By Chris Brook

As difficult as it is to garner buzz and press for a band in Boston, some might say it’s even more difficult – near impossible – to also gain a following across the pond in England.

However, for junior sociology major Dan O’Neill and his Allston-based post dance/punk band Protokoll this hasn’t been the case.

Hot on the heels of a recent signing to Illicit Recordings, the quartet whose angular rock flirts with the darker sounds of Bauhaus and Wire headed to Europe May 9 to launch their inaugural UK tour alongside Brit band Veto Silver for a circuit of high-profile dates. The tour, which has been dubbed the Mechanical Hearts tour, will include club dates in Liverpool, London, Leeds and Birmingham.

While in England, aside from day-in and day-out touring, the band will have an interview with famed rock rag NME, record a full British Broadcasting Company – BBC – studio session and chat with Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq.

“You’ve got to do it [in Britain] before anything happens here,” said guitarist Ben Greenspan. “People are a lot more cultured over there and a lot more appreciative of new music.”

In addition to already getting radio play overseas thanks to their one-single deal with Illicit Recordings, the band will have a 7-inch vinyl and CD of their tracks “Moving Forward” and “Holy Divine” on record shop shelves June 5 in England. According to the band’s manager, former Northeastern music industry student Derek Gleason, the band is taking their single around to different labels to try and get them to put it out.

When the band returns to the U.S. at the end of this month they’ll take a two-week break before heading out on a U.S. summer tour, take another two weeks off and embark on yet another tour of Europe – ideally touching down in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, among other countries.

“We’re all really, really excited, but it is definitely pretty nerve-wracking,” said O’Neill, who plays bass. “We’re all making sacrifices: family, friends, financial and academic sacrifices