You may have heard of the band Varials through the social media sensation that was the naked mosher, as seen on YouTube and Rob Dyrdek’s Ridiculousness. A friend of the group, the man decided it was in his best interest to strip down and crowd kill throughout the venue. Although this garnered the band considerable attention, the five-piece’s EP ‘Failure//Control’ is a seven song escapade that travels through the best that metal, hardcore, and beat down has to offer, and will quickly give you a new perspective on the group.
The opening track ‘Deadweather’ kicks off the EP with muffled vocals and guitar riffs that immediately switch to whiplash inducing snare hits, abrasive guitar licks, and vocals that spew the words “Dishonor, Treachery, Malice, and Thievery” to make your blood pressure soar. Continuing the frantic pace set by the opening number, ‘Common Enemies’ and ‘Ether’ harken back to late 90’s and early 2000’s Slipknot with a stripped down quality. Through three tracks it’s understood that Varials are not producing songs for the faint of heart.
Continuing the rampage that the first three tracks created, ‘Savage’ showcases the groups ability to create head bobbing nu-metal riffs. By the 20 second mark, lead vocalist Travis Tabron screams “I don’t need to give you a reason. I don’t need to prove a thing to you” over bouncing bass and guitar lines that are reminiscent of bands like Knocked Loose and Kublai Khan. From beginning to end, ‘Savage’ shows the group’s ability to produce aggressive metal-infused hardcore, that culminates to a slew of thick and distorted breakdowns with crashing cymbals and thudding bass kicks to end the track on a high note.
Although the EP was originally released in April, the band decided to release a deluxe edition this past November that included a new song ‘Stigmata’. Giving the EP a breath of fresh air, the final track opens with a harrowing bass line and the guttural shouts of Tabron that compel you to stand up and destroy the nearest object next to you (in a good way). Tabron, an unassuming character, is able to deliver coarse and bellowing screams throughout the release, that channel the anger and anxieties that are mentioned often in the lyrics. As the heavy and distorted guitar licks bleed through, the song encapsulates anger, frustration, and rage into a cohesive sound that allows the group to emotionally connect with their fanbase.
Newcomers to the scene, Varials ‘Failure//Control’ gives the quintet a platform to showcase their abilities to produce violent, brutal, and electrifying music. With news of more music to come, do not be surprised to see Philadelphia’s own catapult to the forefront of the hardcore and metal communities.
TYLER GREEN