Do you have a story behind your artist name?
Liam: In Toronto, where we’re based, there are these two neighbourhoods separated by a ravine. On the one side is St. James Town, which is among Canada’s highest density neighbourhoods. The other side is Rosedale, which is known for being extremely affluent. The two are connected by a narrow pedestrian bridge. When my partner and I met, she lived in St. James Town, and we would often walk through Rosedale, crossing that bridge every time. It always struck me how easy it was to walk across that bridge from St. James Town to Rosedale, considering how vastly different the lives of those in Rosedale were from the lives of those in St. James Town. That’s where the idea of Cruel Hope first came to me: this experience of being walking distance away from a kind of life that – barring some kind of miracle – will forever be beyond your reach.
Paul: I think our name represents the idea that we constantly have this image of a happy/successful life dangled in front of us while being told “All you have to do is work hard and you can have all this!” When really that is almost never the case. People run themselves into the ground trying to create this “dream” life only to end up in the same place they started or worse. It’s nice to have this ideal to chase but the reality is most of us never really get there. They’re taunting us with something they’ve made nearly unattainable.
Tells us a bit about your music journey. How has it shaped you?
Liam: I first really got into playing music when I started playing bass for my older brother’s band in middle school. I think the timing of that was really important – playing music helped me gain a sense of identity, which is definitely part of why music is still such a big part of my life today.
Paul: Picked up my first instrument (bass) age 14, had a guitar and drumset by 16. Have always enjoyed being able to express myself through music with covers and originals. I’ve been in a few rock bands as well as did community service for a year helping teach kids. Besides Cruel Hope my longest gig/ project was with my acoustic duo (The Turtle Boys) where we had 2-3 gigs a week for almost 2 years at local pubs playing covers. We hosted open mics and met many great musicians we would jam/share the stage with. Also dealing with a wild and rowdy crowd helped me grow as a person by far the most. Really helped me get out into the real world and breath in some new perspectives.
Simon: I started playing Guitar hero and later Rock Band. I played the drums the most and started to be able to do simple beats on my friends kit. At 16 I started playing for real. I immediately got turned onto classic rock and heavy metal. At the same time I was doing a lot of skateboarding and snowboarding so I was always into punk music by proxy.
How would you describe your sound to someone unfamiliar with it?
Liam: We often get compared to bands like Billy Talent, Rise Against, and Green Day, which I think definitely describes a lot of the music we’ve released so far. I would say that our newer stuff has a little bit more alt-metal influence to it though, so you might see some resemblance to bands like Breaking Benjamin or Three Days Grace there.
Paul: Heavy Pop Rock with lyrics that encourage our listeners to really take a look at what’s going on around them.
Simon: Green day but violently Canadian.
What drew you to the genre /instruments you’re playing right now?
Liam: I discovered my love of music through punk rock – Green Day’s “American Idiot” album, specifically. I’ve played a lot of genres since, but I think it was kind of inevitable that I’d eventually go back to writing the kind of music that got me into music in the first place. As for the instruments I play, it’s kind of funny: I’m still most comfortable playing bass, but I write songs by singing and playing guitar, so that’s the role that feels most natural in this band.
Paul. Got a guitar on a whim and never looked back. Always embracing new styles of music.
Simon: I love the speed and the ecstasy of releasing frustrations and anger in a healthy manner by making lots of loud noises that people vibe to.
What inspires you to write music?
Liam: When I started writing for this project, it was really just as an outlet for a lot of negative feelings about the state of our world, particularly regarding the ways in which right-wing ideologies are driving us into greater and greater crises and how powerless I feel in the face of it all. It’s definitely still that, but I feel like over time I’ve become more and more inspired by the feeling of connectedness I get when something I’ve written resonates with other people. I think that’s kind of an antidote for some of the powerlessness I often feel these days: finding commonality through music makes me feel less alone, and gives me hope that together we can build a better future.
Paul: The idea of growing as a person motivates my creativity.
