The Protomen

A couple of decades ago, there was little overlap in the Venn diagram comparing pimple-faced gamers and bombastic rock stars, but Murfreesboro, Tennessee, collective The Protomen are doing their part to bring those two circles closer together. As the name suggests, The Protomen are a sizable group of extremely like-minded people that put down the controllers, picked up guitars, and have dedicated themselves to writing legitimate space-rock operas about their favorite games: the numerable entries in the beloved Mega Man series. Notions that the group had run out of steam after 2006’s self-titled album can quickly be dismissed after 2009’s Act II: The Father Of Death, which feels less shticky while upping the musicality and drama. Some tracks sound like Mark Lanegan fronting a soundtrack to a western, and The Protomen’s live sets and intricate costumes don’t disappoint. The band appears here behind a new album of Queen covers called Present: A Night Of Queen.

Updated 08/01/2012