The discourse round hardcore punk’s world resurgence appears to be unending. And it’s comprehensible, when bands like Scowl and Militarie Gun are breaking out of California while the likes of Excessive Vis and Larger Energy characterize an more and more wholesome UK scene. Over in Australia, nonetheless, there’s a beacon that burns brighter than another.

Sydney five-piece Velocity stay as much as their title, by means of a bombastic, brutal hardcore sound which they’ve caught to since day one. Since forming in 2019, the highway to their debut LP Solely One Mode, which arrived this July, has been characterised by ardour and fury whereas they’ve put within the onerous yards on the stay circuit.

Now, they’re experiencing an exponential wave of world progress inside the scene – and past. Kourtney Kardashian is carrying their merch. They’ve been nominated for 3 ARIA Awards – successful the gong for Greatest Onerous Rock or Heavy Metallic Album this yr – which is unprecedented for a hardcore act. Frontman Jem Siow’s flute solo in The First Take a look at went viral upon its launch in Could.

We meet Velocity within the stomach of the beast, an hour earlier than they take to the principle stage at Manchester’s Outbreak Pageant; the UK hardcore mecca is internet hosting a one-off Autumn version. Since doorways opened, Velocity’s merch desk has been flooded with punters. The extent of anticipation is sky-high.

“Folks at all times discuss concerning the period of hardcore that we ’re in in the intervening time, the way it’s grown to a stage that no person ever anticipated,” says guitarist Josh Clayton, sitting alongside his fellow axeman Dennis Vichidvongsa. “Outbreak and [LA Festival] Sound and Fury are the proof. If a competition like this could recover from 5,000 folks, yr after yr, that goes to point out what the energy of hardcore is in the intervening time. I don’t know if there’s been a competition of this scale that’s so entrenched within the tradition.”

Once they hit the stage shortly after 6pm, the room is packed to the brim. 10,000 miles from dwelling, their efficiency represents the bodily manifestation of what Solely One Mode has already grown into, as frontman Siow canters across the stage, soar kicks on the prepared. Clayton and Vichidvongsa shatter by means of riff upon riff, their pleasure seeping out of the stage as clearly because the savagery of their sound.

Heavy Lifting

From biceps to breakdowns, every member of Velocity is totally shredded – and there’s a definite correlation. “The riffs must make you need to elevate as a lot weight as you presumably can,” explains Clayton. “It’s gymnasium motivation, so the breakdowns must be onerous. They must encourage you, make you are feeling fired up.”

“I can’t assist however flex once I play,” he continues, whereas Vichidvongsa additionally reveals Solely One Mode stays on repeat throughout his gymnasium periods. Whether or not it’s the barrage of headbanging moments in Don’t Want or the frantic Actual Life Love, the album serves as a peppering of riffage which might maintain even probably the most seasoned hardcore listener engaged all through.

“As soon as I cracked [hardcore riffs], that’s all I’ve performed since,” admits Vichidvongsa, who first picked up a guitar in his teenagers after being impressed by his father, who performed the keyboard. In the meantime, Clayton’s lightbulb second was College of Rock. “I by no means thought-about the thought of taking part in guitar… [until] I noticed the little children in College of Rock. Once they made the band, they began taking part in Smoke on the Water – they made it look really easy!”

Each choosing Jackson SL2MG guitars, it’s not the one commonality between the 2 – who usually double down with the identical riff, including to the sheer may of Velocity’s sound. “We’ve got our shared moments,” says Vichidvongsa. “We deal with totally different duties, although. Dennis hits all of the solos and the dive bombs – I fill in all of the gaps, when the whole lot else cuts out,” continues Clayton, who immediately receives the return praise. “Josh has a loopy proper hand.”

Brick By Brick

Solely One Mode – which can also be Siow’s Instagram deal with – bestowed Velocity’s debut album with its pure title. Following a unified path has been the quintet’s motto since day one, which organically led them to a full-length LP. “The file, for us, shouldn’t be one thing that we essentially had on the playing cards once we began the band,” reveals Clayton. “The album represents this new period… it actually simply hits dwelling that we’re not the band that we had been once we began out. Our perspective and our relationship with one another has modified.”

“We deal with each [project] prefer it’s going to be the very last thing we do,” agrees Vichidvongsa, a sentiment which shines by means of within the frenetic urgency of Solely One Mode. The duo’s notions of humble service to the undertaking epitomises the brotherhood behind Velocity; all 5 members contribute vocals at factors in the course of the album. “Taking part in the guitar is only a car for contributing to the band,” says Clayton, dismissing any particular person ambitions. “We play guitar to make folks mosh.”

Their ARIA nominations – which included them going towards dance heavyweights Rüfüs Du Sol and indie-rock upstarts Royel Otis in the perfect group class – maintain little materials significance for a band pushed by this mindset, born out of the underground. “As a hardcore band, we’re so conditioned to being outsiders, so our barometer of success could be very totally different to plenty of musicians in Australia,” explains Clayton. “With that mentioned, we’re very grateful.”

Flying the flag for Sydney hardcore and the broader Australian scene, Velocity are actually decided to offer again to the neighborhood which formed them, and assist tackle a few of its insular flaws. “When the band began, hardcore in Australia was in an actual lull. Not lots of people had been coming to reveals anymore,” remembers Clayton.

“Put up-Covid, issues have rotated… now it’s actually superior, tight-knit and unified. There’s totally different sounds, folks from totally different walks of life, however particularly in Sydney, I feel there’s this mutual respect and pleasure for each other,” he continues, beaming. In that respect, Velocity’s work is just simply starting, as they assist foster a pathway for bands to interrupt out while using their very own timeless wave of momentum.

Crucially, none of it’s taken as a right. “We needed to earn our stripes,” concludes Clayton – and boy, have they earned them. “Go searching. That is loopy,” ponders Siow one hour later, perched atop Outbreak’s major stage whereas making an attempt to course of the gravity of the second. You surprise in the event that they’ll be headlining the place once they subsequent return, as their trajectory continues to propel hardcore to stratospheric new heights.

Solely One Mode is out there to stream all over the place now