Album Review: One Vital Word - 'Picture Perfect'

For those who heard One Vital Word's debut EP 'Early Days,' released in 2011, you would probably agree the EP showed some serious potential, but also had room for improvement. Well, the good news is, their debut full length 'Picture Perfect' hits the mark with the band seamlessly combining both old and new punk/hardcore elements in eleven tracks that rarely have a dull moment.

To get the criticisms out of the way early, the production could use a little more punch, some of the hard hitting guitar riffs would have for more impact with a clearer sound, it's gritty but not in the "good punk gritty" way. This can be forgiven however thanks to the song structures and album flow, it never lets up and almost seems like one solid piece of brilliance.

From the opening wall of sound, hard hitting, chaos that is 'Picture Perfect', to the following track, and one of the album highlights, 'Promises', which features guest vocals from Hand Of Mercy's Scott Bird, the energy levels are on high. This track is a great example of the band's ability to blend together their old school skate punk influences and a hardcore sound that can be incredibly brutal. One Dollar Short's Scotte Woods appears on 'The Corner', a melody heavy number in which the guitar lines steal the limelight away from the vocals as the song builds into a huge thumping chorus.

The group channel some serious Bodyjar on 'Red Line', a good way to sum up the era that has influenced the punk side of their sound before Driven Fear's Timothy Hyde helps out with the punk blasts of 'One Of These Days'. The record ends with a couple of blistering number, the fast paced 'To You I Say It Through Song', which speaks via its guitar lines once again more than the vocals, and the lighter toned 'Seeing Stars', which has a brightness about it despite being one of the record's heavier songs.

The Australian punk and hardcore scene is thriving right now, there are so many great up and coming bands that are waiting to be discovered by the masses and One Vital Word are no exception. People probably wouldn't have expected this much from their debut full length, but fans of hardcore punk, especially when tinged with a classic feel, will find plenty here to love.

1. Picture Perfect

2. Promises

3. Far Away

4. The Corner

5. Caroline

6. Red Line

7. Indulgence

8. One Of These Days

9. On The Edge

10. To You I Say It Through Song

11. Seeing Stars