I’ve been following Peer Pressure since their beginnings with the Inside Out EP, and I was thrilled to see their evolution bring them all the way to the European continent for the first time last year. That gave me the urge to sit down with Victoria, the vocalist of the Québec hardcore band, for a conversation that also includes a brief overview of their discography.
The band did a quick run through France, Germany, and Spain last September. They won over the hearts of our overseas cousins, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a signing with a French label were to emerge someday.
01. You made your first incursion into Europe last September. What felt different, and what stood out to you compared to what you’ve experienced in North America?
To start, unreal. Completely unreal. Having the opportunity to play and meet new people in Europe was an experience I never really comprehended until I got back home. It felt like a dream more than a reality.
The crowds in France were something out of this world. Being the “Cousins” really made sense to me after that tour. The amount of respect we got from the promoters, organizers, other bands etc just for making the trip from Canada to France / Europe in general was beautiful. We felt loved.
I think the biggest realization for me personally, was the fact that people were singing our songs but lived that far away from us. It made me realize how big this community really is and helped me to come back with the same attitude. Why do we compete within this industry? We should be a community and push each other - that right there, is exactly what I saw in Europe and will be forever grateful for. It opened our eyes to the bigger picture.
Now, we know what to do and more importantly, how to do it.
02. You received very positive reviews during that tour from Spanish, German, and especially French media, who described you as “hardcore engagement without compromise.” Do you believe that press coverage will help you with future tours?
Definitely, and it already has. We came back home with so many contacts and opportunities for our future planning. The biggest difference next time around will be the fact that we’ll be going back stronger with so much more knowledge and help.
Mind you, our first tour we were so blessed to have the help we did. Contacts and connections are everything for us. Every single person we meet in the scene will be remembered because we push for that connection to be a relationship and not just a name. Everyone matters to us.
03. Speaking of the future, you are entering your 8th year as a band. Have you already thought about what might happen when you reach the 10-year mark?
Great question! We have thought about it briefly, but not so intensively quite yet. I am sure we will do an “Inside Out” 10 year anniversary run, since it was released in our early era. Maybe a 2.0 of the first album? Who knows… but it’s been discussed!
04. The first EP Inside Out carried a strong sense of urgency, a need to stand out through raw anger. It seemed to translate perfectly on stage, almost as if it had been designed for live performance. Was that intentional?
It was most certainly intentional. We wanted to start off with a “crowd” album. We wanted our friends and community to know that we are doing this with them. We wanted to have songs to start with that made the room move with us.
We knew when starting the band we would have to play actively, we focussed on the “fun” in that moment rather than “fundamentals” behind it. To be honest, we were also learning! We’re humans, we all start somewhere. We kept it simple as we’re patient people and knew that experience would come to play in the near future, then, we’d evolve, and evolve together.
“Inside Out” was our introductory album to show everyone “we’re here to have fun, but we’re here to stay, too”.
05. Catharsis feels very personal and introspective. It deals with mental health, exhaustion, anxiety, trauma, and individual reconstruction. Would you say that record was therapeutic for you?
This album is very personal for me. Every song, every subject, every line - has its purpose. When I say it’s “personal for me” I don’t always mean it's (about me). It refers to what I’ve seen, people I care about who faced “demons”, myself facing my own “demons” etc.
I thought it was time to share that message of “we are all human, you are not alone”. I myself have always struggled with mental health and anxiety, since I was a young kid. I hated myself for a very long time because I never thought I was in my "place". You know? I have lived in so many places but rarely called it "home". I still hate myself sometimes. These are the “demons” I live with.
However, I learn everyday to control them more and more, by accepting who I am and where I am today. My past does not define me - it made me. I will no longer let my past portray my outcomes. They will stay where they belong - in the past but planning a better future.
I wrote the album “Catharsis” as my own personal breaking point. To say “that’s enough, I will win this fucking battle inside of my head”. If I can speak these words, share these stories - I know someone is listening, and that’s the person I’m talking to - without even knowing it. This album is for every single person who has struggled or does struggle with mental health, anxiety, trauma, or anything that is uncontrollable. I am with you. We will fight this fight together.
