Mexican hardcore has been on the rise for a long time, yet it still manages to fly under the radar. One of my favorite bands — and good friends — hails from just a couple of hours away from me: Truth Be Told, a band I’ve covered here before.
After releasing their Truth Krew EP last year and playing shows with some of your favorite bands, they’re back with a brand-new two-song single: Conocí la ruina cuando tu esencia terminó.
Recorded at the now-almighty Little Hammer Records, produced by the band’s own bassist, Armando Navarrete, and featuring artwork by Tijuana’s Luis Ramirez, the single consists of two bangers: “Conocí la ruina” and “Cuando tu esencia terminó” — yes, just like the single’s title.
I hit up the guys for a quick Q&A so you can get to know them better.
For people not yet familiar with the band, who is Truth Be Told?
Truth Be Told is a group of friends from Mexicali, Mexico, who have shared a passion for hardcore since 2014.
The EP is titled Conocí la ruina cuando tu esencia terminó, which combines both song titles. What’s the story behind that?
We’ve had the idea of using two song titles to complete a sentence for a while, just for fun, but we hadn’t found the right songs to do that with. These songs' topics were similar, so we figured it was the right time.
You guys have been recording at Little Hammer Records for quite a while. How has the experience been there?
Our bassist Armando had the great idea of turning his living room into a studio/rehearsal space, and that has been our home ever since — literally for him, metaphorically for us. It’s where we get together to write, produce, record, and hang out. This place is a crucial part of TBT.
I feel like these songs each have an individual feel, but as soon as they start, you know it’s brand-new TBT material. What are you striving for when it comes to the evolution of the band’s sound?
When we first started in 2014, we knew we wanted to be a hardcore band. During that time, it felt like people had to “follow the rules” to be part of the community. We love our old material and we’re proud of it, but it feels like we were a little limited creatively by trying to fit a standard.
These days, hardcore feels more eclectic and open to bands exploring different sounds. At this point, we don’t feel like we need to prove anything to anyone. We are still very much inspired by hardcore in general, but we’re not afraid to take risks.
Leading up to recording, what were you guys collectively listening to?
We were listening to a lot of modern stuff like Forced Order, Iron Mind, God’s Hate, Division of Mind, and Never Ending Game, along with classics like 100 Demons, Hatebreed, and Terror, obviously. And hip-hop.
“Cuando tu esencia terminó” stands out to me because it takes a stance on what’s going on in the world right now. I personally like this song better because I think a hardcore band in 2026 should have something to say. What was your main motivation for writing these lyrics?
These songs are inspired by the current times, how people become alienated from their peers, and how human interaction and decency seem to become less important as time passes.
Specifically, that song talks about how people’s minds are shaped by what they see online and how they base their opinions on what they see in a 30-second video or a comment section. That can be extremely dangerous for the future.
What’s next for the band?
We have a very special announcement coming really soon with some very cool friends. I wish I could give more information, but hopefully we can talk about it when the time comes.
Honestly, we just want to play as many places as we can, so if you’re reading this, please invite us to your city.
Any parting words?
We want to shout out all our homies in Mexicali for holding it down for the scene and not letting us down. Shout out to the whole Mexico hardcore scene: Omega, Uno a Uno, Cretino, Burning Church, The Fight Is Now, Worst Enemy, Absolve Me, and Senda de Honor.
And our friends at New Lords Booking, Guacamole Music, I Wish Productions, Fuerza Booking, and The Hand for putting shows together and keeping us in mind.
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Truth Be Told on social media: Instagram
Tagged: truth be told
