Varials Share “The Hurt Chamber” and 2026 Tour Dates
Philadelphia’s Varials — Skyler Conder, vocals; Shane Lyons, guitar; Mike Foley, bass; Sean Rauchut, drums — re-entered the chat in a massively metallic way in 2025 by announcing their new album Where The Light Leaves. The album will arrive on February 27 via Fearless Records. Pre-order it here. They also share the video for new single “The Hurt Chamber.”Watch it here.
The song moves at a measured and deliberate pace, and it’s one of the most melodic songs in the band’s catalog. With this track, Varials, known for erecting impenetrable walls of sound and for trafficking in pure metallic fury, prove that heavier-than-granite music doesn’t always have to mean fast. Heavy can also be slow and steady — and memorable. The beautifully eerie, keys-driven fade out could serve as the background music in the creepiest scene in your favorite psychological thriller.
“‘The Hurt Chamber’ is a song strictly about being addicted to a high that is inevitably difficult to break,” says Conder. “Whether that be love, drugs, or a certain type of situation, you become blind to what’s happening, all of the bad disappears because it always feels amazing. But it’s doing nothing but harming you throughout every time you become close to it. The ache becomes a salvation of sorts. You enter the hurt chamber and you never want to leave.”
Fun fact about the track — Conder cut his vocals in one take and on his first try. That’s a rarity, but the immediacy is felt in the song. And it just… worked. The band recalls, “We debated amongst ourselves on trying different ideas and melodies and adding/changing small things, but ultimately, decided the original take was too good and shouldn’t be messed with.”
Sometimes it’s best to leave things are they are.
Varials will hit the road on a headline tour this March, with Unity TX, Heavy // Hitter, and Boltcutter. All dates are below.
Varials 2026 North American Tour Dates w/ Unity TX, Heavy // Hitter, and Boltcutter:
3/12/26: Detroit, MI — The Shelter
3/13/26: Lakewood, OH — The Winchester Music Tavern
3/14/26: Chicago, IL — Bottom Lounge
3/16/26: Denver, CO — Marquis Theater
3/18/26: Salt Lake City, UT — Soundwell
3/20/26: Berkeley, CA — Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music
3/21/26: Anaheim, CA — House of Blues Anaheim
3/22/26: San Diego, CA — SOMA
3/24/26: Las Vegas, NV — Backstage Bar & Billiards
3/25/26: Mesa, AZ — The Nile Theater
3/27/26: Dallas, TX — Trees
3/28/26: Oklahoma City, OK — Beer City Music Hall
3/29/26: Austin, TX — Come and Take It Live
3/31/26: Pensacola, FL — Handlebar
4/1/26: Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade
4/2/26: Orlando, FL — The Social
4/3/26: Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819
4/4/26: Richmond, VA — Canal Club
4/6/26: Baltimore, MD — Ottobar
4/7/26: Pittsburgh, PA — Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
4/9/26: Boston, MA — Brighton Music Hall
4/10/26: Brooklyn, NY — The Meadows
4/11/26: Philadelphia, PA — First Unitarian Church
Varials deliver hardcore ferocity, monstrous breakdowns, and nu-metal groove with an adventurous atmosphere and unapologetic purpose. Born in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, Varials embody East Coast attitude and determination, pouring every ounce of struggle into their songs. Their fourth album, Where the Light Leaves, arrives with explosive energy and focus. Varials first established their place in the modern heavy landscape with Pain Again (2017) and In Darkness (2019). Tracks like “Romance,” “Empire of Dirt,” and “Anything to Numb” became anthems, blending metalcore strength with raw honesty that deeply resonated with audiences. Scars for You to Remember (2022) expanded that vision, further cementing their reputation as one of the most emotionally intense acts of the modern era. Produced by longtime collaborator Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Dayseeker, The Plot In You), Where the Light Leaves signifies a new chapter. An often chaotic and experimental process — creating dozens of demos —resulted in 13 songs that capture Varials at their most powerful and creatively ambitious. The performances are deliberately raw, embracing imperfections to forge an immediate, human connection. Guttural heaviness paired with new melodic textures delivers a sound that is both punishing and expansive. As demonstrated on tours with Knocked Loose, Wage War, and Kublai Khan TX, among others, Varials are a fierce and formidable live band, and that energy is reflected in Where The Light Leaves.
