EP REVIEW: Galore – House Of Protection

If HOUSE OF PROTECTION have said anything with this furious debut EP, Galore, it’s if something is not worth doing big then it’s not worth doing at all. Former FEVER 333 and THE CHARIOT members Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta have joined forces to craft a whole new sonic identity. With the help of Jordan Fish, ex BRING ME THE HORIZON, in the way of decadent production, the duo are already making a memorable impression in the best way. 

Opening track Pulling Teeth makes sure to stake their claim and sear their brand into the lugs of listeners with monolithic riffs and throbbing basslines. Anyone familiar with BRING ME THE HORIZON’s work in the past five years will be able to see that this has Fish painted all over it from the floor to the ceiling; Fuse is particularly reminiscent of something from the marmite Amo era with a balancing act of vibrant electronica and delicately delivered vocals in spaces. 

Arguably the biggest stand-out moment and indicator of who HOUSE OF PROTECTION are as a band is It’s Supposed To Hurt. Infectiously screamable choruses and hooks that seem to cascade over all angles of the track combine to make an anthem, one that they take to their limits, and despite in parts Fish maybe lending too much of previous endeavours to the EP, here it levels things up and gives the duo the volume that they’re looking for in an impactful debut. 

Some people might see FEVER 333 or THE CHARIOT and be quick to make their own assumptions about this new project, but instead of steering the conversation to an inevitably irrelevant circle jerk of bands past, you should hear out HOUSE OF PROTECTION for the effervescent and raw screams, and quaking breakdowns that if heard from across the field at a festival, would send people flocking to it in their masses.

This is exciting. Sure, it sounds like something that’s been played out one thousand times over, with indulgent production that gears them up to be a big pop act and grooms them to be a rival to some of the biggest acts underneath the alternative umbrella. HOUSE OF PROTECTION are a polished underdog willing to get scrappy. 

Rating: 8/10

Galore is out now via Red Bull Records.

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