In September 2024, Hike The Peak released their ‘Ether’ EP. It hit streaming services just a couple of months after ‘Only The True Fly Free’ (an album made up of sporadically released digital tracks), but it was obviously far more than just a couple of leftovers. At its best, the material delivered some precisely arranged punk; sounds that, with elements of skate and melodic hardcore thrown into the mix and a strong influence from Face To Face, had a very American influence. Thanks to the input of a variety of vocalists from around the globe, the material didn’t always carry the sound that some people might’ve expected to come from a DIY musician from the north of England, but Hike The Peak sounded all the better for that.
Keeping up momentum, the two track ‘Fire’ (released in early 2025) is another collaborative affair. Enlisting the vocal talents of Tim Russ of Australian punks Fake News and Kyle Devlin of the USA’s Gametime, it’s another genuinely international project. As before, the material sounds cohesive and very natural, as if recorded together – the traditional, old fashioned way – instead of the musicians being victims of geography.
‘Time Machine’ sets the tone by thundering in with a punky rhythm coupled with a metal-oriented guitar sound. The sizeable riffs are an instant attention grabber, even before the number slips into something more comfortable, musically speaking. The verse introduces a brighter guitar tone which collides against a massive drum part, setting something in place that sounds like a marriage of early Strike Anywhere and a couple of Sum 41’s metal tinged outings. There’s no doubting the weight behind the arrangement, and Byatt’s pointed riffs create a great counterpoint for the vocal throughout. …And that vocal is great, too: Russ attacks the melody with the enthusiasm and melodic flair of someone who’s been feasting on the sounds of US skate punk since the mid 90s. His performance conveys just the right amount of grit throughout to be a perfect match for Byatt’s fiery musical chops, and the lyric suggesting the protagonist feels a little trapped in their own self and wants to go “back in time to when everything [felt] alright” is classic HTP. A deeper venture into the lyric uncovers a narrative about the loss of a close friend, sharing a sentiment that will certainly connect with anyone who has gone through periods of grief, whether recently or much longer ago. It’s a reminder that life is fleeting and time is relative. Even if that loss occurred years ago, we still feel that hole in our lives. For the seasoned melodic punk fan, there won’t be any musical surprises, but there’s more than enough vigour packed into these two minutes to make the number one of Hike The Peak’s very best.
By comparison, ‘The Road Less Travelled’ sounds a little more abrasive. The drums attack with plenty of bass pedal action, leaning further into a blend of melodic hardcore and thrash, and some of Byatt’s guitar work seems a little more pointed with its speedily approached muted notes. However, beneath the jagged surface, there’s a tune with a massive appeal. A world of harmony vocals applies influence from the world of emo, and creates a superb counterpoint with the track’s angrier sound. Devlin’s hugely melodic approach is a perfect fit for a lyric where angst is conveyed by “walking with eyes closed”, and the idea of not judging an “inner anger” being vital to building strength within one’s mental health, again, very much fits the HTP concept of personal strength and emotional wellness. With strong callbacks to classic skate sounds and another great melodic hook, fans will take to this track with almost immediate effect.
For those who’ve followed Byatt’s sporadic musical journey so far, this pair of tracks offer yet another aural treat. Musically speaking, they don’t expand much on his previous Hike The Peak collaborations, either musically or thematically, but they work effectively enough as both a stand-alone listen and in conjunction with previous works. It’s always a thrill to hear melodic punk played with such enthusiasm, and Lee’s DIY approach means that it comes even more from the heart. For melodic punk fans everywhere, this is an underground release that’s definitely worth checking out.
February 2025