Pedal Faster was a short-lived but high-energy force in the Wellington hardcore scene, active from late 1999 to early 2001. Formed by vocalist Tali Williams, guitarists Mark Leong and Matt Gutteridge, bassist Mark Bennett, and drummer Ryan O’Leary, the band delivered an intense blend of up-tempo hardcore, crushing breakdowns, emotional screams, and a touch of melody, a chaotic medley of melodic metalcore.

For Leong, Pedal Faster was a deliberate departure from the “shitty harmonies and stupidity” of his former pop-punk outfit, Floorpie, while O’Leary brought experience from Hutt Valley hardcore act Diecast and his newly formed grindcore juggernaut, Backyard Burial.

The band hit the live circuit in mid-2000, sharing stages with local acts like Loosehead, Tried For Treason, Discenter, and Barzell. A highlight came in June 2000 when they opened for Minneapolis hardcore outfit Code 13 at an all-ages show at Valve, performing alongside Backyard Burial. That same year, Pedal Faster self-released their eight-song EP A Dying Tradition and capped it off with a slot on the Saturday night lineup at Punkfest 2000.

Their final show came in March 2001, opening for New York hardcore heavyweights One King Down at Thistle Hall, with Auckland’s Day One and DSM also on the bill.

After Pedal Faster’s split, Tali continued in the metallic hardcore vein with The Deadline and as of 2024 is vocalist for Auckland hardcore band Another Fucking Problem. O’Leary’s Backyard Burial went on to become a cornerstone of New Zealand extreme music, releasing three albums and multiple EPs over more than a decade. Mark Leong formed post-punk band So So Modern in the mid 2000’s.

Origin	Wellington
Genre	punk, hardcore metalcore
Years Active	1999 – 2001
Associated Acts	Backyard Burial, Dial, The Deadline, Floorpie, School of Meat
Past Members	Mark Bennett (bass) Matt Gutteridge (guitar) Mark Leong (guitar, vocals) Ryan O’Leary (drums) Tali Williams (vocals)