“We’re a small band from somewhere in the northern Kempen. You arrive in Kortrijk, you don’t know what to expect. You hope that the big tent is going to be full. Well, it was everything we could imagine.”

The band were still processing the experience when we caught up with them after the show. They had even reminded one another beforehand to take a moment during their 40-minute set to look around and appreciate what was happening. It was easy to get swept up in the performance, but that was precisely why they wanted to remember it. As one of the band members put it, the entire set felt like a highlight. And while the crowd’s response was a major part of that, the band’s own enjoyment was just as important.

Happy Metal With Depressing Memories

So, who exactly are Hope Erodes for anyone discovering them outside Belgium? Their answers quickly reveal a band that doesn’t feel the need to take itself too seriously. “Fun. If you want to see metal and fun together, come see Hope Erodes.” Another description was even more concise: “Happy metal with depressing memories.” Behind the jokes is a fairly clear philosophy. The music itself needs to be good, but the live experience should be enjoyable for both the band and the audience. Hope Erodes want people to have something to listen to and something to watch, even when they’re playing for a crowd that might not usually gravitate towards their particular sound.

Their musical identity is similarly uncomplicated. Rather than sitting down to decide which genre they should fit into or how to sound different from everyone else, they play what they like. The result brings together metalcore, melodic metalcore and melodic death metal, with influences ranging from Killswitch Engage to Sepultura and Sick of It All. “It’s a blend. Take a metalcore part and put a melodic death metal part behind it and just make it work. Mix it up.” The different musical backgrounds within the band help shape that mix, but the common thread is a shared enthusiasm for heavy music. There’s no elaborate formula to follow; the goal is to make the different elements work together and have a good time doing it.

Personal Emotions Behind the Music

The playful stage presence doesn’t mean the music lacks emotional weight. When the conversation turns to the lyrics, a more personal side of Hope Erodes comes into focus. The songwriting process begins with the music. The lyrics are then written while listening to it, drawing on whatever thoughts and emotions the music brings to mind. That makes the lyrical material a personal outlet rather than an exercise in following a particular theme. “It’s so personal. I don’t go to a psychiatrist. I have a band.”

It’s a funny answer, delivered in keeping with the band’s overall attitude, but it also captures something meaningful about the creative process. The music provides a place to channel difficult emotions, even if the atmosphere on stage is far from sombre. The band also discussed the practicalities of bringing their songs to the stage. With musical ideas continuing to develop, they’ve occasionally wanted to add more layers to a song such as “Into the Void”. Additional backing-track elements can help fill out the sound, they explained, while emphasising that the difficult parts are still performed by the band themselves.

Making the Most of the Opportunity

For a Belgian band, getting to play Alcatraz carries a particular significance. The performance was a milestone, but Hope Erodes also saw it as an opportunity to reach people who might not otherwise come across their music. Festivals offer a chance to play in front of a much larger audience than a band might ordinarily attract. Among the people watching could be promoters, venue bookers or festival organisers looking for an act to add to a future bill.

“Those 40 minutes are our prize.”

The hope is that someone in the crowd remembers the performance and considers bringing Hope Erodes along for another show, whether that’s in a small club or on a bigger festival stage. When asked where they’d like to be a year later, their answer was immediate: back at Alcatraz. They even volunteered themselves for the reserve list in case another opportunity came up, joking that they’d be at the campsite with their gear ready to go.

There’s ambition there, but it comes across without grand declarations. The band would love to play bigger stages and reach more people, while recognising that every opportunity to perform is valuable in its own right.

A Scene Worth Discovering

Ask Hope Erodes to recommend one Belgian band to listeners abroad, and the question turns out to be harder than expected. Their initial answer is, naturally, Hope Erodes themselves, but they quickly acknowledge that the Belgian metal scene has far too many talented bands to narrow it down to just one. That sense of community also informs their closing message. They encourage people to keep attending shows, checking out smaller bands and supporting the music they enjoy. Every stream, every like and every bit of engagement can make a difference to an emerging act.

It’s an appropriate ending for a conversation with a band that clearly values the opportunity to get in front of a crowd. Hope Erodes may be serious about the music they make, but they don’t see a reason why that should come at the expense of having fun.

And if their Alcatraz performance was anything to go by, that’s a philosophy worth keeping.

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