Simon: It is a release valve. I work out my shit by hitting drums good and then it makes me feel good.
Would you tell us about your current project, album/EP, or song you’re promoting?
Liam: Our debut album The End of the Beginning of the End is coming out in early April, which is super exciting. It’s sort of a concept album about the end of the world – I don’t want to give the full experience away, but the essence is that each song describes a different avenue by which humanity is actively driving itself towards extinction. We just put out the last single ahead of the full release, which is a song about governmental corruption called “Listen Up” – given everything going on in the world right now, it just felt right to give that song a bit more attention.
Simon: Check out our new single Listen Up! Also, come out this summer for The End is Just the Beginning Tour starting April 4th at Little Beast in Whitby.
What do you want listeners to take away from listening to your music?
Liam: I feel like a lot of people, especially those who want to build a fairer and more sustainable world, are stuck in a very defeatist mindset – they know that change is needed, but they don’t really believe that they can make it happen, and so instead they try to numb themselves to the pain and frustration they feel when faced with the injustices all around them. My goal with this project is to reverse this mindset in as many people as possible. I want people to feel not only that they can, but that they must take action to create the kind of world they would want to live in.
Paul: Be inspired to be your own person but also enjoy others’ individualism and expressions.
Simon: We have more in common that divides us. Our conditions will only be made better by our own actions. Nobody is coming to save us.
Who are your top three artists right now? If that’s not a fair question, what’s your favorite song right now?
Liam: I’ve recently been on a bit of an Architects kick – they do an incredible job of writing socially conscious messaging into absolutely excellent songs, which is something I aspire to be able to do better. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Don Broco, especially their album “Technology”. And of course, no top three list of mine is complete without mentioning Rise Against! Their music is a big part of what we do here, so they have a sort of permanent spot in my top artists for sure.
Paul:
Father of Peace
Editors
GOKUMON
Vampire Weekend
Simon: Dream Theater
King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizzard
Lamb of God
Rage Against the Machine
What’s the easiest way for fans to connect with you?
Liam: Social media’s a good way to keep in touch with us – we’re pretty active on Instagram, so folks can always shoot us a message or follow along with what we’re up to there. And of course, if you’re in southern Ontario, keep an eye out for a show near you! We play quite a bit in the GTA, and do our best to get out of town every now and then as well.
Simon: https://cruelhope.com/ for links to our social media, news and upcoming shows!
Connect with Cruel Hope:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7IYgC5s0pibuEE2Xiuu0sh?si=hcJ3xkALTzmV1TrU23O0Mw
Bandcamp:
https://cruelhope.bandcamp.com/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@cruelhopemusic
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cruel_hope/
What’s next for you?
Liam: We’ll see! It’s hard to think past the album release and the tour right now, but we’re really hoping that the next couple months will help us get our name out there so that we can keep growing, touring, and making the best music we can.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
Liam: If you check us out and like what you hear, take a look at our Bandcamp or our merch store at shop.cruelhope.com – it’s a great way to support us so that we can keep doing what we love!
Bio:
Silence is violence.
These three words, emblazoned on frontman Liam Horrigan’s guitar in red and white electrical tape, describe the essential principle underpinning Cruel Hope as a band. Straddling the line between modern rock and post-hardcore, the Toronto-based power trio swept onto the Canadian music scene in early 2022 with a clear mission: to make the kind of music that inspires people to fight for a better world. Instrumentals inspired by artists new and old, such as Rise Against, Billy Talent, Green Day, and Don Broco, complement their boldly unflinching lyrics on subjects including environmental sustainability, worker’s rights, mental health, and anti-colonialism.
Since their debut performance in February of 2022, Cruel Hope has played dozens of shows across Southern Ontario and Quebec, sharing the stage with exceptional acts including Single Mothers, The Anti-Queens, Fortunate Losers, Aarsen, Divide the Fall, and Napoleon. Catch them on the road this spring supporting the release of their debut LP, “The End of the Beginning of the End”!
