House of Protection (Aric Improta and Stephen Harrison) release their second EP, Outrun You All on May 23 via Red Bull Records. Last month, the duo embarked on their first official tour through Australia as main support for Bad Omens and Poppy. For five nights, they debuted new music to over 25,000 fans during their opening slot. Perfect timing then for EP number two which follows Galore released only in September last year.
Outrun You All begins with a welcome to the House of Protection. ‘524å§ł€€|°’ is an intriguing start, what does the title mean! No matter, this short piece feels like the opening of a door and an invitation to come inside and feel right at home.
‘Afterlife’ is slow and heavy, a dialling down of the duo’s usual tempo. The electronica is set within the drum beat which remains constant throughout. The, perhaps unfair, expectation that the pulse will quicken as the track progresses is unfounded as this is only the first full track. The vocals at the end are unnerving, the added distortion in the lyrics heartbreaking: “This is how I want to die. Meet me in the afterlife”.
The gentle opening bars of‘Godspeed’ soon give way to full throttle power. Hard and fast this is utterly exhilarating, the blending of genres with those blasts of techno, ‘Godspeed’ is a highlight on Outrun You All. The guitars are on fire and the lyrics suggest a love song, House of Protection style. The gloriously sung lyrics: “just keep driving through the night, darling”, “the world is ours tonight” give an evocative image of living reality behind and driving into the sunset.Leave the reality of life behind and drive into the sunset. Those thunderous drums, live this must produce carnage in the mosh pit.
‘I Need More Than This’ oozes frustration with the modern world, with its harsh, stomping, and pounding drum beats. Contemplative and honest, it shares inner thoughts, which are universal themes. But then the delicate vocal in such contrast with the fierce hardcore. And that “Hey, Hey” seems to jump out the track, brutal and harsh: “something more than this must exist”.
Frustration turns to anger on ‘Fire’. Oh. My. God. Disdain is spat out through the lyrics and there seems to be a call to band together, to call on community, to unite. This is a mid EP explosion, guttural and passionate. This is catharsis through music, right here.
‘Phasing Out’ contains such sadness in its lyrics: “nothing here for me”. Wrapped in a drum and bass vibe there seems to a lack of hope in modern life: “cut off from everything we’re feeling”, “I’m phasing out. I’m losing faith in what I felt.” There is a hope that this outpouring brings awareness that so many are feeling the same thing, and this in itself can provide comfort in the shared experience. The EP ends with the high energy of ‘Slide Away’ which, rather than wallowing in despair, contains utterly life-affirming chaos and entirely fitting, ends with frenetic drums.
House of Protection have an ethos that follows no rules and aims to create inclusive spaces. The evidence is here on their second EP. With more variety than on Galore, Outrun You All continues the sense that this is a band that NEEDS to make music and NEEDS to play it live. Oh to make it to one of their gigs.
For more information on House of Protection please check their facebook and instagram.
