If you’ve ever been caught in a whirlwind of flying limbs and sweat at a summer festival, you probably already know that Get The Shot doesn't do "chill." They don't do background music. This is a band that demands every ounce of your physical presence. Honestly, the Quebec City quintet has spent the last decade turning the global hardcore scene into a personal sparring ground, and they’re winning.
They are loud.
They are angry.
And they are perhaps the most successful export of the Canadian heavy scene since Despised Icon decided to break the internet. But what actually makes them tick? It’s not just the breakdowns. It's the weird, almost uncomfortable blend of 90s thrash metal and the bleakest parts of modern hardcore. You’ve got people who grew up on Metallica and people who grew up on Terror all meeting in the same pit, which is usually a recipe for a disaster or a masterpiece. With Get The Shot, it's usually both at the same time.
The Quebec City Roots and the "No-Hold-Back" Mentality
You can't talk about this band without talking about Quebec. The scene there is different. It’s insulated but incredibly passionate. When Get The Shot formed back in 2009, they weren't trying to get on a Spotify playlist—mostly because those didn't really exist in the way they do now—but they were trying to out-heavy their peers. JP Lagacé, the frontman, is a literal professor by day. Think about that for a second. You have a guy who understands the nuances of philosophy and literature, then goes on stage and screams about the end of the world while diving off a stack of amplifiers.
It’s that intellectual grit that separates them from the "tough guy" hardcore tropes. While a lot of bands are content to just sing about brotherhood and backstabbing, Lagacé digs into the nihilism of the human condition.
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Their debut, Perdition, was a solid start, but it was No Peace in Hell that really put them on the map. It felt like a punch to the throat. They took the "Crossover" tag—something usually reserved for bands like Municipal Waste or Power Trip—and made it darker. It wasn't "party thrash." It was "the-world-is-burning thrash." By the time Infinite Punishment dropped in 2017, the secret was out. Europe was calling. The US was starting to wake up.
Why Merciless Destruction Changed the Game
If you haven't listened to Merciless Destruction, do your ears a favor and prepare for the impact. Released in late 2022, this record is where the band stopped caring about "genre rules." It’s an ugly album. It’s mean.
They brought in guests like Rob Watson from Lionheart and Matthias from Nasty, which tells you everything you need to know about where their head is at. They want to be the heaviest band in the room, period. The title track is basically a three-minute assault. But then you have tracks like "Deathbound," which features Duff from Bloom, showing a bit more of a melodic, albeit still crushing, edge.
What’s interesting is how they use the "beatdown" element. In the hardcore world, "beatdown" can sometimes be a bit of a dirty word—associated with slow, repetitive riffs and low-IQ posturing. Get The Shot avoids this by keeping the technicality high. The drumming is frantic. The solos are actually, well, solos. Tom Desjardins and Guy-Pierre Genest play with a level of precision that you usually only see in top-tier death metal bands. It’s technical thrash played with the heart of a hardcore kid who just wants to break something.
The Live Experience: Don't Forget Your Mouthguard
You haven't truly heard Get The Shot until you've seen them in a room with 200 people and no barricade. Or at Hellfest in front of 30,000 people. Somehow, the energy is the same.
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- The "Wall of Death" isn't a suggestion; it's a requirement.
- Lagacé spends more time in the crowd than on the stage.
- The "Quebec Hardcore" chant is deafening.
There is a genuine sense of danger at their shows that is missing from a lot of modern metal. It’s not that people are trying to hurt each other—hardcore is supposed to be a community, after all—but the music is so volatile that you can’t help but react. It's primal. When they play "Blackened Sun," the room usually just explodes.
I’ve seen kids lose shoes, glasses, and probably a few teeth, and they come out of the pit smiling. It’s a catharsis. In a world that feels increasingly out of control, there’s something therapeutic about a band that sounds like a literal riot.
Navigating the Hype: Are They "Too Metal" for Hardcore?
This is the big debate, right? Some purists think Get The Shot has leaned too far into the metal side of things. If you look at their riffs, they owe as much to Slayer as they do to Madball. But honestly? Who cares.
The lines between these genres have been blurred for years. Look at bands like Knocked Loose or Malevolence. The "new wave" of heavy music is all about the blend. Get The Shot basically pioneered this for the French-Canadian scene. They proved you could have the speed of thrash, the grooves of nu-metal (yeah, there's a bit of that in there too, don't deny it), and the ethics of hardcore.
Their lyrics often touch on the "failed state" of society. It's not just "I'm mad at my dad" music. It’s socio-political commentary delivered with a sledgehammer. That’s why they resonate so well in places like South America and Europe, where the political climate is often as tense as the music itself.
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How to Support and Keep Up With the Band
If you're new to the band, don't just start with the hits. Dig into the deep cuts. Look for the live footage from the Hate5six archives—it's the gold standard for seeing what they actually do to a room.
- Follow them on socials: They are surprisingly active on Instagram, mostly posting tour diaries that make you tired just looking at them.
- Buy the merch: Hardcore bands live and die by merch sales. Their designs are usually top-tier, leaning heavily into that dark, apocalyptic aesthetic.
- Check out the local Quebec scene: If you like these guys, look into bands like Great American Ghost (their frequent tour mates) or The Ghost Inside.
The band is currently firing on all cylinders. They've been touring Merciless Destruction relentlessly, hitting festivals across the globe and showing no signs of slowing down. There’s a rumor of new material in the works, though nothing is set in stone yet. Whatever comes next, you can bet it won't be quiet.
Actionable Steps for the New Fan
If you want to dive into the world of Get The Shot properly, here is exactly how to do it without getting overwhelmed.
First, go watch their full set from Hellfest on YouTube. It's the best representation of their "big stage" energy. Then, grab a pair of decent headphones and blast Infinite Punishment from start to finish. Don't skip tracks. The flow of that album is intentional; it's designed to wear you down.
Second, if they are coming within 100 miles of your city, buy a ticket. Even if you don't like moshing, stay at the back, grab a drink, and just watch the sheer athleticism of the performance. It's a masterclass in stage presence.
Finally, keep an eye on New Damage Records or Useless Pride Records. Those are the labels that have backed them, and they consistently put out some of the best heavy music coming out of Canada and Europe. Supporting the labels is just as important as supporting the band if you want this scene to stay alive. This isn't just music; it's a subculture that relies on the "DIY" spirit, even as the bands get bigger. Stay loud, stay angry, and for the love of everything, watch out for the stage divers.