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WHERE THE LIGHT LEAVES should come with a headphone-user warning: your ear drums are about to become a punching bag. Philadelphia bunch Varials have gone utterly berserk on their fourth album, with breakdowns that push off like the sonic boom of the Concorde, alarm-like guitar motifs, and vocals from new frontman Skyler Conder that he spits out like gnarly bile. 

Of course when most people talk about heavy bands the focus is how heavy they are. How far can they push things? But when we say Varials really push the limits, we mean it. Kudos goes to the rhythm section and the production work from Josh Schroeder on this album. The low end across many of its tracks teeters over the limit into distorted territory at just the right moments; the bass is unbelievably thick like tar and its blast beats see Varials welcome in beatdown sections like the firing of a cannon. 

Meanwhile, Skyler’s lyrical matter takes on mental struggle, suffering, comeuppance and release. Yet even when he digs into solemn or softer stories, Varials still cling to heaviness like it owns them. Conscious Collapse, with its exploding intro, makes for one of their most terrifically loud offerings, while softer and more melodic pockets come to light on The Hurt Chamber. I’ll Find The Dark finds a fitting home near the record’s end. Another boundary-pushing burst of bedlam, its wailing guitar solo adds a new flavour of heaviness that almost harks back to metal bands of yesteryear. 

Each one of Varials’ studio albums has been pretty beastly, but there is a clear-cut change here. It doesn’t stray too far from what fans know and love, but sounds decidedly more punishing. Crank it high if you hate your neighbours, or indeed if they have exceptional taste. 

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Knocked Loose, Kublai Khan TX, Dying Wish

WHERE THE LIGHT LEAVES is released on February 27 via Fearless