Sydney hardcore punks SPEED have announced the release of their highly anticipated debut album, ONLY ONE MODE.
Accompanying today’s announcement is the new single REAL LIFE LOVE, an unrelentingly heavy banger that continues the impressive streak SPEED have been on.
ONLY ONE MODE will be released on Friday, 12 July, via Last Ride Records in Australia and Flatspot Records in the US. You can pre-order/pre-save your copy here.
Vocalist Jem Siow said about REAL LIFE LOVE, “My time in hardcore has informed the relationships I have with everyone I hold close. An unconditional sense of love and loyalty. A bond that knows no words. Relationships that now span a lifetime.
“To us, this unique sense of deep-seated understanding is the essence of HC; it’s what we’re most passionate about and grateful for. Yet there are many in, and especially outside of this space, who conflate this idea. If you stick around long enough, you might just get it. Otherwise, what’s the point to all of this?”
Earlier this year, blink-182 drummer Travis Barker was spotted repping SPEED while on the band’s recent Australian tour.
His support for the band followed a surprise meet-up. On Friday (16 February), SPEED guitarist Dennis “D-Cold” Vichidvongsa shared an image of SPEED with Barker backstage at a blink-182 show. He captioned the pic, “GANG CALLED BLINK182 @travisbarker.” The photo was met with an outpouring of happiness and maybe some jealousy.
Polaris drummer Daniel Furnari replied, “Fucking iconic (I am jealous forever)”, while Hellions drummer Anthony Caruso added, “So sick, I would have spewed”.
SPEED’s 2022 debut EP, Gang Called Speed, put their brand of Australian hardcore on the map and tracked journeys through the bandmates taking ownership of their identities. The band have made a name for themselves for rallying against intolerance and calling out racism, xenophobia and toxic masculinity in the hardcore scene.
This June, SPEED will perform at the UK’s premier rock and metal music festival, Download Festival. Their appearance arrives following last year’s massive Australian headline tour after selling out their first-ever US headline tour.
