Pageant Mum’s “Hackles Up” is a fierce and unrelenting track that marries the grit of UK new grunge with the charged energy of punk rock. The song captures the urgency of being trapped in an on-again, off-again cycle — knowing you should walk away, yet being pulled back in again and again. It distills that volatile dynamic into three minutes of tension and release, making it as emotionally charged as it is sonically relentless. What stands out immediately are the jagged guitar riffs; they’re piercing and raunchy in all the best ways. The mix balances grit with clarity, letting the distortion burn hot without drowning the melody. This is a sound designed for sweaty live rooms: unpolished in all the right ways and undeniably loud.