Leeds riot punk trio CLT SPT release their debut single ‘Handle It’, a ferocious, unflinching single that weaponises lived experience into two minutes of cathartic noise. Drawing lyrical inspiration from the band’s own encounters with misogyny, from casual condescension to outright hostility, the track feels less like commentary and more like confrontation. Every line lands with the weight of something actually endured, giving the song a visceral authenticity that refuses to soften its edges.
At the centre is vocalist Ash Froud, whose piercing shrieks cut through the mix with righteous urgency. Their delivery doesn’t simply sit atop the instrumentation, it collides with it. Cascading guitars spiral and grind beneath the vocals, while riotous drums drive forward with relentless momentum, mirroring the emotional escalation embedded in the lyrics. The result is controlled chaos, abrasive yet sharply intentional.
‘Handle It’ thrives on repetition and tension, turning discomfort into defiance. The chorus lands like a collective eye roll transformed into a battle cry, a solid middle finger aimed squarely at the smug, patronising remarks that continue to trickle down from entrenched patriarchal attitudes. Rather than preach, the band exposes, allowing the absurdity and cruelty of the quoted remarks to indict themselves.
As Froud explains “HANDLE IT is comprised of outlandish quotes that men, from lovers to friends, coworkers to strangers, have said to my face… If they feel comfortable enough to say it to my face, I feel comfortable with immortalising it in a song for the world to hear.” That ethos defines the single’s power. ‘Handle It’ isn’t just protest punk, it’s documentation, reclamation, and release, delivered at full volume.
‘Handle It’ comes in with a 7 out of 10
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