EP REVIEW: Gang Called Speed – Speed

Like it or not, hardcore has always relied pretty heavily on aggro. Henry Rollins, AGNOSTIC FRONT, BIOHAZARD, TERROR – you get the idea; and to be honest, what’s not to like? Granted, there is plenty that can be gained from bending and breaking the genre into new and exciting shapes, but sometimes you just can’t beat a big gang vocal shout-along and a good old-fashioned breakdown or two. The latest case in point? Sydney-based five-piece SPEED. Flying the somewhat neglected flag for Australian hardcore, their latest EP Gang Called Speed is out this Friday, and it arrives to a fair bit of hype considering they’ve only been around since 2019. 

As expected then, Gang Called Speed is hard as nails. Perhaps surprisingly given the name, the emphasis here seems to be on more bouncy riff parts and slower crushing beatdowns than the more out and out thrashing side of hardcore. It leaves a lasting impression of brute force, with the whole EP delivered inside a tight 14 minutes. There’s a real swagger to it too – an almost hip-hop-esque sense of groove and bravado. A lot of this comes from vocalist Jem, whose quickfire delivery often recalls an even more pissed off version of AGNOSTIC FRONT’s Roger Miret in particular.

Digging a little deeper however, we quickly notice that SPEED aren’t your typical macho white guy hardcore crew. With three-fifths of the band of Southeast Asian descent, the focus here is very much on promoting diversity, inclusion and taking ownership of one’s identity. Opener and lead single Not That Nice for example addresses the rise in Asian hate crimes that followed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Predictably, and justifiably, SPEED offer no mercy to those responsible for such intolerance, with the chorus declaring: “Your world’s deceiving, I’m not that nice / Fear me, believe when you act a fool you’ve gotta face a fight.”

Following on from there, the band deliver five more big and beefy hardcore ragers. Their chugging riffs and shouty vocals may well be among hardcore’s most well-established essentials, but they’re clearly in safe hands with SPEED here. Front and centre throughout is an absolute refusal to bow down to anyone or anything; Another Toy proudly declares “We ain’t built the same”, for example, while Big Bite barks “We live and die by the flame”. It can be a little cliché at times, but then again, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Every Man For Themself – an instrumental – boasts some of the most headbanging chug of all, while closer Know Your Foe wraps things up with a forceful reminder of the importance of being able to “see your enemy”.

Ultimately then, Gang Called Speed is less of a game-changer and more of an earth-shaker. This style of hardcore may have been around a fair while now, but as long as it’s in the hands of bands like SPEED you can count on it not going anywhere anytime soon. Stand up and show some respect for the new blood, let’s see where they go from here.

Rating: 7/10

Gang Called Speed is set for release on June 24th via Flatspot Records / Last Ride Records.

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