HETZE
Hetze is a Ghent/Antwerp-based power violence/hardcore punk band.
Their latest LP, ‘Until I Snap’, is out on Loner Cult Records.
“We wanted to create an album that captured how we have progressed musically”
When did Hetze start? In 2017?
Eva: Yes! After our first rehearsal at the Loner Cult Records barn, also known as the Travolta rehearsal space, we went straight to Het Bos where Kill Your Idols was crushing Antwerp! That was in June 2017. Our first show was in March 2018 at Kinky Star in Ghent. The place was packed! Covid shut everything down just after our split LP release party with Dismalfucker. During the pandemic, we released our split with Trappist. Time flies!
Why did you start Hetze? What do the four of you have in common?
I had always wanted to start a hardcore punk band ever since I started going to shows. I sang in some bands before, but they never left the rehearsal room. Dorien (bass) had filled in live for Travølta on some occasions, and Caroline (guitar) had a history of playing in bands. At the same time, Viktor (drummer) was looking for something new to combine with his death metal band, Bones. Dorien and Caroline thought it would make sense to try and do something, so they got together and invited me to pick up the mic. I had known Dorien from hardcore shows for a long time. We put our ideas together and found that we matched really well. After a Bones gig, we asked Viktor (drums) to rehearse with us. Musically and personally, everyone got along so well that this idea was scrapped, and we began writing songs for our first LP, ‘Bedbugs’.
Where are you from?
I live in Ghent; the others are around Antwerp. We rehearse in Borgerhout at Viktor’s recording studio.
Which bands do you see as your influences? Agathocles?
Older hardcore punk from the ’80s and ’90s inspires me, like Health Hazard, Despise You, Ripcord, Spazz, etc. Lots of respect for Agathocles! They are world-famous, but they weren’t the first band that came to my mind. Although for many people in Belgium, Agathocles is the only Belgian band they know. I even found an Agathocles record in a record shop in Thailand!
As a band, we come from different musical backgrounds, and this shows in our influences and music as well. Our drummer has played metal his whole life, and many people say you can hear it in his drumming style, which isn’t straightforward all the time.
Who are the bands around you that inspire you?
Do you mean current bands? We’re really stoked to play with GEL and Gouge Away at Ieperfest. I’ve been lucky enough to see Warthog a few times live, and those gigs literally gave me goosebumps. There are so many new good bands; it’s even difficult to keep up with them. It’s also incredible how many great bands there are in Belgium and around these days.
What are you currently listening to?
I just bought the new Paprika and Crawl Space, and three LPs of Yakopsae. My musical taste is rather eclectic. Haha. I can go from fastcore to hardcore punk and back, to hip hop, metal, etc. It depends a bit on my mood and what I’m doing. Wound Man or Mind Eraser is perfect for the gym, where I have to unleash my inner rage while lifting weights. But when I go for a run, I’ll put on a Wangedrag radio show or something to discover new music and get my mind off the task ahead. I hope they’ll make some new episodes though.
Where does the name HETZE come from?
It wasn’t easy to find a band name that everyone liked. We thought HETZE was short and powerful, both in word and thought.
‘Until I Snap’ is a great record. Can you tell me how the recording of ‘Until I Snap’ went? How do you remember the recording process?
We wanted to create an album that captured how we have progressed musically. This time, we wanted to take our time and invest more care into the recording process, the sound, everything. In the end, we spent 14 days recording everything, and we feel we have gotten the best sound we ever have, by far. Recording and mixing were done by Viktor (drummer) at his recording studio in Antwerp.
Joeri Bruyninckx
HETZE Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
