Bordering the East Midlands and East Anglia region of the country you may find yourself in the Cathedral city of Peterborough where today’s Q&A band come from. Break Them started back in 2021 and released their first single a year later. It all started (in Tom’s words) with the eagerness to create something whilst another one of his projects was on a hiatus hence the start of this project

At first glance you may think Break who? A running joke for the guys in Break Them whenever they’re at a show. You may notice a few members within the band from some other projects such as Dispute & xTemperencex

I got speaking to vocalist Tom about the project and to find out more about how it all began.

FIRST OF ALL WHERE ARE YOU GUYS BASED & HOW DID YOU ALL MEET?

Hey! We’re based in Peterborough, it’s on the border of East Anglia/East Midlands so you gotta travel to get anywhere decent. We started 2021 slowly but released our first song February 2022.

Tom & Ian were playing with another band but weren’t playing many shows, Tom spoke to Lorna over instagram after he saw her posting loads of riffs and that was it. We had a top lad called Gareth (who is in Spitting Teeth now) on drums initially and for our first release but now have Jasper playing with us since who is an absolute don.  

Tom and Lorna also play in Dispute and Lorna ALSO plays in xtemperencex

WHAT WAS THE SCENE LIKE WHERE YOU WERE GROWING UP & HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN IT?

Growing up the scene was glorious, we had a sick venue called the park but it got shut down eventually and there’s not been a proper fun Peterborough show for years.

Tom has put a couple on that did ok but the venue is a 30 cap practice room so it’s just chaos and the owner wasn’t thrilled about a double KO and broken radiator!

THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A DUMBASS QUESTION BUT HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME BREAK THEM?

I was listening to the Doom 2016 soundtrack on YouTube at work and brainstorming band name ideas because I am a terrible employee, one of the track names was break them.

People always take the piss and say “break who?” Everyone!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND TO SOMEBODY WHO HASN’T HEARD YOU BEFORE?

Our style leans more towards the metallic hardcore side of things with punk influences, we’re only really just settled into our sound over the last couple of releases but it keeps getting heavier which is always good.

WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE BEEN FACED WITH?

At the start it was just getting shows, got a bunch of friends who have given us chances so it’s always appreciated. But there’s been no drama, no issues and we’re all genuinely such good mates.

Our bassist left a couple of years back and it took us about half a day to realise it was for the best and we’ve not bothered finding another yet.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE ARTISTS?

Slipknot got me into metal along with spineshank, I’m a huge gods hate fan and spent a good decade deep in the death metal scene, anything with groove I will enjoy.

Top 3 at the minute are probably Gods Hate, Splitknuckle and Lowlife

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SHOWS YOU’VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING A PART OF & DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE VENUE?

Bury St Edmund’s practice room shows are stupid, we love small venues, did a mad garage show in Kettering too a while back.

We’ve played the cab in Newport with dispute a few times and that’s one of my favourite places, akedo in Lincoln, duffys in Leicester 

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM TOUR TO GET BREAK THEM ON?

Anywhere with mates, be great to play fests but get us in tiny rooms with our friends bands.

WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES YOU’VE HAD TOGETHER?

We entered Metal 2 the Masses a couple of times early on just to get some more shows, was always a laugh.

We were lucky enough to be a part of a small Swiss doc about women in hardcore and that was amazing.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR LOCAL SCENE AND THE REST OF THE UK CHANGE IN RECENT YEARS?

I love the UK scene, everywhere is so different but mostly supportive.

Shoutout Notts wrecking crew, emhc, LBU, Less Than Zero, Fenland Hardcore, BN1,  everyone in Ipswich/Norwich and basically anyone who lives in the arse end of nowhere that goes mad at shows. 

HOW IMPORTANT IS REPRESENTATION IN THE COMMUNITY?

Representation is a huge part of hardcore, our guitarist Lorna is gay and has had nothing but love from the scene, hardcore gets such a bad rep but the dickheads always get found out and fuck off.

Be true to your morals and yourself, you’ll be absolutely fine regardless of race, gender, sexuality. We’re all here for the same thing and everyone outside of it thinks we’re stupid anyway.

WE MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS SCENE. DO YOU HAVE A GREAT CONNECTION WITH ANYONE IN PARTICULAR AND WOULD RECOMMEND WORKING WITH?

EHC screenprinting does our shirts every time and is a diamond, toxico do our beanies and bags. Can’t fault em. Same as the list above, we’ve been really lucky to make such great friends in the scene.

Gotta shout out Lingchi from Essex who put us on a show that unfortunately didn’t do too well, still paid us and it’s always good to bump into them.

We went over to Germany for a few shows last year with Dispute and the AAK guys are gods, Josh & Steve are two of the nicest guys in the world, hopefully break them get to go over next year 

WHO HAS BEEN SOME OF YOUR LARGEST INFLUENCES FOR YOUR MUSIC?

This changes so often based on what we’re listening to, I’ve got an old UKHC playlist I put on on the way back from a show a while back and we just made notes.

WE CAN’T ALL BE MUSICIANS 24/7 SO WHAT JOBS/CAREERS DO YOU GUYS HAVE?

I’m a transport planner, Lorna is an account rep, Ian’s a pest controller and Jasper is a firefighter!

HAVE YOU GOT ANY HOBBIES/INTERESTS YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE PEOPLE?

Gone full on in the gym recently but Warhammer, always Warhammer.

YOU RELEASED YOUR MOST RECENT EP ‘TO THE DEATH’ BACK IN FEBRUARY. WHAT WERE YOUR INFLUENCES FOR THESE TRACKS AND HOW HAPPY WERE YOU WITH HOW IT CAME TOGETHER?

We recorded it all at Ian’s, he’s got a sick set up in his shed, it got mixed and mastered at Crossed Bell Studios after a recommendation from Dispute.

It came out self released. Melting point media does 90% of our art (executioners tax designs deserves the other 10% for doing our logo) and it all came together so well.

No peace for my enemies lyrically is the favourite song I’ve ever done, but trench raid is so groovy.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM YOU GUYS FOR THE REST OF 2026?

We were so busy last year we’ve slowed down a bit so far which is cool, we’re writing again now but not sure when it’ll be out. We will definitely be playing new songs at shows soon though.

I’d really like to get up to Scotland and over to Newport this year with a view to hit the mainland next year at some point 

FINALLY, HAVE YOU GOT ANY OTHER ARTISTS/FRIENDS YOU THINK THE PEOPLE SHOULD CHECK OUT?

Everyone, support your scene always. Start a band, start 10 bands, take photos, start a zine, document your shows, mosh, buy merch, have fun and get involved.

Love to Dispute, Temperence, AAK, Maissnaps, Hour of Reprisal, Lowlife and all the homies.

Keep supporting local bands and promoters and of course DIY UKHC

You can listen to Break Them on all major streaming services now!

For further show information keep an eye out on their socials @breakthemhc

Until next time, I’ll catch you in the pit!

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