Varials

Hailing from Philadelphia, the metalcore unit Varials built their reputation on a dense, punishing sound and parlayed two meticulously assembled D.I.Y. EPs into a mid-2010s agreement with Fearless Records. Their first full-length effort, Pain Again, arrived in 2017 and generated substantial streaming traffic, clearing the path for the 2019 follow-up In Darkness.

Jared Pilieri on vocals, guitarists James Hohenwarter and Shane Lyons, bassist Mike Foley, and drummer Sean Rauchut came together as Varials in 2012 after each had spent time performing in the city’s hardcore and metal circles. A 2013 standalone track titled “Trapped” preceded their independently issued debut EP Recollection; shortly afterward Pilieri was removed and succeeded by Travis Tabron, whose similarly rough vocal style debuted on the 2015 EP Failure//Control. Growing audiences were drawn to the band’s intense live performances and recorded output.

The 2016 split EP Absolution, shared with Delaware’s Vicious Embrace, preceded their signing with Fearless Records, which released Pain Again the following year. The album earned strong reviews while accumulating notable streaming figures and broadened Varials’ profile considerably. Not long after its appearance, Lyons exited and Mitchell Rogers took his place in the lineup. Supporting dates alongside Wage War, Emmure, and Counterparts preceded the late-2019 arrival of their second album, In Darkness.