Montreal's Hostile Switch came together through the hardcore scene, but vocalist Tristan's path to the band wasn't core-related. “I started going to hardcore shows while I was in a death metal band, and I noticed the scene was much more alive and the shows were crazier. That gave me the push to start writing riffs that reflected more of what I personally was into,” Tristan tells No Echo. “Johny, who plays guitar in Hostile Switch, was also with me in the death metal band, and when I told him I was starting a metalcore band, he was already on board.”
From there, friendships made at local shows helped the rest of the lineup fall into place. With such a wide array of stylistic influences within their lineup, Hostile Switch didn't immediately arrive at the sound they have today.
“We were influenced by so many bands and records when we started that we ended up not really knowing what Hostile Switch was. By the end of the EP recording, Symptoms of a Decaying World, we knew where we wanted to go, and it's pretty much what we did with the split EP we just dropped,” Tristan explains.
That direction should be immediately familiar to anyone with an appreciation for the darker end of metallic hardcore. “It sounds like Disembodied, Arkangel, and those late-'90s metalcore bands that are rooted in hardcore. Many pit parts with evil riffs and dissonant chords. Our local scene here in Montreal is very much alive, and we are, of course, influenced by all our homies who come up with some of the sickest mosh riffs.”
That new release, ...From the Nine Circles, is a split EP with Toronto's Portraits of Anger, a band Hostile Switch considers close friends. Lyrically, the split digs into betrayal, suffering, and the people who seem to take pleasure in someone else's struggles.
“So many times I've seen people rejoice at my failures or try to put me down for their benefit. Or straight up turn their back on you for bullshit reasons. That fueled the lyrics when I was writing for it,” Tristan says. “Throughout the songs, there are a lot of biblical references, notably regarding sins and the downfall of man.”
Those ideas also shaped the visual direction of the release. “When we were discussing the art direction with Portraits of Anger, it was quickly decided that we'd have a hell or infernal theme. Lucas, the singer from Portraits of Anger, wrote about similar themes without even knowing what I was writing, so it lined up perfectly.” The artwork for the split was done by @fdhll_____, with lettering by Jérémie Bélanger, and a layout by Xavier Trudeau.
In terms of their local music community, Tristan tells No Echo that Hostile Switch is psyched on the energy of the current Montreal hardcore scene. He points to the recent Be About It Fest as an example. The local hardcore festival took place during Warped Tour but still managed to draw a strong crowd.
“I was stoked to see folks showing up for underground hardcore,” he says. “Everyone should check out Freezerburn, Hammer Drop, Iron Crusaders, Cross Check, and HeavensColdHands. There is a solid amount of bands that are genuinely awesome. Check out Be About It Records and Lifers Records. They have sick catalogues.”
With ...From the Nine Circles out, Hostile Switch already has three release shows lined up, including dates in Montreal, Quebec City, and Welland, Ontario. The band isn't wasting much time before moving on to its next batch of material, either.
“We wrote a lot of songs recently, so we're going to start preproduction on those after the release window. We're slowly working toward the next EP,” Tristan tells No Echo. “We want to keep playing shows and tap into new scenes around us in 2027.” Hostile Switch will be playing a show on September 6 at NDG Legion in Montreal on a bill that also includes A Mourning Star, Portraits of Anger, and Floral Wound:
Before signing off, Tristan makes a point of acknowledging the labels, promoters, and people who continue to support Hostile Switch and Montreal hardcore as a whole.
“Shout-out to Death Farm Records and Endnote Records for making this release happen. Be About It Records, MTLHC Collective, and Into the Ether for booking shows in our community and having us on dope bills,” he says. “Shout-out to the MTLHC community. We do this for you guys, the moshers, and everyone who's been supporting us since day one.”
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...From the Nine Circles is available on CD (Death Farm Records) and cassette (Endnote Records).
Hostile Switch on social media: Instagram
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