There’s something stiff and unyielding about Protomartyr. Joe Casey wanted a band as dedicated as he was, and in going forward, the Detroit fourpiece made music like it was a necessity, churning out three albums in four years. The Agent Intellect finds the band still heavily rooted in a nihilism and misanthropy that always hovers on the sidelines, destroying any visage of hope. Beneath the album’s distinctive core is Casey’s unchecked passion: “I’ll corrupt them ’til they think the way I do” crows “The Devil in His Youth.” All hail harrowing bleakness. (Thu., 1:15am, Cheer Up Charlies)

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This article appears in March 18 • 2016.

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