Album Review: Hit The Lights - Invicta

If you’ve come here looking for another bouncy pop punk record, you’ve come to the wrong place. It’s been four years since Hit The Lights released their last full length, 'Skip School, Start Fights' and in the mean time the band have had their ups and downs including some pretty big label dramas all of which seems to have contributed to the band’s coming of age.

Since 2008’s 'Skip School, Start Fights' we’ve had two very different EPs to tide us over - 'Coast to Coast' and the 'Invicta' EP - this time the band have taken a more mature route compared to their previous efforts. This, the band's third album, will certainly split opinion right down the middle with some sure to be turned off by the refocus away from their former genre.

Produced by Machine (Four Year Strong, Armor For Sleep, Cobra Starship) and Mike Sapone (Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Crime in Stereo), 'Invicta' takes a much more sober tone than Hit The Lights’ previous releases. Album opener, 'Invincible' is defiant, fearless and serves as a mission statement for the band.

What will be interesting to see will be how the new direction of this album goes down live. 'Gravity' has been aired live for several months already now and goes down well but is one of the few upbeat (and more classically ‘pop-punk’) tracks on the record. 'Take Control' and 'Earthquake' are bound to be crowd-pleasers as they burst with energy and confidence.

While it might take a few listens to get under your skin, this record is like a phoenix which sees 'Invicta' transforming Hit The Lights from a happy-go-lucky, run of the mill pop-punk band to a band begging to be taken seriously.

4/5

'Invicta' is out January 31st through Razor & Tie Records.

Chantelle 'Kiki' Goodchild