Volumes (sometimes stylized as VOLUMES) is an American progressive metalcore band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2009. The group currently consists of bassist Raad Soudani, vocalist Michael Barr, vocalist Myke Terry, and drummer Nick Ursich. Throughout the band's history, Soudani has remained the only constant member. They are currently signed to Fearless Records and have released four studio albums: Via (2011), No Sleep (2014), Different Animals (2017) and Happier? (2021). They have also released three EPs: The Concept of Dreaming (2010), Coming Clean (2019) and Bend(ed) (2022).
Formation, The Concept of Dreaming and Via (2009–2013)
Daniel Braunstein and Diego Farias founded the band in January, 2009. Originally, the two planned to be just a studio project until it was insisted[by whom?] they form a full band upon hearing the first demo recordings, which were 30 second tracks consisting of just a riff or two.[1][2] The two began searching for musicians to expand the band's line-up and further their heavy metal, hip hop, jazz and classical influenced-music. Originally, they intended to only have one vocalist.[3][4] After completing their line-up, the band began work on their debut EP, The Concept of Dreaming, with an expected release date of December 2009. Production was halted when guitarist Braunstein left the band citing time constraints with university. Daniel Schwartz replaced him and the band was able to continue working on their EP.
On September 29, 2009, the band signed to Mediaskare Records, with vocalist Gus Farias stating the band was "stoked to announce that we have signed to Mediaskare Records, joining a great team and roster of bands we look up to". Along with the announcement, the band revealed their EP, "The Concept of Dreaming", would be released on November 16, 2010.[5][6][7][8]
On November 20, 2010, the band were announced as part of It Prevails' "Dollar Menu, Where's the Venue? Tour" in January 2011, with Counterparts, Betrayal, and Bermuda.[9][10]
On February 1, 2011, the band was announced as part of the "New England Metal and Hardcore Festival" in Worcester, Ma.[11] On May 15, Volumes were announced as part of Arsonists Get All the Girls spring headlining tour with A Plea for Purging, Lionheart, and The Contortionist.[12] On May 23, the band was announced as part of the summer 'Slaughter Survivors Tour' with Conducting from the Grave, The Contortionist, Scale the Summit, and Rings of Saturn.[13][14] On June 10, the band played a New Jersey show with Arsonists Get All the Girls and Failure in Vanity.[15]
On August 24, the band released the first single, "Affirmation of Ascension", from their then-forthcoming album. On September 2, the band released their next single, "Edge of the Earth".[16][17] The band released their debut studio album, Via, through Mediaskare Records on September 27, 2011. It reached #1 on the iTunes Rock & Metal Charts. Later on, the band released the music video for their song "Wormholes", which appeared on their debut EP, and was re-recorded for their debut album, on October 13.[18]
On November 23, Barr left the band's tour due to a back injury. Barr said, "If you haven't heard already, I unfortunately had to return home for the remainder of Thrash And Burn tour due to a severe and hazardous back injury requiring exclusive medical attention. Volumes will still be killing every show for the next 24 days. Please do not be discouraged, I will be back in full force soon. Thank you for all the support and kind comments, get out to the rest of the shows and have fun with my boys."[19] By the end of 2011, drummer Chris Khoury departed the band, leading to Daniel Schwartz taking over the drums at live shows. Schwartz left the band by the end of the year. In early 2012, they found a new permanent replacement drummer, Nick Ursich.[20]
Volumes performing in 2012
On November 19, 2012, the band was announced as part of Of Mice & Men 2013 headlining tour from January to February with Texas in July, Woe, Is Me and Capture the Crown.[21] While on tour, the band recorded a live music video featuring clean vocals from Woe, Is Me vocalist, Hance Alligood, and released the video on February 13, 2013.[22]
On March 24, 2013, the band was announced as part of the 2013 Van's Warped Tour with Crown the Empire.[23] The following month, they were announced as part of the summer All-Stars Tour alongside Iwrestledabearonce, For All Those Sleeping, and DayShell.[24] On August 24, Volumes' posted footage from their summer on the Vans Warped Tour and following All-Stars Tour.[25] On August 29, the band's label released a live video of the band performing their song "Intake" at Warped Tour on their YouTube channel.[26]
