Celebrating 20 years of relentless hardcore fury, Whatever It Takes stands as a pillar of the Belgian underground scene. Their sound is a brutal collision of beatdown hardcore and death metal grit, a raw mix of Clubber Lang intimidation, Bulldoze heaviness, and Dying Fetus-level brutality, all served with streetwise swagger. Fueled by hardcore mentality, gym culture, and football attitude, their sets hit like a steel boot to the chest. This isn’t polished or pretty, it’s realness at 101%, just like they promise. Their Alcatraz show celebrating their 2 decades of repping the H8000 sound with attitude will be a warzone, and you’re either in or in the way.

Promise Down brings beer-soaked hard rock that fuses classic heavy riffs with punk swagger and working-class grit. Their songs are catchy, fast-paced, and built for a good time: no deep metaphors, just hooks and attitude. The band feels like a barroom brawl between Motörhead and Social Distortion, with a grin and a middle finger. Perfect for headbanging and singing along with your friends, drink in hand. A high-energy dose of Belgian rock ‘n’ roll rebellion.

If you like your metal like a street fight… raw, direct, and violent… Bark delivers. Their sound is a riff-heavy blend of death, groove, and hardcore punk, channeled with rabid intensity. Frontman Ron Bruynseels commands the stage like a beast, spitting venom over pounding rhythms and nasty hooks. Every song is built to shake the crowd into motion, with zero pretension and all power. Bark doesn’t just play gigs, they maul stages.

Doom-tinged heavy metal with dramatic flair, Cult Of Scarecrow delivers a gothic sound steeped in classic influences. Their music balances weighty, crawling riffs with soaring vocals and horror-inspired storytelling. It’s theatrical without being cheesy, think Mercyful Fate meets Candlemass in a Lovecraftian graveyard. Their stage presence enhances the creepy, mystical vibes, offering a welcome break from speed-driven extremity. A must for fans of dark melodies and traditional metal grandeur.

Resurrected from the legendary H8000 scene, Congress were pioneers in fusing hardcore with death and thrash metal, shaping the European metalcore movement long before the term became trendy. Their return brings with it not just nostalgia, but a renewed fire and purpose. Known for militant grooves, socio-political lyrics, and intense stage presence, they still hit hard and mean it. This Alcatraz show will be more than a set, it’ll be a statement. Witness history reawakened.

Belgium’s blackened thrash newcomers Cobracide inject new venom into the veins of extreme metal. With speed, savagery, and precision, they strike hard and fast, fueled by riff worship and an undeniable old-school spirit. There’s a rawness to their sound, but also a calculated focus where every riff aims to tear flesh. Expect blast beats, feral screams, and pit-ready thrash with a wicked blackened edge. One of the most promising new acts on the scene you want to get in with early.

Armed with bullet belts and razor-sharp riffs, Devastatiön brings pure, high-octane thrash metal straight from the underground trenches of Belgium. Their sound is fast, raw, and totally unrelenting, channeling the spirit of early Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction with a ferocious DIY attitude. No gimmicks, no trends, just whiplash-inducing riffs, barked vocals, and a stage presence that screams old-school violence. They’ve been keeping the thrash flame burning for years, and their Alcatraz set promises a nonstop assault of speed and sweat. If you like your metal fast, loud, and filthy, Devastatiön is essential viewing.

Unholy and unapologetic, Slaughter Messiah spews forth blackened thrash chaos straight from the underground abyss. Their music is steeped in evil, channeling Bathory, Hellhammer, and early Kreator with devilish delight. They ooze attitude and revel in rawness and no polish, just primal riffs and ritualistic madness. Expect denim, spikes, and a feral performance that celebrates the old ways. For those who worship at the altar of filth, this is your sermon.

Alkerdeel is one of the best around in bringing together primitive black metal, suffocating sludge, and harsh noise in one foul, unholy brew. Their sound is deliberately raw and chaotic, rejecting polish in favor of primal atmosphere and sheer intensity. Live, they channel a sort of sonic possession: improvised, unpredictable, and overwhelmingly bleak. This is not music for casual listeners; it’s an experience of cathartic destruction. For those drawn to the fringes of extremity, Alkerdeel will drag you deep in. Arrive early, because La Morgue will be overflowing for sure!

The last belgian band of the weekend is a rather special one. Hidden behind anonymity and golden masks, Briqueville creates cinematic, doom-laced post-metal that builds tension like a psychological thriller. Their long, evolving compositions slowly pull you in with hypnotic repetition and layered textures. Rather than flashy solos or vocals, they rely on mood and subtle shifts to create their haunting narrative. Live, their shows feel more like dark ceremonies that is visual, ritualistic, and utterly engulfing, a perfect performance in the intimate La Morgue tent and a must-see for fans of Amenra, Cult of Luna, or even Tool.