Armed with a back catalogue of pit starters, blending hardcore energy with nu-metal groove and metalcore ferocity, Philadelphia’s Varials have been consistently, albeit tumultuously, churning out violent gems for the last decade. Even amidst changes in their personnel, their core sound has remained largely the same; spirited, venomous and unapologetically heavy. Their upcoming record, though, sees them begin to shape-shift into something new, something more daunting. ‘Where The Light Leaves’, the band’s first album with new vocalist Skyler Conder, sees them sink deeper into the void than they ever have before.
‘Where The Light Leaves’ is an introspective journey through Conder’s mind and the often gruelling battles that he’s had with it. Taking its title literally, it’s not so much about observing the light leaving as it is about the absence of it. The album lives in that space, and it’s not trying to get out; it’s accepting that it can’t and maybe it won’t, and the mixed emotions that accompany that realisation make it a surprisingly resonant listen. There are moments of calm and peace, but they’re fleeting. For the most part it’s a non-stop assault, bathed in thick, thick darkness. A brutal record that could beat you within an inch of your life, but will probably apologise to you afterwards.
The opening title track does a great job of setting the scene for what’s to come. Mechanical whirrs and shrieks erupt into a wall of distorted noise, with Conder’s bellowing vocal line “If I have to break, then the world will know my fucking pain” delivering the first of many punches to the gut. Clocking in at under two minutes, it’s designed to intimidate and does it perfectly.
Varials have retained all the characteristics that made records like ‘Pain Again’ and ‘In Darkness’ so memorable, but there’s now an underlying feeling that you aren’t safe. It’s a thriller in audio form. Songs like ‘No Lie Untouched’, ‘Blissful End’ and the delicious sequel ‘Romance II’ bear a strong resemblance to the version of the band you’re familiar with, but they’ve presented the songs in a way that feels far more unstable. The structure of the songs is far less predictable and while there are recognisable verses and choruses, they’re placed in the songs to provide the occasional sense of familiarity, not a hook. They don’t want you to feel comfortable.
Where this record really sets itself apart from the rest of their catalogue is in its heavier moments. First single ‘I’ll Find The Dark’ is the best example of that, filling every corner of the mix with droning heaviness and eerie atmospherics to deliver an evil, apocalyptic sound. The band were already heavy, but the murkiness that runs through every track is incredibly exciting and curiously alluring. ‘Your Soul Feeds’ fits that to a tee; a completely unpredictable mosh-fest that continues to get heavier and heavier, even when you think that’s not possible.
The band have always been good at breakdowns, and this record is chock full of some real neck-snappers. Unexpected tempo shifts, bass drops, obscene guitar and bass tones, snare bombs, blood curdling vocals – they’re all here, fine-tuned and optimised for carnage. Conder has clearly spent some time crafting his mosh calls too, designed to elicit unrestrained violence. Take ‘Metanoia’ as an example. One of his pre-breakdown lines is “I don’t wanna die to be forgotten, ‘cause life’s a bitch at the fucking bottom.” A little on the nose, sure. But will it cause venue security teams some serious issues whilst they try to monitor its aftermath in a pit? Yes. Yes it will.
‘Where The Light Leaves’ is a dense and often overpowering album, and intentionally so. It is pain, screaming at the top of its lungs into a black hole as it swallows every decibel, slowly becoming numb to its surroundings. It is without a doubt the most intense record of their career so far, painting an incredibly accurate picture of mental health’s darker side and the longing to find a way back to brighter days. It’s not a happy record by any means, but the beautiful thing is that if you find yourself relating to the album in any way, you might just find a hand reaching out to you from its depths.
If ominous, unrelenting, brutish metal is your cup of tea, then this is essential listening. Varials have never sounded this vital.
DAVE STEWART
