One of my favorite feelings is the realization that something has come full-circle. It’s the kind of quiet, overwhelming feeling that makes you sit back as your chest gets tight and all you can think of are memories from the beginning of that circle, when you weren’t even sure if it was ever going to close someday. 

I’ve only felt this feeling a handful of times, like when my research group and I sent our first manuscript out for publication, or when I landed an internship with a company that I had admired for the last 3 years. And, again, last Wednesday night, watching Return To Dust step into the spotlight to open for two of the biggest bands in the rock scene. 

It wasn’t long ago when Return To Dust lived in my inbox, when Matty, Graham, and Sebastian were just names weaved throughout a digital interview. We didn’t meet in person. There was no pre-show conversation or backstage pass. Just words on a screen, sent back and forth, as I pieced together a story about a then-trio of two small-town Texas kids, their teenage guitar prodigy, and a dream that just wouldn’t let up. 

Back then, Return To Dust was still teetering on the edge of potential versus presence. They had just moved to Los Angeles and were still figuring out their sound and identity. And yet, there was something unshakeable in their tone, even through text, that reminded me of a quiet certainty. They had stories to tell, music to play, and art to make. And they weren’t going to wait for anyone to give them permission to do exactly that. 

Fast forward to now, from the very first note, it was clear that if Return To Dust was born to do anything, it was to be on that stage together under the blinding arena light. There are four of them now, which makes me feel like I’m missing a piece of their story, and they opened the night with a gut punch, full of grit and urgency. Matty’s vocals were raw and alive, and sounded exactly like they do on recording, while Graham’s basswork held it all down with a heavy energy. The addition of London on drums has absolutely transformed the band’s live energy, and Sebastian shredded with the kind of passion you just can’t teach. You’re either born with it or you’re not, and he clearly is. 

They played with the heart of a band who remembers every coffee shop stage, and sounded like a band who belonged on that stage. Not someday, but now. 

There’s a line Matty shared with me in that original interview that hit differently after seeing them live: “We’ve been playing local shows for a little over two years now, but we rehearse almost every day. I think we’re a tight band with a wide array of songs and can really put together a filthy 20 minute set. I hope to blow people’s expectations if they haven’t seen us before.”

It was endearing then, the voice of a young band trying to prove themselves to the world, but watching them on stage Wednesday, I realized how true it was. Return To Dust knew who they were from their very conception, and they were more than ready to show the world. Even with the time-constrictions of an opening set, Return To Dust moved seamlessly through their discography. Every hair flip felt intentional, every note felt habitual, and every moment felt earned. 

And yet, beneath their sheer skill and talent, there were fragments of Midlothian, of Matty’s love for gothic fantasy and horror, and his early days spent sketching with pen and ink before music became his primary form of expression; fragments of Graham’s journey from college wrestler and cybersecurity student to full-time musician; of Sebastian yearning for the chance to catch a glimpse at Rob Zombie in the flesh. Their set was tight and professional, but not cold or calculated. All of those fragments thread themselves into the band’s DNA, creating a culmination of where they’ve been, who they are, and everything they still want to become. 

I thought back to when Matty told me about their EP release show at The Viper Room in West Hollywood, and how the air was “so full of love, it was tangible.” Or when Graham told me how surreal it was to look out and see 200 people gathered just for them. Now, they’re playing to thousands. 

I don’t know what it is about this band that keeps bringing me back. Maybe it’s the unfiltered way they told me about their love for Magic: The Gathering, or the fact they were such a big milestone in my journalistic journey. Maybe they just have kick-ass music. Or maybe it’s a mix of all three.

I do know that watching them play on that stage at Prudential Center, opening up for Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, felt less like witnessing a band “making it” and more like watching a band finally get what they deserve. And as someone who’s been lucky enough to hear their story from the start, I can say with confidence that this is just their beginning. 

RETURN TO DUST
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