On their first studio album, Only One Mode, Australian hardcore act Speed creates a record that never slows down. With a furious sound and more poetic lyrics, there’s much to divulge in only 24 minutes.
Led off by hypnotizing flute from lead singer Jem Siow and diving into a deep guitar riff, the opening track “REAL LIFE LOVE” is just as raw as its title. Riffs in the first-minute battle back and forth between hardcore and punk rock instrumentation, before Jem Siow’s vocals lead into the former sound.
The lyrics contemplate what real love is while working through the pain it can bring. How it can feel as if it sets people up for disappointment and confusion when they try to figure out how it works. Its subject matter matches up easily with the instrumentation. A constant sliding behind the lyrics adds to their depth, giving them more weight.
The instrumentation is evident throughout this record. The little differences in “DON’T NEED” exceptionally prove this point. Starting off in the same raucous way the previous track did, it pulls itself back within 30 seconds into a more rhythmic number with Jem Siow’s drifting vocals and a funky bass emphasis from Aaron Siow. This duel continues almost for the entire track, and it will keep listeners on their toes.
But that’s what Speed does best, playing with pace to make something happen. They could have taken a more typical approach with the same lyrics, but a hardcore sound, and achieved almost the same positive results. Instead, it helps the lyrics grow into something meaningful.
That makes “THE FIRST TEST” the best song on the record. With some of the shortest lyrics, every word packs a punch. It speaks of living by only two rules or tests: not listening to anything else and living the chosen life.
The second half of the song is much more intriguing. After the lyrics are finished, there is a solid half of the track left that’s just instrumental. It bounces back and forth between the funky bass, striking flute, steady guitars and banging drums without notice. It’s true artistry, a well-produced jam session that gets heads nodding along.
Overall, Speed created an interesting and refreshing record that helps list hardcore to a more inventive level.
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