Sylar Changes the Seasons at Chain Reaction
Venue: Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA | 5/26/19
Sylar has been a very important band to me since I got into them in 2016. Their distinct sound that mixes together nu-metal, metalcore, post-hardcore, and rap metal has helped them stand out in a music scene that can sometimes be filled to the brim with soundalike bands. With their newest release “Seasons”, Sylar hit new ground, going a bit more personal, which received critical acclaim. After several years of touring as the supporting act for many tours, Sylar finally embarked on a full 2-month U.S. Tour, with supporting acts Cane Hill, Varials, and Bloodline. With a stacked lineup at one of my all-time favorite venues, I knew this would be a fun show.
The first band up was Bloodline from Dallas, Texas. Bloodline has been on my radar for quite some time. This fourpiece band is a perfect mix of metalcore and hardcore, with some sweet melodies and slamming breakdowns. The members of the band consist of vocalist Joseph Todd, drummer and backup vocalist Matt Dierkes, bassist Jake Jones, and guitarist and clean vocalist Titus Kirby. They had very high energy from the start of their set to the end, and truly kicked the show off with a force. I was thoroughly blown away. Their newest release “Better View” came out in March of 2019 via Stay Sick Recordings and truly shows off the band’s wide range and variety from song to song! I cannot wait to see them next time they come out to California!
Next up came Varials from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’ve wanted to see Varials for quite some time but scheduling just never worked out for me to make it out to one of their shows until now. Varials is good ole fashioned hardcore mixed with metalcore. They had such a high level of energy that had the crowd going absolutely bonkers. In fact, a guy cartwheeled off the stage onto the crowd at one point. This five piece consists of vocalist Travis Tabron, guitarists Mitchell Rogers and James Hohenwarter, drummer Sean Rauchut, and bassist Mike Foley. The band played a 6-song set, 5 of which came from their 2017 release “Pain Again” which was their debut LP on Fearless Records. I was thoroughly impressed by their stage presence and their ability to control the crowd at the snap of their fingers.
SETLIST
- God Talk
- Anything to Numb
- D.A.
- Stigmata
- Pain Again
- Empire of Dirt
The biggest supporting act was up next, that being Cane Hill from New Orleans, Louisiana. I remember seeing Cane Hill as the opening act for Attila, New Years Day, and Bad Omens at Chain Reaction in 2017, so seeing how far they’ve come has been impressive. The band is the perfect mixture of Nu Metal and Metalcore. The band played a whopping 11-song set with songs from each of their releases: 7 off their 2018 album “Too Far Gone”, 3 from their 2016 album “Smile”, and 1 from their self-titled 2015 EP. The band was on fire and truly showcased their full range in sound. This four piece consists of vocalist Elijah Witt, guitarist James Barnett, bassist Ryan Henriquez, and drummer Devin Clark. Cane Hill has been a band I have been listening to consistently since Warped Tour 2016 and they continue to blow me away each time I see them!
SETLIST
- (The New) Jesus
- Lord of Flies
- 10 Cents
- Ugly Model Mannequin
- Fountain of Youth
- It Follows
- Hateful
- Why?
- Gemini
- Singing in The Swamp
- Too Far Gone
The almighty Sylar from Queens, New York came out on stage last to finally bring a headlining set. After being a supporting act for many tours throughout the years, they finally got the opportunity to headline their own tour, which was so cool to see. The band opened up their set with fan favorite song “Assume”, which is such a banger. The band truly went all out for their headliner and prepared a jampacked 15-song set, which consisted of 9 songs from their 2018 release “Seasons”, 4 from their 2014 release “To Whom It May Concern”, and 3 from their 2016 release “Help!”. It was surreal to see them play such a widespread set, with songs from each release. The band has evolved their sound with each release and they proved just how far they’ve come with their headlining set. This five piece consists of vocalist Jayden Panesso, guitarist and clean vocalist Miguel Cardona, guitarist Dustin Jennings, bassist Travis Hufton, and drummer Cody Ash. The band is super tight and together on stage, with high energy that had the crowd jumping and moshing like crazy. Sylar is growing more and more as a band as the months go by, and I’m so happy they’re finally headlining.
SETLIST
- Assume
- SHOOK!
- Same Dance
- Wait For You
- Sickminded
- Open Wounds
- No Way
- Seasons
- To Whom It May Concern
- Prescription Medication
- Live / Breathe
- All or Nothing
- Soul Addiction
ENCORE
- Dark Daze
- Golden Retreat
Sylar’s Seasons tour was filled with moshing, crowdsurfing, nu metal, metalcore, hardcore, and a lot of fun. I’m so honored to have been able to see this band grow over the years and see them many times in that time.
Sylar | Cane Hill | Varials | Bloodline
Photos and Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram
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