Maria Iskariot is a Dutch-language punk band from Ghent with a clear sense of purpose and a deep love for distortion. This four-piece was formed in 2022 by frontwoman Helena Cazaerck, who is joined by guitarist Loeke Vanhoutteghem, drummer Sybe Versluys and bassist Amanda Barbosa. What began as a personal outlet quickly grew into a collective voice: part panic attack, part poetic pamphlet, part riot but with tenderness. The band still has no answers to your questions. Yet they extend a wet hand to anyone who has rehearsed the steps to the Waltz Of The Hopeless. The four-headed dog has grown into a tender monster that celebrates friendship, washes contempt, and underscores Life. They delight the world with a brilliant imperfection as a joyful protest against the age-old evil.
After playing more than 200 shows since the band's inception, they have built a fierce cult following. Live reviews describe their performances not as mere shows, but as "a moment of collective therapy" where “their songs sound filthy, urgent, and surprisingly vulnerable all at once… heavy yet warm, cynical yet hopeful”.
On October 31, 2025, they released their debut album, Wereldwaan, praised by critics as "punk rock that cuts to the bone, chaotic yet deeply moving" as it holds today’s delusions up to the light of eternity.
Promoting the record with an extensive club tour across Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, they continue to prove that their energy easily crosses language borders by creating mosh pits at venues and festivals all over Europe.
Maria Iskariot - Leugenaar