Varials have a new album out and a video to match, and both demand your attention. ‘Where The Light Leaves’ is out now via Fearless Records, and the Philadelphia-based metal outfit has shared the video for “The Hurt Chamber,” one of the most striking tracks in their catalog.
The song moves at a measured, deliberate pace. Varials built their reputation on walls of sound and metallic fury, and “The Hurt Chamber” proves that heavy music doesn’t require speed to hit hard. The track is melodic, patient, and unsettling, closing with a keys-driven fade-out that belongs in a psychological thriller.
Vocalist Skyler Conder has a specific idea behind the song. “It’s a song strictly about being addicted to a high that is inevitably difficult to break,” he says. “Whether that be love, drugs, or a certain type of situation, you become blind to what’s happening. The ache becomes a salvation of sorts. You enter the hurt chamber and you never want to leave.”
There’s a remarkable production footnote here. Conder recorded his vocals in a single take on the first try. The band debated reworking melodies and trying new ideas, but ultimately agreed the original take was too good to touch. That instinct paid off. The immediacy in his performance is audible throughout.
‘Where The Light Leaves’ is out now via Fearless Records. Watch “The Hurt Chamber” video now.