Varials don’t need much of an introduction at this point, if you’ve been paying attention to modern hardcore over the past decade, you already know the deal.
Suffocating breakdowns, nu-metal heft, and a confrontational atmosphere that feels both violent and introspective, with Where the Light Leaves, the Philadelphia outfit sound less interested in proving themselves and more concerned with dragging listeners into something far darker.
The new album is February 27th via Fearless Records, Where the Light Leaves sees Varials doubling down on emotional weight without sacrificing impact.
Produced once again by longtime collaborator Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Dayseeker, The Plot In You), the album sharpens the band’s identity into something leaner, heavier, and more psychologically invasive.
Ahead of the release, Varials have shared the title track and its accompanying video, which acts as the conceptual entry point to the record.
“‘Where The Light Leaves’ is the key introduction to the overall idea of the album itself,” says vocalist Skylar Conder.
“Through many emotions in my life, I found myself always feeling trapped within my mind, in a sense of purgatory and as if my mental state was a nightmare. The video and song are meant to elaborate, lyrically and visually, what it feels like being stuck there and unable to leave — eventually just accepting it and learning to live with it.”
That honesty has always been a strong point for Varials’, from Pain Again in 2017 to In Darkness in 2019, tracks like ‘Romance’, ‘Empire of Dirt’, and ‘Anything to Numb’ hit hard because they felt lived-in, not performative.
Where the Light Leaves continues that trajectory, but with more control and intent.
Their reputation has only grown through relentless touring alongside heavyweights like Knocked Loose, Wage War, and Kublai Khan TX, on stage, Varials remain confrontational and unfiltered.
On record, they’re learning how to let discomfort breathe.
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