Initially, the show was set to take place at a different venue, however I am glad it moved to X-Ray Arcade, the up close and personal nature of a small venue definitely worked in all of the bands favor. The lineup for the evening was Kingsmen, UnityTX, Varials and Volumes.
Starting things off, Kingsmen of Boston, Massachusetts really warmed the crowd up. A nice blend of modern and classic metalcore got everyone moving and set the tone. The band played a good mix of heavy tracks and some more melodic. As their closing song, and what really blew me away, was their cover of "Sad But True" originally by metal forefathers, Metallica. The guitarist for the band absolutely channeled Kirk Hammet and nailed the solo, a real feat.
Up next was a personal favorite of mine, UnityTX, playing an insane blend of hardcore and hip-hop. Tons of crowd participation for this set. Between super mosh worthy riffs, they played a few of the tracks consisting only of rap. During the set vocalist, Jay Webster, said that this “was the future of music” and I genuinely hope it is and bands take inspiration from UnityTX and aren’t afraid to blend styles.
Varials brought the heat as well. After losing the original vocalist, former guitarist of the band Mitch Rogers stepped up to the frontman position. This seemed like a fitting move as their performance was stellar. Playing a mix of tracks dating back to 2015’s "Stigmata," it was clear that the band had a long time fan base that is dedicated to all their material. This set was absolutely crushing and one to remember.
Closing out the evening were the djent pioneers, Volumes. This was my first time seeing the band since the return of original vocalist Michael Barr, who originally left the band in 2015, and they were just as solid as I remembered. I will say, upon taking the stage I realized the band was without a guitarist and it had me skeptical of how the band could sound full while down a crucial member. However, they managed and then some. The production was immaculate and atmospheric. The band’s set went through the entire discography, playing classics such as "Wormholes" and "No Sleep," to tracks off the new album "Happier" due out in just a few weeks. After this performance I can’t wait to see Volumes back at full capacity and with new material.