No Sleep (2013–2015)
On September 12, 2013, the band released a pre-production version of the song, "Vahle", a tribute song to a close friend of the band who died in a car accident. A fully-mixed version of the song later appeared on the band's second album.[27]
On May 28, 2014, the band announced their second album, No Sleep, would be released on July 15 via Mediaskare Records. The album was recorded in late 2013, with Brandon Hall Paddock and Diego Farias producing. Along with the announcement, the band released the lyric video for their song "The Mixture", which appeared on the album.[28] In summer 2014, Volumes completed their first full US Vans Warped Tour in 2014.[29] On June 26, the band were announced as part of Crown the Empire's "Welcome to the Resistance Tour" alongside Ice Nine Kills, Secrets, and the Family Ruin.[30][31]
On July 13, the band released their next single, "Erased", from the album.[32] Two days later, they released No Sleep, which reached #1 on the iTunes Rock and Metal Charts, featuring the fully mastered version of "Vahle". On October 13, Volumes were announced to be contributing to Fearless Records' Punk Goes Pop Vol. 6, with a cover of Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home".[33]
On January 24, 2015, it was revealed the band helped a man escape a serious car accident after a show in Lawrence, Kansas.[34] On February 5, after nearly two years of silence, it was announced the Volumes and Structures collaborative project originally announced in 2013, named "Vol/tures", had begun working on new material releasing a 15-second snippet of what is to come.[35]
Departure of Barr, arrival of Terry and Different Animals (2015–2019)
On October 5, 2015, it was announced by the band that Barr would sit out their European tour with Northlane to continue working on the then-upcoming album. Consequently, the Contortionist frontman Michael Lessard filled in.[36] The following month, on the 19th, Volumes announced Barr departed the band due to not wanting to scream or pursue metal as well as conflicts with other vocalist Gus Farias, and that Joe Buras from Born of Osiris was appointed to fulfill current touring dates until a new vocalist was announced.[37][38] The following year, Barr returned to music with a solo project.[39]
On June 5, 2016, the band announced they had found a permanent replacement for Barr, former Bury Your Dead vocalist Myke Terry.[40][41] On the 16th, the band followed the announcement of their new vocalist with news they had left Mediaskare Records and signed with Fearless Records, also releasing the single "Feels Good", their first song with Terry.[42][43] Soudani said the band "..ultimately came to the decision to sign with Fearless Records after spending years watching them evolve into one of the top labels" and "...Fearless Records 'family' is a perfect fit for Volumes. We feel more confident moving forward as group and believe this opportunity will open". On June 29, the band re-released both Via and No Sleep through their own record label "91367 Records." It was revealed Mediaskare had not given them income from the sales of their first two studio albums, with each selling over 40,000 copies to date.[44]
On February 7, 2017, according to a report from RockFeed, Volumes vocalist Gus Farias and ex-vocalist Michael Barr got into a heated Twitter discussion. After Farias targeted Barr's solo project, Barr tried to sort out the matter, wishing Farias the best and stating his comments were "unfortunate."[45] On February 19, Volumes released the single "On Her Mind", featuring rapper Pouya. Alongside the single, they announced their then-new album, Different Animals, would be released on June 9 through Fearless Records.[46] During the New Reign tour with Born of Osiris, Volumes premiered the song "Left for Dead" live.[47]
On March 10, while on tour with Oceans Ate Alaska, Born of Osiris, Within the Ruins, and Fire from the Gods, the band announced a spring headlining tour beginning on April 23 with supporting act Fire from the Gods.[48] On June 12, the band released the music video for their single "Finite", directed by Samuel Halleen.[49] On June 20, they were announced to be opening for Issues' upcoming fall "Headspace" headlining tour, beginning September 24 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.[50] On November 16, Gus Farias tweeted he would check himself into rehab.[51]
