Volumes with special guests Varials, UnityTX, and Kingsmen | Fall US Tour | 11/20/21 | Photos + Review

Volumes Sell Out Their Hometown Show To Close Out Their Fall Tour

Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA on 11/20/21

Volumes have been a band I have enjoyed for quite some time. Their progressive metalcore sound that verges on deathcore brings in a lot of fans that go absolutely nuts to their music. For their return to the stage, they embarked on a month-long headlining US Tour in support of their new album “Happier?” in 2021 via Fearless Records. They brought along a solid lineup of bands that are quite different in sound but who each bring the energy to the stage, those being Varials, UnityTX, and Kingsmen. This night was a lot of fun and brought a lot of high energy and vibes. 

First up to the stage were Kingsmen from Providence, Rhode Island. Unfortunately, some issues getting in as a photographer prevented me from seeing or photographing a majority of their set. However, I was able to get in and photograph the last song and a half of the set, which I utilized each second of. The band is good ole metalcore, with music in the same vein as bands like Killswitch Engage, Miss May I, and many more. I was very much looking forward to seeing Kingsmen and seeing their 5-song set, most of which came from their 2020 record “Revenge. Forgiveness. Recovery.”, which was released via SharpTone Records. The one song I did get to see and photograph was a cover of Metallica’s “Sad But True,” which they did exceptionally well. The vocalist Tanner was on point with his’ vocals, guitarists Nick and Tim did incredibly on those guitar parts, Adam held it down strong on those bass lines, and drummer Mike slammed those drum parts. I’m sad I could only see and photograph one song, but the band killed it on that cover. I cannot wait to see and photograph them for a longer period of time next time they come out to the west coast. 

SETLIST

1. Tipping The Scales
2. Nightmares
3. Until I Departed
4. Oppressor
5. Sad But True (Metallica Cover)

Up next were the Dallas, Texas boys in UnityTX. This band is the perfect blend of metalcore, hardcore, and rap. The band played songs from their two EPs, “Madboy” and “Hellway,” released on Pure Noise Records. Their crowds went wild and even got so violent to the point where multiple crowd members were dragged out of the venue for fighting. Their music goes HARD. What’s unique is the diverse stylings the band has. With vocalist Shaolin at the forefront, the band incorporates many hip hop and rap elements. The band weaved some full-on rap songs into their set, showcasing Shaolin’s stage prowess and rap ability. The instrumentals in the band’s set should definitely be praised as well. Those basslines from Alberto are beefy and heavy. They add a deep groove to the songs that are very much needed. Then you have the guitar tones from Ricky that add a deep emphasis on those breakdowns and get the crowd going wild with those guitar chugs. Closing out the band’s lineup is Jonathan on drums, who slammed the hell out of those drums with precision. The band absolutely blew me away and proved why they are getting as far as they are. I cannot wait to see and photograph them again next time they come to Southern California. 

SETLIST

1. Agony
2. Ruckus
3. Cross Me
4. 60 Seconds (Wait)
5. Bang Shit
6. Hail Mary
7. Walk With Me

Up next was Varials from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’d best describe their sound as the perfect trifecta of metalcore, hardcore, and deathcore, with some minor nu-metal influences as well. This was my second time seeing and photographing the band, with the first time being back in May of 2019 when they toured in support of Sylar and Cane Hill at this same venue. Since then, the band has gone through some lineup changes, the most notable being the shift of vocalist to Mitchell. Mitchell was previously on guitar and absolutely killed it on his new position in the band. He screams and sings those parts with power and emotion. Mike is still slaying it on bass, adding some serious grit to the rhythm section. James added some grooves to the rhythm section on the guitar, which adds a lot to the band’s sound. The band brought out two touring members to finalize their live set for this tour. Kendrick is in the band BeGotten and played lead guitar on this tour, absolutely slaying those leads while also having incredibly high energy on stage that included two-stepping, windmills, and lots of headbangs. Kevin finalized the band’s lineup on drums, absolutely murdering that kit on stage. They played a 10-song set, playing songs from both of their albums, “In Darkness” and “Pain Again,” along with a couple of songs from their E.P. “Failure//Control.” I always enjoy seeing and photographing these guys and hope to do so again when they come out with All That Remains, Miss May I, and Tallah in Spring of 2022!

SETLIST

1. Romance
2. Empire of Dirt
3. I Suffocate
4. In Darkness
5. South of One
6. E.D.A.
7. Stigmata
8. Savage
9. Anything To Numb
10. The New Damnation

Volumes from Los Angeles, CA, came to the stage next. For the tour’s final date, the Southern California native band came back home to party it up. The band played a great mixture of songs to please old fans and new fans alike. Their progressive metalcore sound that borderlines on deathcore has garnered various fans. Vocalists Myke and Michael do a great job going back and forth on vocals, creating a jab punch in songs like “The Mixture” and “F.X.B.,” and creating incredible dynamics between cleans and screaming on songs like “Bend.” Bassist Raad adds those deep grooves that are ever-present throughout the band’s whole discography. Drummer Nick slams those drums with intricate patterns that create the bassline for the instrumentals to flow effortlessly. Finalizing the band’s live lineup is Mikhael on guitar, who plays those complex guitar parts flawlessly. The band really had a lot to offer in this set. They had the crowd going wild with a dynamic lighting setup to a whopping 17-song set that incorporated songs from their entire discography. Out of all the shows I covered in 2022, this was by far the rowdiest crowd I had the honor of being a part of. Volumes know how to bring the party, and they did not disappoint this time around.

SETLIST

1. Intro
2. F.B.X.
3. The Mixture
4. Holywater
5. 91367
6. Pixelate
7. Get Enough
8. Weighted
9. Bend
10. Serenity
11. The Columbian Faction
12. Edge Of The Earth
13. Erased
14. Pieces
15. Intake
16. Wormholes

Encore

17. Feels Good

Volumes truly brought it on this final night of their month-long trek on the road. With bands like Varials, UnityTX, and Kingsmen, they truly brought along with them a diverse group of bands that created a dynamic night of music. I’m still sad I couldn’t see and photograph more of Kingsmen’s set, but that will definitely happen next time. 

Volumes | Varials | UnityTX | Kingsmen

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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