Earth and remembering that is very comforting and empowering. What I love about this song is how it's in your face from start to finish. All the instruments and vocals are in overdrive taking the lyrics and the message home. Sometimes you just need screaming, fast music to get your point across, almost like a drill sergeant!
"Bad Self/Ascension"
The idea for this song came when Jarob was reading C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity." Lewis explains how evil was never an original creation, but a parasite to good and that wickedness is just the pursuit of good in the wrong way. The song talks about our sinful nature and the real struggle to live a life pleasing to our Savior. We wanted a groovy song different from anything we had done before. I think we accomplished that with the second half of the song, "Ascension." It takes a turn at the end with a victorious music outro showcasing liberation from our bondage to sin. We feel it's the perfect way to end the album.
