These days, the idea of a self-titled “punk scene” tends to be spread around the nation, with a much wider reach. Manchester and London may remain the most well-known destinations for gigs of sticky floors and graffitied loo stalls, but white-hot outputs are springing up elsewhere. Take a look at Leeds, for example, and gems like Hitlist begin to emerge.

Describing themselves as a band that “Makes noise. Lots of it.”, Hitlist are a punchy punk quartet with something to say. Their debut EP, ‘Human Cereal’, has already gained a cult following after its April release this year, attracting 50k listeners and global press attention. It’s clear that the group are aiming high, making a name for themselves in a beautiful cocktail of rage and eccentricity, boasting influences along the lines of Amyl and the Sniffers, Incubus and Shame. Names you can hardly shake a stick at. 

Their latest releases are the singles ‘Dirtbrain’ and its fiery B-Side ‘Alliser Thorne’. Both tracks vibrate with the frenetic, bone-shaking spirit we can come to expect from the band, in bursts that remain short but sweet. The former, coming in around 2 and a half minutes, is a joyously droll take on the slacker-cum-partying subgenre. Screeched out in half rhymes like “You’re processed meat and talk is cheap”, it holds something of the days of long-gone grunge galore, brought forward to modern listeners. 

Furthermore, Maddy Wilkinson here is nothing short of a delight to listen to as lead vocals. Delivery of such witty lyricism comes out with an armour of bravado, in sharp bursts of yells and screams. Comparisons to Joan Jett and Amy Taylor are sure to be drawn further along the line and, in all honesty, wouldn’t be unwarranted. On ‘Dirtbrain’, the energy sung is palpable.

Much of the same can be said about the track’s instrumentation. If Hitlist’s goal is to make plenty of noise, then they’ve certainly achieved it. With wonderfully scratchy production and two guitar melodies playing off each other, visions of grandeur come to mind. Albeit a dusty, grittier kind of grandeur, it's one perfect for the genre. These melodies culminate in an electric hum for the chorus and bring everything to a higher pitch, matching the rhythm’s peak.

As for ‘Alliser Thorne’, band member Henrik steps in for post-punk’s take on fantasy, in a thumping performance of a Night Watchman’s vows. This nod to Game of Thrones comes through shouts of “I vow to take no wife, hold no lands” and other similar mantras. It’s a unique turn for the band, accompanied by breakneck-paced drumming and chaotic strums. Such clever storytelling can only be welcomed in the genre these days, and if the group continues to pursue this, it will carve out a path less travelled.

Sofia Neal

                                                                                    @girlfailsofiaeve

 Image: ‘Dirtbrain’ Official Single Cover