Alternative Press teamed up with Hit the Lights for exclusive vinyl of Skip School, Start Fights, limited to 300 copies. Head to the AP Shop to grab yours.
In 2003, pop-punk outfit Hit the Lights made a mark in their Ohio hometown — though swiftly after, their fandom spread beyond the limits of Lima. Over the years, they’ve developed a cult-like following in the scene, while experimenting with a sound that fused their core sound with alt-rock and post-hardcore. Theirs is one that encapsulates a time and place like no other — bottling the spirit of mid-2000s pop punk with added nuances and creative maturity from album to album, all while working with noteworthy producers like Matt Squire and Rob Freeman. In 2008, they released their sophomore full-length, Skip School, Start Fights, an album that solidified their place in the industry and scene — and showcased their ability to evolve the Hit the Lights sound — which AltPress has just exclusively repressed in limited quantities. Anthemic and super hooky, the album contains a high dose of Warped Tour nostalgia and energy. 2012 and 2015 saw the band drift further from their core sound into the alt-rock space, only to return to their roots with a glossy pop-punk LP three years later. However, for the last seven years, the band haven’t released any music. Today, that changes with Hit the Lights’ new single, “Get Your Ass To Mars.”
Read more: Fan poll: 5 best modern pop-punk bands
In honor of the band’s return, we asked them to rank their own music. Here are seven sleeper hits by Hit the Lights, from Hit the Lights.
NICK THOMPSON:
“Take Control” – This was one of my favorites off Invicta. We actually did the demo with Machine, who ended up producing a lot of the songs on Invicta as well as mixing. It’s got the fun delayed guitar and the chorus reminds me of Jimmy Eat World. Definitely a song that bridges the gap between Skip School and Invicta, in my opinion.
“At 6:00, We Go Live” – This was actually the first HTL song I ever heard before I was even in the band. It was the first song on the Leaving Town Tonight EP and was my favorite of its four songs. A year later, we reworked it for our EP Until We Get Caught, and we shortened the intro to make it go right into the first verse. It immediately became one of my favorite songs to play on the guitar during our sets. There was so much energy, and it’s got such a fun, weird structure that I still love to this day.
“These Backs Were Made for Stabbing” – This song will always hold a special place in my heart. The intro riff and I think the verse were written before I joined Hit the Lights. I just remember Omar jamming that riff, and it always had such fun energy to it. We had trouble figuring out a chorus for the longest time, and I remember on one of my hour drives to practice, it literally just popped in my head. I showed up to practice, and we jammed it out, and it was perfect. I was definitely inspired by the Stryder’s “Sucker,” and it was the first song where Colin [Ross] and my voice really clicked together. The chorus wouldn’t be the chorus without them both being really present — and it’s so fun to play.
DAVE BERMOSK:
“Keep Your Head” – 1 minute and 29 seconds of nonstop fast punk energy with a chorus that could fit in on Illusion of Safety. I used to listen to this song back to back because I always wanted more.
“Say What You Wanna Say” – This was one of the first songs that we took into the studio, mostly structured with Nick singing. It showcases his knack for vocal harmonies and layering. I think it would have garnished more love if it were earlier in the tracklisting but was always one of my favorites to play out live from SSSF.
OMAR ZEHERY:
“Get To You” – The release of Invicta meant a lot because it was a few years in the making. Coming off a long record, touring cycle, and label troubles prevented its release, so we were psyched when we were finally able to get in with producers Mike Sapone and Machine. Both of them brought out sonic qualities and performances that we hadn’t achieved up to that point, and that’s what makes it such a special record for us. “Get To You” encompasses a perfect snapshot of that period in our history and showcases the killer combination of Mike Sapone’s production and Machine’s mixing. It’s also a sick testament of HTL working as a unit to create something together that’s bigger than just ourselves.
“Sitter” – Next time you’re at a good hang that’s on the verge of hitting its stride, put on “Sitter” from the Summer Bones LP and watch the party level up. Talkin’ ’bout chips, dips, chains, and whips. The Beastie Boys feel of Nick’s vocals in the intro gets me hyped every time I hear it, and the jam checks off all the boxes a classic HTL tune should: It riffs, it rips, and it bounces.