06. From a technical standpoint, across the three releases you’ve clearly raised your level. You moved from classic hardcore punk on the EP to heavier, more developed riffs on Catharsis, and then to a more technical hardcore/thrash blend on the latest record. Was that musical shift influenced by the bands you’ve toured or shared the stage with?
If you look back at all 3 of our albums, one thing that is clear is that we explored. We wanted to explore. Our goal was not to stay in a line or a specific direction with “rules”. We developed more sounds and technical blends into our music mostly by listening to each other.
We asked “what are you listening to right now?” often. Doing this, we didn’t follow rules rather than following each other. We just wanted to bring a new taste into the music we were creating and then eventually fall in love with a sound we “created” for ourselves then ride that wave.
Now, we know we want to mix everything to build the perfect recipe.
07. Regarding This Hell on Earth Could Be, lyrically it presents a more lucid and outward-looking attempt to understand the world, less introspective than the previous records. Your identity now seems more defined, more mature, and more focused on social and collective critique. Would you agree?
This album was way more focussed on the subject matter versus instrumental elements on its own. This album was a message for the world. We wanted to take subjects that we saw on the news, problems we saw internationally and relate them to all of us as one. In the end - no one owns this earth, we’re here as one species… we should start to believe it and live that way.
Otherwise, this hell on earth could be… brutal.
08. Have you noticed an evolution in your fan base since your early days? Is it still largely the same core audience from seven years ago?
We have definitely noticed an evolution with our fan base! We still have our fans from the beginning, which means the world to us. Yet, we’re meeting new fans every single day.
The biggest difference now is “how” the fans are finding us. Back then, we relied on word-of-mouth so much to get our name out there because social media wasn’t as dominant. Now, we have a fan base from each media point (it’s kind of funny if you think about it haha). We have our “IG fans, TikTok Fans, FB fans, YT fans… ‘shows only’ fans..” It is pretty impressive to be honest! We work hard on staying active and relevant. Social media is a ******** (insert whatever word you want here) but, it’s just as important as the music you release!
So, we’re connected. We talk to our fans, we’re friends with them. I think that’s a huge reason they stay! They know we see them as friends and family and not a “fan”.
Photo Credits : Willo Olsen
09. Do you reject being categorized as a “female-fronted” band, as many hardcore or punk bands with a woman on vocals are often labeled?
Yes, lol. I don’t have any hate to anyone who labels themselves as it, though! It is a personal choice for me. Being a “Woman” in the metal scene… I feel like people often think we get the shows we do or festivals we do “just because I am a girl” and damn, that really fucking pisses me off. Do they think I work less? Do they think I practice less? Do they think my skill and talent is performed by AI? It is truly complete bullshit if you ask me.
We are where we are because we work hard for it. We don’t stop. Labelling myself as “female-fronted” will only add fuel to the fire I don’t want burning. Love us for our music - Love us for our live performances. Don’t love us because you think I’m “pretty”.
Reality check - I’m not! That’s why I make aggressive music!
10. You have a few shows coming up from March 14th to 20th. Tell us more about them, and let us know if tickets are available online.
We are so stoked to leave for our mini-tour next week! We’ll be starting it off in Sarnia, Ontario the 14th and then ending it in Quebec City (hometown show) on the 20th. Hitting cities like London < Toronto. We’re touring with “Thorns” from Ontario. They’re really great guys and have been super helpful throughout the tour planning. A huge shoutout to Chem Valley Promotions for their help on this one, too!
It’s honestly been a long time since we’ve toured or played Ontario, we’re looking forward to hitting that market more because we keep hearing how much it’s booming!
We have some tickets on sale for our 20th hometown show at La Source de la Martiniere through Lepointdevente.
Full Lineup: DROP OUT COLD - BLANK - THORNS (ON) - PEER PRESSURE.
All shows and information available on social media < Spotify.
The determination of Victoria Mladenovski is as sharp as the BPM of Peer Pressure’s latest tracks. She's a fighter, a survivalist who refuses to burn out. After witnessing her relentless drive, her aggressive energy, and her double‑impact stage presence, it’ll be exciting to follow the Quebec Hardcore Metal band through Ontario this spring.
Even more exciting will be seeing them at the Vans Warped Tour in Montreal this summer. But no matter where you are on the planet, Peer Pressure is a must—both live and on record.
