Since their inception in 2017, East Coast hardcore band Candy have continually morphed into a new beast with each successive release. The straight up metallic hardcore of their debut EP Candy Says led the faster, meaner and dystopian themed hardcore of their first LP, Good to Feel. Their 2019 announcement of signing to Relapse was paired with the two song single Super-Stare, where the title track leaned further into the more metal side of the band than ever before. They then followed that up with second full length Heaven is Here, turning the abrasive noise influences up to the max in their most experimental effort yet.
This brings up to It's Inside You, their third full length and one that could easily be argued as their best release yet, an expertly crafted combination of Candy's electronic and industrial leanings paired alongside the catchiest and heaviest groove laden hardcore songs they've laid to tape yet.
While Candy have known their way around killer metallic hardcore riffs well before this new release, it's really hard to overexaggerate just how fucking hard some of the moments on It's Inside You slam. The mix of grimy and extremely metal leaning hardcore brings to mind the classic releases from Cleveland maniacs Integrity (who's own Aaron Melnick guests on the second song “Short-Circuit”) and Ringworm, while the added layer of electronica and industrial injected into the mix adds a level chaos and depth that sets this far apart from a typical hardcore record.
A few songs like the standout early single “Love Like Snow” almost play out like an alternate reality Sneaker Pimps song with more aggressive vocals, While late album cuts “Dancing To The Infinite Beat” and “Hypercore” bring to mind the sonic terrorism of 90's staples like Atari Teenage Riot and KMFDM.
Aside from that no doubt interesting full dive into industrial and electronica with a handful of the songs on It's Inside You, the majority of the record is filled with insanely massive and skull crushing metallic hardcore anthems that show the band in their strongest form yet. Alongside the aforementioned “Short-Circuit”, songs like “Dehumanize Me”, the title track, and “Dreams Less Sweet” are prime examples of the vicious metallic hardcore that helped Candy stand out in the first place, honed to be more intense and violent than ever before.
Recorded by the band and Ben Greenberg, then mixed by Kurt Ballou of Converge/God City Studios and finally mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, It's Inside You sounds huge while losing none of the raw sonic intensity of the band's previous releases, instead bringing that intensity up to it's boiling point and ensuring that everything hits harder then ever before.
Bottom Line: It feels like Candy has achieved the apex of what they've been reaching for on previous releases, with a mix of chaotic and hard hitting metallic hardcore and a heavy dose of 90's industrial tinged electronica that helps them standout from the exciting but also very saturated landscape of current metal influenced hardcore bands. It's Inside You stands as one of the best hardcore records that's dropped this year, and one that's sure to bring about plenty of new pit bosses to their shows.
14 comments
Post CommentThought Smelliot finally caught the hint that he isn't welcome around here. f*ck you, Eliot - you and your reviews are turds in the litter box that is Lambgoat. To the trash with you and your opinions.
Nope Smelliot still here guess you'll have to kill yourself
^ Too much of a bitch to post under your login anymore? Need to try and make it look like you have people who stick up for you? Sad.
^ Good lord, get over yourself and stop visiting Lambgoat. Clearly you're too sensitive.
It's not good. Sounds like a weaker version of their previous music with a "want to be" industrial filter applied. Extremely flat record. Didn't really go outside of the box. Just pulled out boring stuff from the same box and added some "industrial sounds" to say they were pushing their boundaries.
I dont know what is worse, the music on this totally over rated dog shit or the album art work?
Nice to see Relapse lowering their standards. Went from Necrophagist Cephalic DEP Carbomb, etc…to f'in Candy. They suck live too.
Oh cool, I didn't know about this one. Nice review.