EP review by Lucas Bell
Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta might be out of music entirely if they hadn’t discovered a new obsession in 2023 – their own band. “We couldn’t be at this point in our careers and be in a band that’s not our favorite band,” Improta explains. After years of commercial and critical success in post-hardcore icons Fever 333, as well as The Chariot and Night Verses respectively, the duo had to put aside all of the striving and stress to reconnect with their first loves as House of Protection. “It’s all gotta be the things we thought were cool as kids.” Incorporating everything from Atlanta trap to UK trip-hop, post-punk and alternative, jock jams and art-rock, filmmaking and skateboarding, House of Protection’s second EP Outrun You All abides by the rule of “if it feels good, do it.” And then do so like your life depends on it.
After releasing their debut EP GALORE with no rules and no expectations, House of Protection are putting their skin in the game with the highly anticipated Outrun You All. Quite literally, that is – the title is taken from one of Harrison’s many tattoos, a lyrical homage to Converge’s 2004 classic ‘Black Cloud’. Outrun You All is an autonomous, bold statement as well as a “night time” companion piece to GALORE, a completion to an era of unbridled inspiration and creativity. Or, what the second disc of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was to its first: the darks are darker, the pretty moments are prettier, the risks are riskier.
Song Breakdowns
524å§ł€€-° – Not much to talk about here. A quick 33 second intro, that floats you into Afterlife.
Afterlife – This track was the first single for the EP cycle, and straight up shows you exactly what this EP is going to be. The song is probably the slowest track on the EP, but it’s heavy, and uses the electronic sampling in the perfect spots. Some people may not dig it fully, but for me, it hits my niche of what I like, all in one tune.
Godspeed – Shit ramps up for ‘Godspeed’. The chorus on this track is probably the best chorus of the band’s 12 songs so far. The beat on the verses gives me nostalgia for songs you’d hear on Need for Speed games. I can imagine driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 through rain soaked streets, working my way through the street racing circuit, with this on one repeat. Total banger.
I Need More Than This – At time of writing, this song just dropped as a single. This song took a while to grow on me, despite me initially liking it. I just wasn’t fully invested until I saw the video. When I had my conversation with Aric and Stephen earlier in the year, they mentioned when writing songs, they envision what the video would look like. I didn’t “get” the song until I saw the video, and now it’s my second favorite track, behind ‘Godspeed’.
Fire – When House of Protection played earlier in the year, they had this song as part of the setlist. So hearing it live for the first time, I loved it. But listening to the studio version now, I love it even more. What I said about ‘Godspeed’ and ‘Need for Speed’ just as much applies to this song too. Something about it bleeds nostalgia into my veins when I hear the beat kick in. And I can’t help but scream out the “Hit em with fire” line at the end of the chorus.
Phasing Out – Comparatively to the rest of their catalog, this is a fairly subdued track. The song is purely a showcase to show just how talented Stephen and Aric are as vocalists. Instrumentally, it’s a bit quieter. But I like that they know what songs to go hard on, and what songs to reel it in on. This is the track to reel it in on, while also giving a big ending that feels right for the song.
Slide Away – The EP’s final track is the one song in the band’s discography that, even now, hasn’t grabbed me as much as the rest of the EP. It has all the bones and structure I need to love it. But I know in maybe six months time, this will climb to the top of the best songs list. I still don’t know if it’s the vocals at times feeling a bit flat, or at times, the song does too much. It’s not a miss for me. Just a “hasn’t hit for me” yet.
Final Thoughts – The follow up to GALORE was going to be a tough bar to surpass. That EP was six solid tracks, all with a different vibe on every track. Outrun You All is a worthy follow up, that both expands on the sound explored on GALORE, while fine tuning the things that might not have fully worked on the first record. The EP also showed the band has a clear direction, leaning more into the electronic and heavier aspects of the first record, which 100% was the right call.
Score – 8.1/10
Album Highlights – Godspeed, I Need More Than This, Fire
Out on 23 May 2025
