Always being a fan of the unrecognized and under-appreciated, Dissolve is probably my favorite finding within the past few years. To be completely honest, I always kinda heard the name floating around but chose to delay checking the band out for absolutely no reason at all. It wasn't until I heard as many people who's musical taste I respect getting as excited as they did over the band's reunion shows in 2008 that I chose to pay attention. I found their self-titled 7" on Endless Fight Records and it was decided before side A was even done that I was fully obsessed with this band.
To sum up this band, I chose to quote the "bio" found on their MySpace page as it is stated more precisely than I am sure I could word.
"Now into their second decade, Dissolve has shown an undeniable persistence in the underground music scene through never straying from the overwhelming call to creativity felt by its members. Dissolve's approach to making music draws upon their diverse musical talents and interests, mixing in the eclectic backgrounds of each member. This independence has resulted in a sound that is unique to the metal and hardcore scene. Heavy, unexpected, and hard to imitate. Put plainly, one is hard-pressed to pigeon-hole their style of music into a particular category. Honestly, the only "label" that would truly apply to Dissolve is heavy."
Rewinding a bit to the band's beginning, they started with the release of a cassette demo entitled Rebirth Of Thought in 1992 which I unfortunately do not have. This was followed up by a 7 track demo in 1993 which I am fortunate enough to have a copy of. In fact, I actually have two different rips of it that I included in the download link for the diehards.
I'm not sure which came out first, but in 1994 the band released their debut 7" on Endless Fight Records while, almost simultaneously, contributing two tracks to the original Over The Edge compilation put out by the same label. Both songs would later be re-recorded for their Dismantle CD which is surprisingly still available through Interpunk for $8.25; a very random find.
After the release of the Dismantle EP, the band's final two recording sessions would the Graverobber EP and a very rare two-song demo from 1998. They continued on with their tradition of playing "sludgy metal crunch, yet with a mix of psychedelic paranoia, and a Voivod-ish slant on bizarre out-of-this-world angular riffs... except slower". Thank you, Ryan Hex, for the perfect description of Dissolve.
For the better part of 10 years they gave it their all to make it in music, resulting finally in a well-deserved contract with MIA records back in 2000, putting them on a label in which also housed noteworthy bands such as Candiria and Darkest Hour. A greatly anticipated album was recorded, mixed and mastered; even having artwork created. The actual release of the album was the only aspect which would not see the light of day. The owner of the label decided to fold the operation just as Dissolve's album was about to be released. Undaunted by this setback the band trudged on for a year and a half in support of their never-released album, entitled Caveman of the Future, hoping that someone would pick them up and put out the album. As fate would have it, this never happened. Day jobs, distance, and side projects began to take precedence resulting in a hiatus from touring for Dissolve.
While the band never officially broke up, performing stopped and the band went into a kind of hibernation. Incredibly, in defiance of the implications of the hiatus they took, a death knell for most other bands, Dissolve sustained. Due in part to the reformation of both Overcast and Trip Machine Laboratories, 2008 finally saw the release of their Caveman Of The Future album, as well as some live performances from the band in support of their "new" record. I'm not going to post the Mp3s to the new album as you can easily order it for $6 from Trip Machine Laboratories. If you're not sold yet from the Mp3s that I've posted, then you can also preview a few of the tracks on their MySpace page.
Here's to hoping the band decides to continue playing. According to a MySpace message they sent me, they plan on doing so. I'll be there, man.
I finally tracked down master copies of the re-released Ed Gein demo. To re-iterate, the band initially put out the first three tracks as their 2002 demo, later adding on another three tracks that were recorded not long after, yet before their first full length. Two of the additional tracks appeared on the Mutation compilation put out by Robotic Empire (which also featured some unreleased Minor Times songs). I'm not sure if Pee Wee Herman/Paul Reubens was ever released officially, but I still had the Mp3 from when they posted it on their website in 2002. You know, back when you had to pay for bandwidth. Good times.
Anyhow, here is the full demo (all 6 songs) ripped in 320 ... apparently the only place on the internet where you're going to find this.
The break at the end of Bathed In Orange is still the bat-craziest-shit ever. DOWNLOAD
I'm actually fairly unfamiliar with this band. All I know is that the album is perfect. If I had to sum it up in a comparison ... I would say Strongarm (who goes without mention) meets In Loving Memory (who I did a write-up on HERE). The chant at the beginning of Shatter The Silence ... holy shit (the good kind).
These guys were from Butler, PA and formed from ex-members of Blindside (also from Butler ... not Sweden). As we all know, I have a slight preference towards bands who I feel are legitimately down with JC. I know that the whole christian thing to do is to not judge or persecute or whatever else you want to label it, but that's the best part of being an agnostic who is infatuated with christian hardcore ... I have no problem with sniffing out the bands who are using the label as a means to make a quick buck and calling them on it. I'm down to cast them out of the temple and throw their chickens on the ground, you know? The point is ... Terra Firma (and every other christian band I've met from Butler) have always struck me as intensely passionate about their music and the reason they are creating it. Terra Firma succeeds where most christian bands of today fail in making me want to go up front for an altar call due to the sincerity behind their music and lyrics. Their passion shines through even in the recording of this album..
