Candiria What Doesn’t Kill You

[Evil C.]

Candiria What Doesn’t Kill You
Type A Records
2004
www.candiriamusic.com

1 Dead Bury The Dead
2 The Nameless King
3 Blood
4 Remove Yourself
5 100 Points of Light
6 Down
7 9mm Solution
8 I am
9. Vacant
10. The Rutherford Experiment
My, how the mighty have fallen. I’ve had a major liking to what CANDIRIA was all about. They were great with mixing off the wall beats, chugging riffs, and throwing in different influences to the typical metal style. What other band had the balls to try to add a little jazz or straight up rap into the mix? I’m talking about old school rap, now. Unfortunately, "What Doesn’t Kill You" is not my CANDIRIA. I know the band had some rough past couple of years. They were in a horrible touring accident, where the band almost lost their lives, and had to go through rehab to be able to play again. Hence, the title of the album. I can accept that kind of experience will change you a little bit. But, come on guys, you were once the innovators of this style, and now just sound watered down.

There are a few tracks here and there that bring a smile to my face, as they sound like CANDIRIA of old. Especially the track, "Blood", which is a throwback to what the band should really be all about. This is the best track included, and from what I get is the first single they have released. Now, I feel sorry to all the fans who hear this song, and say, "Yeah, this is the way CANDIRIA should sound", and then go purchase the album, and listen with their jaws wide open at to what they are hearing. Another CANDIRIA track is "1000 Points of Light". The majority of the songs included though are definitely not CANDIRIA. Did another band beg the guys in CANDIRIA to throw some of their music on there, and disguise it as CANDIRIA. Unfortunately, the band has also tried to take on a more "commercial" sound to a lot of the songs. Now they just sound like SEVENDUST or LINKIN PARK. You are not LINKIN PARK, and you should not try to be something you are not. Most of the tracks are very easily digested, and would fit perfectly with alternative radio. Don’t get me started on "Down". This is utter and complete shit. Am I listening to BLINK 182 or some other nonsense? Say it ain’t so. Whiny pop-punk has no place in this band. I’m also not quite sure what it is, but the heaviness isn’t quite as apparent. It could be the production, but the feeling isn’t there. There is one track that is something new for the band. "The Rutherford Experiment" is a straight up Prog track, complete with dancing keyboards and such. Very cool indeed, but being the last track, it is not enough to save the album.

I was really looking forward to this new album, and feel completely and utterly saddened. While some of it is my CANDIRIA, there is just not enough of it on there to justify the rest of the songs. Where is the originality? Where is the jazz influences? Where is the start and stops? At least they continued with the tradition of doing an old school rap jam, until the reggae kicks in. Jeesh. I just bow my head in discontent. I’m not saying they sold out, or are just doing it for the money, but it just doesn’t feel like their hearts were into this 100 percent, and definitely not 300 percent.

Rating: 4 /10

Evil C

 

[J.]

I've heard good things and bad things about this one. I never really could get into this band, but they were good at being schitzophrenic with their jazz/hip hop/hardcore combos.

 

[Nate The Great]

I obviously had an entirely different take on this album. My review was pretty positive. I feel this album might just be a complete whack job for Candiria, and in the future we will once again see them back to their old nutty selves.