GET TO KNOW: Trapped Under Ice (Ahead of Outbreak Festival 2026)

When discussing the modern-day titans of Hardcore, TRAPPED UNDER ICE simply cannot be ignored. Exploding onto the Baltimore Hardcore scene in 2007, their influence over today’s scene is astronomic, and they are rightfully one of the most well-respected groups in hardcore, with bands like SPEED citing them as influences. 

TRAPPED UNDER ICE was originally founded by Sam Trapkin on guitar, Justice Tripp, who went on to later found ANGEL DU$T, on vocals, with Daniel Klipa on guitar, Eric Mach on bass and Ben Esparaza on drums in 2007 with their demo debuting in the same year. The band are massively influenced by the New York hardcore scene, with bands like HATEBREED, MERAUDER and BULLDOZE being listed as influences for them. Within a year of this debut, they had successfully been a part of the ‘10 for $10’ tour with POISON THE WELL headlining as well as a group of rotating bands including legends like MADBALL, TERROR and BANE and in September 2008, the first EP Stay Cold was released. 

Stay Cold is an explosive 9-minute project that cemented the sound that TRAPPED UNDER ICE have stuck with since the beginning. In this EP, you can hear the influence it has had on shaping the landscape of modern hardcore, and yet despite being a classic for most, it still sounds fresh to this day. This EP garnered attention from critics within the hardcore scene for its fresh take on hardcore, with an article from 2008 on ‘Punk News’ saying ‘Following up their promising 7" demo, Stay Cold finds the band refining their NYHC base to a fresher and more polished sound'. This EP set the perfect stage for their debut full-length album Secrets of the World, which was released in 2009.

Following the departure of drummer Ben Esparaza, Daniel Klipa and Eric Mach in 2008 and 2009, the band recruited Jared Carman on bass, Brad Hyra on guitar and Brendon Yates on drums, who went on to co-found the vocalist for hardcore titans, TURNSTILE. The band embarked on tours with the likes of BANE and MADBALL, really reaffirming their place on the hardcore landscape at the time. 

With this lineup, TRAPPED UNDER ICE released the widely acclaimed album Big Kiss Goodnight in October 2011. The impact of this album can still be heard throughout the genre, and it set a precedent for a new era of hardcore. Big Kiss Goodnight brought a freshness to the scene and breathed new life into the genre. The album truly solidified itself into the catalogue of modern hardcore classics and cemented the band’s place in the upper echelons of the scene. With big choruses, riffs galore and unbridled vocal anger, the album's sonic landscape was layered yet polished with something for everyone. Despite some critics in the scene accusing the band of ‘going soft’, this album was a catalyst for TRAPPED UNDER ICE’s continued success. 

In 2013, TRAPPED UNDER ICE went on a two-year hiatus, not to be heard from again until 2015 when they were set to reunite for a headline slot at Back to School Jam festival. This marked the beginning of a new era for the band, and their third album Heatwave was announced for release in 2017. Heatwave feels like a masterclass in classic hardcore, with eleven tracks spread over only fourteen minutes of music. It is harsh and abrasive, yet groovy and complex and demonstrates real growth in technique, despite feeling like a return to the roots of the band. The whole band’s performance on this project is a masterpiece and is an absolute pleasure to listen to.

Despite not releasing any music since Heatwave, other than features such as Too Late with PAIN OF TRUTH and See Ya Later with MISSING LINK, TRAPPED UNDER ICE are still an incredibly sought-after band. With a legacy like theirs, it comes as no surprise. The influence that TRAPPED UNDER ICE has had over the hardcore scene for the past fifteen years is absolutely undeniable. In recent years, the group have made a handful of select festival appearances. 

You can catch TRAPPED UNDER ICE at Outbreak in Manchester this June.

Words: India-Turkan Akca