Review Summary: Smartcore.
Candiria is a band that just can't seem to catch a break. They've weathered countless member changes and even a van accident which nearly killed them all (hence the album title). Furthermore, despite being one of the first bands in hardcore to dabble in jazzy breakdowns, ambient interludes, and even hip-hop inflected parts, long before doing so was ever fashionable, they have received only minimal recognition for their work. For too long Candiria have seemed destined to be appreciated only by hardcore hipsters who in addition to circle pits and death walls also enjoy the finer things in life like aged wines and art galleries.
It's a selective audience to say the least, however on "What Doesn't Kill You..." the band wisely chose to branch out a bit stylistically and streamline their sound ever so slightly. In addition the the expected mathcore madness that has always been integral to their style, the group adds three-part clean vocal harmonies, proggy guitar licks, fusion-esque keyboards, funky bass lines, and even the occasional percussion break. These new elements all help to create a fresh and even mildly accessible sound for the band. Purists, without fail, will cry "sellouts," however Candiria has never been a band for those who base their tastes on textbook definitions of how music should sound. Experimentation has always been what made the band stand out and in "What Doesn't Kill You..." they have taken such a mentality to new heights.
As mentioned before clean vocals from vocalist, Carley Coma make their debut on this record and with surprisingly fantastic results. It's always a little risky when a band that has never utilized such a dynamic, on a whim decides to just throw them in as they frequently do not fit the music or the singer ends up having no singing skill. Fortunately, this is not at all the case for Coma, as he utilizes a very soulful and occasionally gritty tone to deliver a consistently impassioned performance. "The Nameless King" is a definite standout in this regard, sounding like a more sinister Bad Brains song with a desperate reggae infused refrain. The songs "Remove Yourself" and "Down" are also excellent tracks further making use of Coma's new found talent, even venturing into alt-metal territory, while still maintaining the group's mathy edge. It is surprising that he is able to exercise such versatility particularly given that about 80% of the time he is barking like chained pitbull, ready to rip the listener limb from limb, occasionally even reaching into grindcore shreiks. His singing voice is only used on four of the album's ten tracks so people who aren't as enamored with it as I am shouldn't be put off. Bassist Mike MacIvors also lends his voice on a couple songs like "Down" and "I Am" using his higher melodious tone to harmonize beautifully with Coma's grit.
The musicianship in Candiria has always been top-notch, however, their lack of fluidity and cohesiveness in past efforts had prevented it from completely showing. Thanks in no small part to the more streamlined dynamics employed here, the group's talent is shown in full. Heavy crushers like the opener "Dead Bury the Dead," "Blood," and "1000 Points of Light" pummel the listener into oblivion with staggered riffs, technical bass lines, immensely complex drumming, and Carley's searing vitriolics. The lyrics accompanying these songs are also more ferocious than ever, undoubtedly inspired by the band's near-death experience. Yet, Coma never reverts to knuckle-headed "tough-guy-isms," always maintaining an evil sense of poeticism.
"All is wasted. Sacrifice.
Spill your bood. Within all is precious.
I am violence having sex with guns.
My bullets are my children piercing through your lungs.
Lace your boots up. Defend your brother." -Blood
There are also two other tracks that defy any of the the aforementioned song classifications for the band. Candiria has always experimented with instrumentals, mostly in the jazz vein. However, they have never done anything like "The Rutherford Experiment," which is a proggy masterpiece that could easily give Liquid Tension experiment a run for their money. These guys could seriously play any genre they desired. Despite, all this diversity little sounds out of place as the band has already proven countless times, in albums past and this one, to be true masters of fusion. The only real black sheep of the record is the hip-hop song, "9mm Solution." Judged for what it is, it is a good song as Coma, himself is a good a rapper and there a are a fair number of unmentioned guest performances on the track. However, as a song on a Candiria album it just sounds like it doesn't belong.
With the case of "What Doesn't Kill You..." Candiria have established themselves as one of the best kept secrets/great injustices of hardcore. It is truly a shame that a group as clearly talented and even, in ways, revolutionary as these New Yorkers has gone unsung for so long and continues to struggle even now to put out a new album. None the less, anyone into heavy music ripe with fearless experimentation needs this.
