Volumes (band)

Volumes is an American metalcore band based in Los Angeles, California. The group consists of guitarist Diego Farias, bassist Raad Soudani, vocalists Gus Farias and Myke Terry, and drummer Nick Ursich. The group was founded in 2009 and debuted with their first EP, The Concept of Dreaming in (2010). This was followed with their debut full-length album Via (2011) and their sophomore album No Sleep in 2014. Both albums peaked at No. 1 on the iTunes Rock and Metal charts.

Volumes make use of "bouncy" guitar riffs, groove-driven breakdowns, nu metal influence and dual lead vocalists. The band has been credited as an important contributor to the djent scene.

History

The band started in 2009 when guitarists Diego Farias and Daniel Braunstein were writing music together.^[3] Singers Michael Barr and Diego's brother, Gus Farias, joined the band along with Raad Soudani on bass and Chris Khoury playing the drums. Their first EP, The Concept of Dreaming, was announced to be released December 2009 but publication came to a halt when guitarist Daniel Braunstein left the band due to time constraints with university and was no longer able to participate actively in the band. He was replaced by guitarist Daniel Schwartz.^[4] After being signed on with Mediaskare Records and Outerloop Management in early November 2010, the band quickly released their debut EP "The Concept of Dreaming" on November 16, 2010.^[5]

In early 2011, the band played several tours throughout North America with such bands as Arsonists Get All the Girls, The Contortionist, and Structures.^[6][7] The band's debut full-length, Via was released and distributed through Mediaskare on September 27, 2011 and reached #1 on the iTunes Rock & Metal Charts. 2011 also marked the same year that drummer Chris Khoury parted ways with the band, leading to Daniel Schwartz taking over the drums at shows, who then left later that year. In early 2012, they found a new permanent replacement drummer, Nick Ursich. On July 15, 2014, Volumes released their second full-length album No Sleep which reached again at #1 on the iTunes Rock and Metal Charts featuring their single, "Vahle". Between late August and late September 2014, the band supported Crown the Empire on the Welcome to the Resistance tour, along with The Family Ruin, Secrets, and Ice Nine Kills.^[8] Volumes then contributed to Fearless Records' compilation Punk Goes Pop 6 with their cover of "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake featuring Majid Jordan.

In summer 2014, Volumes completed their first full US Vans Warped Tour in 2014.^[9]

Volumes announced in November 2015 that vocalist Michael Barr had departed from the band due to "different musical direction and taste", and Born of Osiris member Joe Buras will be stepping in for current touring duties until their new vocalist is announced.^[10] Myke Terry, formerly of the metalcore band Bury Your Dead, has since been confirmed to be replacement for Barr.^[11]

Volumes departed from Mediaskare Records and signed a recording contract with Fearless Records, releasing their single "Feels Good" on June 16, 2016.^[12] On June 29, 2016, the band re-released their studio albums Via and No Sleep through their own record label "91367 Records." It was revealed that their previous label, Mediaskare, had not given them income from the sales of their first 2 studio albums, with each selling over 40,000 copies to date.^[13]

Controversy

In an Alternative Press article pressed in late January 2013, it was reported that Volumes had been banned from Rocketown in Nashville, after ex-vocalist Michael Barr was evicted from the venue for dedicating a song to a gay friend.^[14] However, later reports described how Barr was escorted from the venue by security after he had assaulted crowd members whilst hardcore dancing to other bands, and that he was "looking for a fight" while doing so. Some crowd members ganged up on Barr, at which point security had arrived to the situation and ultimately escorted Barr from the venue. After being denied access back inside when attempting to re-enter the venue, Barr allegedly threw a fit, shouting pejorative slurs at the concert promoter working the door. Prior to this, a similar incident occurred at the Trees venue located in Dallas a week earlier where Barr provoked violent crowd attacks which led to the banning of himself and the rest of the Volumes members from the Texas bar.

Members

Timeline

Discography

Albums

• Via (Mediaskare Records, 2011, rerelease; 91367 Records, 2016^[15])
• No Sleep (Mediaskare Records, 2014, rerelease; 91367 Records, 2016^[16])

EPs

• The Concept of Dreaming (Mediaskare Records, 2010)

Videography

• "Wormholes" (2011, Via)
• "Edge of the Earth" (2013, Via)
• "91367" (2015, No Sleep)^[17]
• "Feels Good" (2016, TBA)

References