Review Summary: ... yet Hell surrounds
Heaven Is Here is terrifying. Hardcore is already a “terrifying” genre as it is, but CANDY takes it a step further with one thing: texture. All of
Heaven Is Here relies on the texture of its soundscape. The multi-layered guitars and bass full of dissonance and distortion create a wall of sound that reverberates with intensity. Grainy effects coat the vocals, resulting in an overwhelming performance that executes its role perfectly. The drumming drives each track along with its chops, mixing hardcore and punk grooves to create an atmosphere of chaos. Most importantly, however, is
Heaven Is Here’s usage of glitches and breaks. While hardcore is already intense as it is, adding breaks and glitches just makes it immense. Throughout the album, the stop-and-go electronic drum compositions of tracks like “Transcend to Wetness” craft an evil aura full of ferocity. Ear-piercing glitches dominate “World of ***” which amplifies the abrasive nature of
Heaven Is Here. However, the defining moments of CANDY lie in the concluding tracks of the record. “Kinesthesia” feels like a hardcore dance/drum-n-bass type of song, with deeply resounding drums and clapping snare contrasted with a harsh atmosphere of grainy synths and intense vocals, which gives way into “Perverse.”
The closing track is what truly lets the band shine… yet without much musical composition. You see,
Heaven Is Here feels like a slow decay into nothingness, with “Perverse” signifying that finality. With nothing more than oscillating screams, tremolo glitches, and a strange combination of unsettling electronic synths of distortion, the final track is purely chaotic noise. It doesn’t seem like much, but it perfectly encapsulates the essence of CANDY. It’s an uncomfortable ending to an already discomforting album. I won’t lie, this album put me in a strange place, and I even disliked it initially. But let it consume you. Embrace the strangely infectious hardcore style of CANDY and let it soak you in the hellish landscape that is
Heaven Is Here.
