Stream Protagonist’s “Iron Mind” off upcoming split with Omnigone

As mentioned, California ska-punks Omnigone (ex-Link 80) and Florida punks Protagonist are releasing a split 7" on June 30 via Sell The Heart, Lavasocks, No Time, and Disconnect Disconnect (UK), and we're now premiering Protagonist's "Iron Mind" from that split. It's a revved-up, melodic punk ripper in the vein of stuff like Kid Dynamite, Strike Anywhere, A Wilhelm Scream, etc, and it sounds totally refreshing and energized. Here's what the band says about the song:

Being a human in the world, often going against the tide, and being a machine of perseverance in the face of enormous odds are some of the themes that make up the song, “Iron Mind.” This phrase was one that John and I had swimming around for a bit; lines written, large chunks of the music done, but not quite sure how to bring it all together. While different songs, knowing that it might mesh well with the Dimestore Hoods cover, this felt like the worthy song to be alongside it for this record. This song also touches upon the cruel nature of the world, of man, and how paranoia, power, and greed jeopardize the momentum we have as individuals and as a human collective. We are really looking forward to performing this one live.

The song hits streaming services this Friday (pre-save) but you can check it out below now. The split also features Protagonist covering Link 80's "Dimestore Hoods" and two original songs from Omnigone (including the recently released "Don't Give Up the War," which you can also stream below), and there's a digital-only bonus track of Omnigone doing Link 80's "Right Hook" too.

Protagonist and Omnigone are also both playing The Fest, which added tons of new bands to its 2022 lineup yesterday.