Varia: A Review of "The Changing Of The Tides," Released On 3/28/25

Alright, listen up, you beautiful, broken souls. Let's dig into Varia's "The Changing of the Tides," shall we? Forget your saccharine bullshit. Varia's latest single hits you like a goddamn freight train wrapped in barbed wire and velvet. We're talking that raw, exposed nerve shit, the kind of emotional carnage that bleeds into soaring, heart-wrenching melodies. Think Confide tearing down walls, Hopes Die Last reaching for the sky with broken wings, and Galleons dragging you into the depths of your own damn soul. If you’re craving that sweet spot where metalcore’s grit meets post-hardcore’s raw vulnerability, this record's gonna be your new addiction.

If you've ever felt the cathartic release of a breakdown that shakes your bones, you're gonna live for this. This ain't your grandma's lullaby. We're talking intricate, dissonant guitar work that twists and turns, shifting tempos that'll leave you breathless, and that signature scream-to-clean vocal dynamic that punches you in the gut and then holds you close. They're digging into the shit we all bury—personal demons, the fight for survival, the fragile beauty of growth—and they're doing it with an instrumental profile that's equal parts brutal and beautiful. Expect anthems that scream defiance and elegiac interludes that let you breathe, just before they shove you back into the mosh pit of your own feelings.

The guitars? They're weapons. Riffs that cut deep, leads that soar like desperate prayers. The drums? A goddamn war machine, driving those breakdowns with relentless fury, then shifting into tight, intricate patterns that elevate the melodic highs. The production here isn’t some polished sheen; it’s a raw, vehement experience. It balances the grit and the grace, letting the heavy sections rip your heart out while the atmospheric parts cradle you in their dark embrace. It’s a sonic journey, not a radio edit. The vocals? They're a goddamn emotional rollercoaster. Screams that sound like they're tearing the singer apart from the inside, and cleans that hit you right in the feels, raw and unfiltered. They're channeling the pain, the defiance, the fragile hope that fuels this record. It's not just singing; it's a goddamn exorcism. For those of us who worship at the altar of Confide and Hopes Die Last, certain tracks are gonna be instant anthems. Those breakdowns? They're gonna crack your skull.

Those choruses? They're gonna be screamed at the top of your lungs. The way they weave between the heavy and the melodic. Pure fucking magic. The unexpected shifts, the moments where the music just explodes—those are the highlights, the moments that'll leave you breathless and begging for more. The Changing of the Tides by Varia isn't just an album; it’s a goddamn experience. If you live for that raw, emotional intensity, if you crave that perfect blend of aggression and melody, this is your new bible. Varia has delivered a record that captures the spirit of transformation, the resilience of the human spirit. If you bleed for bands like Confide, Hopes Die Last, and Galleons, prepare to be baptized in the fire of this masterpiece. This is the shit that reminds you why you fell in love with this genre in the first place.

Release date: 3/28/2025

Genre: metalcore/ post hardcore

For fans of Confide, Hopes Die Last, and Galleons