On December 6, 2018, it was announced via Game Informer that former vocalist Michael Barr would provide vocals to Capcom's Devil May Cry 5 video game, after original Suicide Silence vocalist Eddie Hermida was removed from the track following sexual misconduct allegations. Barr appeared on the track "Subhuman", co-written by the game's composer Cody Matthew Johnson.[52]
Coming Clean and firing Gus Farias (2019)
On April 23, 2019, the band surprised-released their EP Coming Clean, having spent the previous eight months recording it at Butter Studios in Venice, West Alley Recording Studios, and Farias Productions. Self-producing and keeping everything "in-house and organic", they enlisted Kyle Black (Pierce the Veil, New Found Glory) and Max Schad (Veil of Maya) for additional perspective. Soudani declared, "...Coming Clean is an emotional moment for us" and that "...I hope you feel something when you hear it and gain some perspective. This is Volumes. Coming Clean hints at where we're headed in the future."[53][54] On May 9, the band released a music video for the song "Until the End", directed by Joshua Fu.[55][56]
On December 16, vocalist Gus Farias addressed his departure from the band, releasing the following statement: "I just want to make it clear that I did not quit. I love being in the band. I got kicked out for personal bullshit, which really is bullshit. I'm gonna be the bigger man and not air out business like that. I got a check, I secured my royalties. I'm out. I'm putting me first. I'm putting everything I got into Yogi. I know what it took to get Volumes where it's at because I had a big, big, big part in it...".[57] Farias later wrote to Twitter in January to chastise the band over Michael Barr rejoining Volumes.[58]
Return of Barr, departure and death of Diego Farias, and Happier? (2020–present)
On January 30, 2020, the band released a new single titled "Holywater", confirming rumors that Barr was back in the band, and revealing guitarist Diego Farias was no longer a part of the band.[59][60] Later the same day, the band released a statement on social media clarifying the departure of the Farias brothers and the arrival of Barr. They stated Max Schad mixed and tracked "Holywater" whilst providing guitar for the band. They said a touring guitarist would join them for their then-upcoming UK/EU tour with Born of Osiris, and they would "figure out permanent guitarists when it organically happens".[61]
On February 6, Gus Farias announced on his Twitter page that his brother and former guitarist of the band, Diego, had died.[62] The band released their own personal statement on the band's official Twitter later the same day, reading: "We are absolutely devastated by the tragic passing of Diego Farias. We are trying to cope and process this as it all seems so surreal. We send our love and thoughts to his brothers Gus and Andres, his mother and father, and his entire extended family. As we collect our thoughts we will then be able to properly convey them more. But for now... we love you Diego, rest in power." On May 15, the band released a single entitled "Pixelate". On September 25, the band released the first single, "Weighted".
On August 13, 2021, they released the second single, "Get Enough". On October 8, the band announced their fourth studio album, Happier?, released on November 19, 2021. At the same time, third single "Bend" was unveiled.[63]
On June 16, 2022, the band released a new EP, Bend(ed), which featured two different takes of the song "Bend": a stripped down version and a live rendition, in addition to the original studio version of the song from Happier?.[64]
On April 21, 2023, the band released the instrumental edition of Happier?.[65]
On March 28th, 2025, the band released the single Sidewinder.[66] Their first single in two years.
In an Alternative Press article pressed in late January 2013, it was reported that Volumes had been banned from Rocketown in Nashville, after vocalist Michael Barr was evicted from the venue for dedicating a song to a gay friend.[75] 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 shouted pejorative slurs at the concert promoter working the door.[76] The band was still not allowed at the venue when they returned to the area three years later with a new vocalist.[77]
On February 6, 2017, the vocalist at the time, Gus Farias generated controversy when he failed to deliver on paid guest spots for other bands, later, the band issued a statement on social media offering an apology and refunds.[78]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
