Riffs For You To Remember: Varials and Thrown Tear up Sacramento

It’s mid-March, on a Monday night in Sacramento — and only Thrown and their handpicked lineup could sell out Goldfield Trading Post wall to wall, drawing a crowd that filled every square inch of the venue. 2 years ago I had the pleasure to photograph Thrown when they were opening for Invent Animate, and now they are well into their completely sold out headlining tour. In their wake was Heavensgate, No Cure, and Varials — a beautiful assortment of metal leading to one of the heaviest tours this spring.

Opening the show was Heavensgate, a rising band emerging from Australia’s ever-impressive metalcore scene. With a sound that blends the heaviness of Alpha Wolf and the atmosphere of Loathe, it’s no surprise they landed on this tour — especially with Thrown’s studio drummer, Buster Odeholm of Vildhjarta fame, handling their recording. Kicking things off with their latest single, “Oblivion,” Heavensgate had a lot to prove — and they delivered. Discovering them a few weeks before and having the chance to witness them live, they easily became a new favorite.

Fresh off the release of their new EP I Hope I Die Here (2024), Alabama hardcore act No Cure kept the energy high with a relentless, no-frills assault. Fans went nuts — swarming the stage the entire set, with security constantly pulling bodies. Vocalist Blaythe Steuer and fans sang every word from new and old albums alike. The chaos was nonstop — pile-ons, stage dives, and pure, unfiltered intensity.

Many fans were eager to see how Varials would handle this tour following the recent departure of vocalist Mitchell Rogers. Stepping up to the challenge, the band brought in CELL’s Skyler Conder — a seamless fit who delivered beyond expectations. Their setlist pulled from their packed discography, mixing in some newer material but leaning heavily on older tracks for longtime fans to enjoy. The crowd erupted the moment tracks like “Deadweather” and “The Cycle of Violence” kicked in, with wave after wave of crowd surfers making their way to the front — it felt like a rebirth of pure, chaotic energy. Security was working overtime, and at one point, I found myself being shielded from the relentless surge of bodies overhead.

While it may feel like Thrown has blown up overnight, the Sweden-based band has been steadily building a loyal fanbase over the past three years. Known for their short, punchy, and aggressive songs, their setlist packed a massive 14 tracks — each one hitting just as hard as the last. With over 1 million monthly listeners, it’s clear their impact reaches far beyond the live stage. From the opening notes of “Backfire” sending crowd surfers into a frenzy to the entire venue erupting the moment they heard “Guilt,” Thrown’s set was nothing short of a masterful display of intricate and well crafted chaos. Despite Buster Odeholm being a key force behind their recorded sound, he doesn’t tour with the band, but that didn’t stop the team from delivering a razor-sharp performance. Celebrating the release of their first full-length album EXCESSIVE GUILT (2024) with a sold-out U.S. tour is no small feat for a band still in its early years, and absolutely shows that Thrown is here to stay.