As anticipation builds for SPEEDWAY’s debut full-length A Life’s Refrain—out April 11 via Revelation Records—the Stockholm hardcore crew drops a melodic hammer in the form of “Permission to Dream,” featuring EKULU’s Chris Wilson, and takes a moment to pay tribute to the label that shaped them.
Revelation’s back catalog isn’t just legacy—it’s blueprint, compass, and challenge. So when SPEEDWAY puts together their personal Top 10 Revelation Releases, you know it’s not for clout. It’s reverence.
Here’s what hit hardest for the band, in their own words. Check it out and scroll further down to see the band’s upcoming tour dates with SHELTER!
SIDE BY SIDE – YOU’RE ONLY YOUNG ONCE
Anton: Kind of a cult classic. I feel like Side By Side were way ahead of their time and definitely don’t get the love they deserve today. A straight up pure, unfiltered force of the positive youth.
GORILLA BISCUITS – SELF-TITLED 7”
Jens: This just might be the most classic HC 7” for me personally. Gorilla Biscuits were one of the first bands I was listening to when getting into HC. Love the energy, the production is perfect, the delivery is super fun and it features one of the most iconic cover arts of all time. Can’t believe a cartoon gorilla actually made me buy a champion hoodie…
SUPERTOUCH – THE EARTH IS FLAT
Anton: I didn’t really get it at first, but as I kept revisiting this record over the years everything just made more and more sense. Imperfections and flaws in production and execution transformed into vital pieces of what makes this LP so special. Extremely influential for me.
INSIDE OUT – NO SPIRITUAL SURRENDER
Anton: Sure, the lore around this absolutely contributes to its status, but ask yourself, has any other band even come close to replicating this style and sound? Not if you ask me. The DiCara/de la Rocha combo simply can’t be matched.
IN MY EYES – NOTHING TO HIDE
Adam: I was listening to this record a lot when I got into hardcore many years ago, and it’s still one of my absolute favorites. It’s fast, energetic and they also brought some melodic stuff into this record. The debut album “The Difference Between” is just as good, but I heard it after this one.. so this will be my favorite pick!
JUDGE – BRINGING IT DOWN
Jens: This album is just full of hits. It’s heavy, it’s angry, it’s a “take no prisoners” kinda record. I feel like any song on it could have been the lead single, that’s how good it is. ”Take Me Away” is an all time opening track, it’s just perfect. Although, the only reason I put Bringing It Down on here instead of New York Crew is because BID has more songs.
NEW YORK CITY HARDCORE: THE WAY IT IS COMP
Jens: I feel like you can’t do a ”Best of Revelation Records”-list without including this amazing compilation. It has some of the best bands of the time: Youth of Today, Warzone, Breakdown, GB, Bold etc. It also features my favorite Side by Side song, DEAD SERIOUS.
CHAIN OF STRENGTH – TRUE TILL DEATH
Anton: I’m more of a What Holds Us Apart guy in all honesty, but this thing still makes the ranks. Not a fan of the title track, but other than that this is the perfect level of anthemic for a hardcore record, and it still has plenty of hard riffs and dance parts to keep you going.
THE RIVAL MOB – MOB JUSTICE
Jens: Back in 2015 The Rival Mob played a show in a small city in Sweden called Eskilstuna, and to this day it’s still one of my favorite sets I’ve ever witnessed. Safe to say it was pure carnage. Could this possibly be the hardest album of the 2010s?
TITLE FIGHT – SPRING SONGS
Jens: Absolutely incredible record, the tracks are great and the production is pretty much perfect. I really like that it starts out with a fast song and then gradually becomes more mellow as the record progresses, and then ends with another fast one.
As I’m writing this, I realize that both Spring Songs and Mob Justice were released in 2013. What a great year for Revelation, they put out the best LP AND the best EP of that year!
SPEEDWAY / SHELTER tour dates:
07.04.2025 Gothenburg (SE) – Fängelset
08.04.25 Essen (DE) – Zeche Carl
09.04.25 Berlin (DE) – So36
10.04.25 Schweinfurt (DE) – Alter Schlachthof
11.04.25 Leipzig (DE) – Selsenkeller
12.04.25 Wien (AU) – Szene
13.04.25 Budapest (HU) – A38 Ship Shop
14.04.2025 München (DE) – Backstage
15.04.25 Köln (DE) – Luxor
16.04.25 Amsterdam (NL) – Melkweg OZ
17.04.25 Kortrijk (BE) Wilde Westen
