Rating: 8.5 / 10 Stars
HELP is: Ryan Neighbors (guitar/vocals), Morty (bass), Bim Ditson (drums)
REVIEW – Portland’s HELP returns with their new EP, Courage, a blistering, cathartic response to heartbreak, collapse, and the relentless grind of modern existence. Set for release via Three One G Records, this raw and unfiltered record dives deep into personal turmoil while confronting the broader societal decay surrounding it. Merging punk’s jagged urgency with searing emotional honesty, Courage offers a sonic and lyrical reckoning for a world in freefall.
From the moment “The Consequence” kicks in, the EP lays bare its uncompromising intensity, charging forward with jagged guitars and Neighbors’ urgent, almost desperate vocals. “Black Cloud” follows, a looming anthem drenched in distortion, embodying the weight of emotional and existential dread. The title track, “Courage,” is a gut-punch of vulnerability, riding a tense, driving rhythm that builds into a chaotic climax. “Fresh New Hell” encapsulates the EP’s overarching themes—progress as an ongoing series of personal and societal crises—while “Claustrophobic Nightmare” careens between suffocating tension and anthemic release. Closing the primary tracklist, “Feel So Alive (Do You Have To)” injects a volatile mix of melody and aggression, balancing between anguish and defiance.
Beyond its immediate sonic impact, Courage serves as a manifesto of sorts, urging listeners to face pain without fear, to reject complacency, and to find solace in collective resistance. The vinyl edition will also include HELP’s 2019 self-titled EP as a bonus, reinforcing the band’s ongoing narrative of personal and social upheaval.
HELP isn’t here to offer easy answers. Instead, Courage is an invitation to feel—freely, fiercely, and without restraint. In a world crumbling under greed and apathy, this record stands as a testament to raw emotion, unfiltered expression, and, above all, defiant survival.
For more information on HELP, visit:
www.HelpIFuckingNeedIt.com
www.Twitter.com/@H__E__L__P
www.Instagram.com/HelpIFuckingNeedIt
www.Spotify.com/Artist/HELP