Above image via Instagram: @house_of_protection
Giovanni Mori | Posted: December 10th, 2024
As music enjoyers and streamers looked for the next big breakout artist of 2024, a new supergroup duo made their mark in the music world, releasing singles as early as the end of April. However, this isn’t just any band that appeared out of thin air, this band is none other than House of Protection, and on Friday, September 13th, the group released their highly anticipated extended play, GALORE.
Consisting of guitarist Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta, House of Protection is a band that pushes the boundaries of different music genres ranging in hardcore punk, EDM, and hip hop. While it’d be easy for some to categorize the music with other bands who have successfully merged multiple genres like Bring Me The Horizon, Linkin Park, and I Prevail, House of Protection is different from those who came before. The release of their first EP with six drastically different sounding tracks prove they aren’t just another gateway band for new types of music. No matter what music you’re a fan of, one thing is for sure, House of Protection’s GALORE makes you move.
track 1: Pulling teeth
Youtube: House of Protection
Right at the beginning from the metronome click and four count, “Pulling Teeth” takes the listener straight into the action. GALORE’s first track begins with Gorillaz-esque hip hop verses over an ominous blend of notes from a synthesizer to keep it all grounded, then you’re hit with Harrison’s drop tuned heavy guitar riffs before reaching an edgy but melodic chorus. A solid first track off the EP to grab your attention and keep you wanting more.
To match the equally chaotic energy, the band gave fans a music video shot in Ahmedabad, India’s the “Well of Death” as explained in the video’s title sequence. But the cherry on top is the breakdown callout to whomever this song must’ve been written about, while also reminding first time listeners exactly who they’re dealing with as Harrison angrily shouts “Nothing you can fix in the House of Protection” (2:37 – 2:41).
track 2: fuse
Youtube: House of Protection
While “Fuse” wasn’t previously released as a single, it proved to be a fun break for listeners in between the group’s other notably heavier and emotional songs. The best way I like to describe this track is to imagine yourself cruising in a lowrider with the windows down and AC up, all while neon street lights against the night sky smother your view of the road as you look through your windshield.
With it’s heavy use of synthesizers and bass drops, this track can be placed more in the EDM category. Improta is the one dominating this song with his catchy verses and infectious drumming that make it impossible for listeners to keep still. The music video takes this a step further as the group plays at a nightclub, and above the crowd is Harrison and Improta moving with them through each verse and chorus reminiscent of a Deftones song. Leading up to GALORE‘s release and listening in context with the full six song track list, it’s clear “Fuse” was a track we didn’t know we needed.
track 3: Learn to forget
Youtube: House of Protection
Now imagine you’re watching that same lowrider from earlier driving at top speed slam itself into a brick wall, this is how the sudden transition into “Learn to Forget” feels. Fans were not disappointed to find the duo’s second overall single to be a hard hitting hardcore punk song. If you don’t already have whiplash from the intro, then you’ll certainly be kicked around and beaten to a pulp during the verses the same way you would a Helmet or Rotting Out song. And if that doesn’t get you starting a mosh pit in your bedroom, the chorus sections – taking you back to old school bands like Circle Jerks and Minor Threat crying out for rebellion – sure will.
“Learn to Forget” is by far the heaviest song off this EP, and although the song isn’t anything new or different in the angsty and aggressive genre of punk, it’s still an enjoyable and simple track to let off some steam. It’s clear this is what Harrison and Improta were trying to achieve by the time we reach the song’s bridge section as Harrison yells “I never felt so alive” (1:53 – 2:06).
track 4: being one
Youtube: House of Protection
“Being One,” on the other hand, is easily the most mellow, and I would argue, the most creative song in the band’s discography. The third single from the band completely diverted all expectations from fans after spawning heavier mosh pit starting singles prior to its release. With very little to no guitar along with the heavy usage of synthesizers and backing tracks, “Being One” welcomes the duo to the EDM genre. Instead of ripping guitars from Harrison, listeners are treated with an unforgettable falsetto in each hook, taking his musical ability outside the box. Meanwhile, Improta makes small use of his kit as we only hear the quick hi-hat cymbal and snare drum hits, showing how he can do more with less as he gives the track its momentum.
