The air crackled with a raw, mechanical energy, the kind that felt less like music and more like a sonic siege. This was Protokoll 19. From the depths of their creative forge, Jayson and Travis, the architects of this auditory onslaught, revealed the spark that ignited their intensely unique project.
“We were both serving time in another band,” Jayson began, his voice carrying a hint of the same unvarnished power present in their music, “but we were hungry for something more. I was tethered to the keyboards, but a vocal storm was brewing inside me. Travis, a drummer by trade, harbored a secret desire to manipulate the sonic landscape from behind the keys. We found each other in that shared yearning, no grand design, just a primal urge to create something that truly resonated with our inner chaos.”
Travis picked up the thread, his perspective adding another layer to their origin story. “It actually began with ghosts of projects past—rejected tracks that I couldn’t let die. Years they lay dormant, until the moment I knew I needed a voice to breathe life into them. I was determined to step out from behind the drum kit, to become the producer, the keyboardist shaping the sound. Even while contributing to another project, these discarded tracks held a different, darker energy. When Jayson and I connected, it was that shared ambition, that desire to break free from our assigned roles, that truly set things in motion.”
The name Protokoll 19 itself carried a weight, a cryptic resonance that hinted at something beyond mere sonic aggression. “I always wanted the name to have roots, something tangible,” Travis explained, leaning forward slightly. “The idea first took hold in 2019, the same year the first whispers of COVID-19 began to circulate. ‘Protokoll’ felt like the collision of a viral outbreak with the shadowy undertones of a population control conspiracy. And ’19’ became a marker—the year of inception, and a nod to the virus that would soon grip the world.”
That dystopian undercurrent in their music wasn’t accidental; it was a direct reflection of the turbulent reality surrounding their genesis. “Protokoll 19 was born in 2020, during the suffocating grip of the pandemic,” Jayson stated, the memory still palpable. “Isolation became our crucible. With live performance silenced, all we had was the music, a pressure valve to release the pent-up anxieties. And honestly, the subsequent rollercoaster of life, the inevitable descents, they continue to fuel the creative fire.”
For Travis, the music served an even deeper, more personal purpose. “It’s my sanctuary, my way of navigating the complexities of ADHD, anger, and depression that have been lifelong companions. Composing is a focusing lens, a way to channel the chaos into something tangible, something that brings a strange sense of calm.”
When asked to pinpoint a definitive release, Jayson considered their relatively short but impactful discography. “Given we’re still a young entity, beyond our initial demo and a couple of standalone tracks, our ‘Mental Decay’ EP stands out. It was the distillation of our early explorations, the strongest seven tracks culled from a larger body of work.”
Their sonic DNA, while fiercely individual, bore the imprint of artists who had carved similar paths of intense sonic exploration. “We both cut our teeth on nu-metal before being consumed by the raw power of industrial,” Jayson revealed. “Suicide Commando, Combichrist, Crossbreed—their sheer energy, both on record and live, was a massive inspiration.”
“Absolutely,” Travis chimed in, a grin in his voice. “That shared passion for sonic intensity is a core part of our connection. And speaking of ‘Pure Energy,’ nice one, Jayson! Ha!”
Delving into their creative process, the dichotomy of their roles became clear. “Travis is the meticulous architect of sound,” Jayson explained. “He can be ruthless, deleting entire tracks if they don’t meet his exacting standards. But once a sonic foundation is laid, it comes to me. If a particular emotion is stirring, the lyrics begin to form. Otherwise, the track waits for its lyrical counterpart. Then, we sculpt the structure, molding it to the narrative, refining the edges until it feels complete.”
“I probably will never live down the track deletions,” Travis chuckled. “But it comes from a desire to present the absolute best, not just for Jayson to work with, but for our listeners to experience. Think of it like using a tool that’s just okay versus one that’s flawless. I want the tracks to feel effortless, enjoyable for Jayson to inhabit.”
Finally, the question of their sonic palette arose. “Everything you hear, save for Jayson’s visceral vocals, is born in the digital realm,” Travis stated definitively. “Analog synths haven’t been part of my setup for years, a shift largely dictated by living situations. Now, everything resides within the computer. No need to worry about space, breakdowns—it’s a self-contained universe.”
And in that digital universe, Protokoll 19 continued to forge their uncompromising sound, a mechanical, raw, and unapologetic assault on the senses, born from shared ambition, pandemic isolation, and the potent alchemy of two distinct creative forces.
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