Enter the Hurt Chamber: Varials Headline at SOMA in San Diego

After releasing their heaviest album to date, WHERE THE LIGHT LEAVES, Varials packed their tour with a gut-punching energy and powerful riffs that felt like a crowd surfer kicking you in the face (which in fact happened to me!). Currently only a third of the way into their 2026 headlining tour, Varials brought along UnityTX, heavy//hitter, and Boltcutter to help open up the show at San Diego’s lovely SOMA. From the audience knowing every word and crowd surfers and stage divers clocking in the entire night, everyone was in for a fight of their lives.

Opening the night was Boltcutter, a promising and rising slam band from Oregon. Boltcutter released their own full length a few months ago, so they wasted no time the moment they hit the stage showcasing their newest offerings alongside their older releases. Following them was heavy//hitter, deathcore all the way from Florida. Their stage presence perfectly matched their sound, with the vocalists’ kicks and punches and two steps resonating with everyone in the venue, especially those in the pit. The stage divers, mic grabbers, and hardcore dancers only added to the overall chaos of the show.

Next up was UnityTX, a band I have enjoyed every time I’ve seen them. Tonight, though, was something special. Building off the momentum of the first two openers, UnityTX wasted no time getting the crowd moving. Making sure everyone in the venue was included, UnityTX’s set felt like a celebration of the diversity that hardcore music holds. The way vocalist Jay Webster made everyone welcome, inviting fans to steal the mic or stage dive, led to 40 minutes of pure insanity. UnityTX’s performance was tight, guttural, and as always a blast to experience.

After a few years of reinvention, and riding the momentum of their newest release, Varials did not come back quietly. With new vocalist Skyler Conder’s brutal, old-school metalcore vocal style, the band has a newfound intensity to their sound. Bassist Mikey Foley, guitarist Shane Lyons, and drummer Sean Rauhut’s contributions have helped solidify this sound over the years, which is only complemented by this new era. From the opening breakdown of “Where The Light Leaves,” the grooves of “The Hurt Chamber,” to the upwards of 30 stage divers for just “South of One” alone, the entire next hour was absolute chaos. As the final notes of “I’ll Find the Dark” rang out, the 2026 headliner didn’t just close the night, it helped prove that this new era of Varials is here to stay.