If this angelic song isn’t enough to gracefully lift you in the air, then I recommend watching the music video. The band plays the song while being taken to a variety of unlikely band settings including a carousel, moving escalators, a bridge over a highway, and even a buoy in the middle of the water! The flashing lights, filters, and colors turn the video into an art exhibit, letting the band explore their sound musically and visually.
track 5: it’s supposed to hurt
Youtube: House of Protection
“It’s Supposed to Hurt,” was House of Protection’s official initiation into the music world. It was unclear to anybody who knew anything about the members and their previous projects, myself included, what kind of band this was going to be. In late April 2024, we got our answer.
“It’s Supposed to Hurt” is the song that perfectly summarizes House of Protection as a band, which is very fitting as the band’s first single. Improta kicks the song off on drums and vocals, with Harrison joining him midway through the first verse with his drop tuned guitar. The chorus sections feature Harrison strumming away at some heavy chords while shouting the song’s title at the top of his lungs to the point where his voice cracks. Harrison takes the wheel in the second verse with his soft melody that instantly turns into a harsh chant, all while Improta matches his intensity on the kit.
Some backing tracks make themselves known throughout the song to fill in any empty space, but it seems the duo is doing most of the work themselves here. And just when you thought you were safe, the song’s climax – sounding as if it was ripped straight out of a DOOM soundtrack – drives you full force with what little stamina you have left to the last chorus. We may not have known much about the band at the time this song came out, but what we do know is listeners will be shouting the words to “It’s Supposed to Hurt” for a lifetime.
track 6: better off
Youtube: House of Protection
Because it wasn’t released as a single, fans were going in blind with GALORE’s final track, “Better Off,” but soon figured out this was another EDM track similar in sound to “Fuse” and “Being One.” It was refreshing to hear a track that was somewhere in the middle of the band’s emotion and intensity, thinking back to “Learn to Forget” and “It’s Supposed to Hurt” which are very aggressive and harsh, then thinking about “Being One” on the gentle and softer side. “Better Off” bridges the gap from the soothing head voiced verse sections reminiscent of a lullaby to the hostile but still melodic chants in the chorus sections.
This track is the only one from the EP without a music video, which could likely change considering the duo’s obvious passion for visual elements. The highlight of this track is the breakdown after the second chorus, serving as one final release of energy before the last verse. As GALORE comes to a close, it has a way of leaving you in a daze as though you just woke up from a dream. It’s a satisfying finish, while somehow also conditioning you to go back and restart the EP from the top with “Pulling Teeth.” Listeners will agree, while “Better Off” currently isn’t the most popular in the band’s small discography, the song does exactly what it’s meant to do as the closer: take you back to the beginning.
final thoughts
As a huge fan of Harrison and Improta’s projects before the birth of House of Protection, my expectations may have been unfairly high, which on several occasions have also led to disappointment for other bands and their respective new releases in the past. However, each single release throughout the year only made me more excited for what was next from the band, always keeping me on my toes for a new song. Having already listened to the EP a number of times since its release, I can confidently say GALORE is musically unlike anything I’ve ever heard an artist or band do before.
As I write this, according to the band’s Instagram, @house_of_protection, they are set to play their first two shows in LA and London in October, and while unconfirmed, we can assume there’ll be more on the way in 2025. Those who are unable to catch these first shows will just have to imagine what a House of Protection show will look and sound like in a live setting. When that time comes for eager fans, it’ll be important for them to remember one thing if nothing else, House of Protection’s GALORE makes you move.
Sources
“House of Protection – Being One (Official Music Video)” Youtube, uploaded by House of Protection, 27 June 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xapGUo4n8sc
“House of Protection – Better Off (Visualizer)” Youtube, uploaded by House of Protection, 12 Sept. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9yqn5cYC6c
“House of Protection – Fuse (Official Music Video)” Youtube, uploaded by House of Protection, 13 Sept. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBRO5Kr2_cw
House of Protection [@house_of_protection]. Album cover. Instagram, photographed by Anthony Tran, 9 Aug. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C-dIHR5JfbM/?img_index=1
House of Protection [@house_of_protection]. Show promo. Instagram, 6 Sept. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C_lPRMEtXFC/
“House of Protection – It’s Supposed to Hurt (Official Music Video)” Youtube, uploaded by House of Protection, 30 Apr. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtnedrLD3Mw
“House of Protection – Learn to Forget (Official Music Video)” Youtube, uploaded by House of Protection, 7 June 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE5N9xJ-WVE
“House of Protection – Pulling Teeth (Official Music Video)” Youtube, uploaded by House of Protection, 8 Aug. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QbMOtl_SRo
