Belgium and hardcore have always gone together like peanut butter and jelly. Whether we’re talking 90s, 00s, or 10s, our tiny country has somehow managed to produce a long list of bands that hit the spot.
One of the most exciting newer bands, without a doubt, is Misled, a 5-piece that puts its own spin on classic NYHC, with plenty of groove and hints of melody. 2026 may just be their breakout year, so it's time for you to meet the moshers. Hegge (guitar) and Jonathan (vocals) were kind enough to answer my questions.
You guys dropped a 2-song promo last year to introduce the band. You've been playing out quite often since, so mission accomplished, I'd say. Are you happy with how the band has taken off since then?
First off, thank you, hardcore, for being there and for bringing the 5 of us together. Regarding the promo: people wanted us to play a show, and we were hyped, but felt like we needed to get something out there. Shoutout to our friend Marlo, who recorded everything in his attic! To be honest, it’s unbelievable how far those songs have taken us since, despite the way we recorded them.
The High Vis x True Colors show a couple of weeks ago is a perfect example; it was quite daunting to open for such great bands, but the response we got was something we never expected. Young people and older heads were moshing, singing along, going wild, and that’s just a beautiful thing to see. So again, thank you to our friends and hardcore.
Both songs on that promo feature the word "misled" and seem to explore themes of alienation and disappointment. Could you shine some light on what they're about?
To us the songs are a way of expressing feelings like being misled, and — like you say — feeling alienated. It’s difficult to feel like you don’t belong, or have society tell you which rules to follow, whether they make sense or not. We get misled every day by so many things. And we hope these themes and songs resonate with some people.
But we also just think it’s a really good Death Threat song. And we can’t forget about the Kool and the Gang classic, that's where the name Misled came from.
It's pretty obvious you guys are big into late '80s/early '90s NYHC. I'm picking up on some Cold Front, Dijan-era Breakdown, and maybe some Cro-Mags. What other inspirations am I missing? And what would you say the secret Misled sauce is?
Inspiration for Misled comes from many things and places, but strictly speaking, we'd say Leeway, Cro-Mags, Crown of Thornz, Life of Agony, and Cold World — but that’s just the stuff we constantly listen to. It’s a style we felt was missing in Belgium right now.
We think the Misled secret sauce comes down to döner kebab. We started writing those first songs before we ordered some, and they were finished before the kebab arrived. That’s just a little pro-tip [laughs].
The live recordings you dropped after the promo sound exactly how they should: raw, exciting, and full of energy. To me, they sound like a band that is rapidly growing and gaining confidence. Would you agree? Tell me about the show where these songs were recorded, and tell me about covering "My Own Rules" by Dynamo (an excellent choice if there ever was one).
Can I tell you something nice? The tracks were recorded at our third show, which we played at Cobra Jaune in Brussels, and it was very exciting for all of us. It’s just the perfect hardcore venue; every band should be excited to play there. Special shoutout to Xavier (Instructor & Blood Bubble) for putting me (Hegge) on to Dynamo in 2016.
We didn’t wanna do the obvious and cover "The Harsh Truth" by The Icemen, we love that band though. But that Dynamo demo has been gatekept for way too long. You can listen to it on YouTube, which more people should. YouTube Hardcore is the place to be. The song itself is just all a hardcore song has to be: groovy and stomping. It aligns perfectly with what we stand for (shoutout Leeway) in Misled.
Rest in peace, Carl the Mosher.
I'm guessing you're working on new songs for a real-deal EP now, or what do you have cooking? How are the newer songs coming along?
We still gotta order some more kebab, but we're more excited than ever to write new songs, and hopefully get them out there soon. Also, together with Listed, we're working on a bright future for Belgian hardcore.
Speaking of Belgian hardcore, it seems to be in a good place right now. What are some of the current bands that get you guys going? And what were some of the Belgian bands that drew you into hardcore?
We're always happy to do shows along with the family in Escape, Listed, Instructor, Blood Bubble, Vaag, Wrong Man, Mindwar, and Feverchild.
We know they're not from Belgium, but shoutout to Premonition, Broken Ankles (honorary Belgians), Worst Doubt, and all the Paris bands. Also, Co-exist from the UK; if you want good straight edge music and you love Dr. Pepper, check 'em out.
In terms of Belgian hardcore that got us into it and continues to inspire us... We gotta start with Justice, True Colors, Get Wise, Grim, Pulse, Rythm To The Madness, Rise And Fall, Conviction, Rebuild, Dead Stop, Regression, Arkangel, Crawlspace, Loud And Clear. This list ain’t complete, but we’re only human.
Any final words or future plans you'd like to share?
The world is in a bad place, but as a hardcore band, we hope to create something that you can lose your shit to, express your thoughts, and speak your mind. Don't be misled by foolish words and ideas. Keep exploring.
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Misled on social media: Instagram
Tagged: misled