There's no reason this band shouldn't have been the biggest deal in christian hardcore in their time. As with most western PA bands from their era, they would have shredded the hell (literally and figuratively) out of their contemporaries had they ever been given the label opportunity in which they quite obviously deserved. Its a shame the internet didn't really exist back then to the extent that it does now so that bands like this would have had an even shot at being heard over most of the garbage Tooth & Nail was putting out at the time.
"Every tear he shed, every drop he bled ... it was for you"
Living Sacrifice started off in1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas. I'm sure that the concept of christian death metal would have failed in most other parts of the world at the time. Despite existing amongst the southern bible belt, I'm sure the band had to deal with more than their fair share of mindless "satanic" metal fans. The fact that Living Sacrifice was doing what they were doing at the time they were doing so is truly a testament to the band's sincerity.
To be completely honest, I am not too familiar with the early stages of the band's career. They recorded a demo 1989 entitled Not Yielding To Ungodly which got them signed to REX Music (the label ran by one of the only other christian metal bands, Believer). I know that their debut, self-titled release gives anything that Slayer has ever released a run for its money. I'm not joking. The fact that older Living Sacrifice material is not spoken of in the same regard as their "legendary" thrash counterparts really makes a statement as to how overlooked the band probably was due to their christian beliefs.
With their sophomore release, Nonexistent, the band went with a more death metal approach. A much darker sound is found on this album. Judging from reading several old interviews, the band didn't seem happy with the outcome of this album. This doesn't serve as a surprise considering the obvious return to the "original" sound with their third full length, Inhabit. While the vocals remained a bit lower and "death metal", the neck-breaking thrash beats were back in full effect. The band even began to show the development of what was to result from their entire reformation, which would come after the release of Inhabit in 1994.
After roughly a year of touring in support of Inhabit, lead vocalist and bassist Darren Johnson stepped down; leaving rhythm guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh to take over on lead vocal duties. Along with this line-up change came an entirely different approach to the band's musical direction. Along with the dissolution of the REX Music label who had released their first three albums, the band shed much of their thrash and death metal influences in favor of a slower, more "hardcore" sound which they have since become synonymous with.
Somewhere in this time frame, Sepultura also phased their way out of the thrash and death metal scenes in favor of a slower, down-tuned sound; essentially forging an entirely new sound within heavy music in the process. It seems as though everyone, since the release of Roots, who has incorporated any sort of auxillary percussion has been immediately labeled as a Sepultura knock-off. I always felt as though Living Sacrifice did a very similar style in a drastically different manner. Incorporating much more off-time parts similar to Meshuggah, I'm doubting Max Cavalera would even be able to play anything off of Living Sacrifice's "Reborn" album.
While the band's new found uniqueness and creativity are primarily responsible in my eyes for the sudden popularization of the band, it would be laughable to deny the impact that signing to the newly forged Solid State Records had for the band. Serving as Tooth & Nail Records' metal sub-label, Solid State in 1997 was the place to be. The label served as home to so many legendary releases from this era that I can't even begin to get started on the subject. The only reason I bring this up is because I feel as though Reborn by Living Sacrifice was, alongside several others, largely responsible for the initial success of the label.
Several years passed before Living Sacrifice released another album. The wait did not disappoint in the slightest. As with every album, The Hammering Process was a huge step in the growth of the band. It was with this album that Living Sacrifice cemented themselves as a true force to be reckoned with. Incorporating a full-time auxiliary percussionist into the fold alongside new guitarist Rocky Gray took Living Sacrifice to a whole new level of creativity. Looking back, it was this step in the band's career that stood out to me as a prime example as to how it could be possible to entirely expand one's musical horizons. The addition of non-conventional instrumentation can only serve as a means to foster growth. How the fuck could anyone have written tracks as intense as Bloodwork or Hand Of The Dead without the addition of an auxiliary percussionist? Not happening.
Conceived In Fire was released in 2002. For some reason or another, a lot of people wrote this album off as being inconsistent with the perfection of their previous efforts. I'm going to assume that any and all criticism was based off of the release of the album's "single", Symbiotic, which featured a repeating verse/chorus structure. The intensity of that song, specifically, makes any and all calls of "selling out" a complete joke in the eyes of anyone who truly understands legitimately heavy music. Ironically, it was on this album, released in 2002, that the band came closest to a Sepultura-esque sound in my opinion. Once again utilizing the percussion work of Matt Putnam, Conceived In Fire ranks in as possibly my favorite of all Living Sacrifice albums.
The band dissolved not long after the release of this album. They managed to record a 3 song demo before doing so, however. It was paired up alongside a "best of" collection entitled In Memoriam in conjunction with their final tour. These supposed final three songs from the project showed that the band had not lost a single step throughout their career. Encompassing all aspects of the band's progression throughout the years, "In Christ", "Power Of God", and "Killers" were an impressive summation of what the band was capable. As representative as I felt the songs were, the band's musical arsenal proved to be far too versatile to be left as is and the band announced their reformation in early 2008.
Needless to say, I was more than enthusiastic at the announcement of this reunion. It was somewhere around 2005 that I started hating myself for skipping out on the one and only chance I had to see this powerhouse. The band preceded their tour with Demon Hunter in the summer of 2008 with the release of an online-only release of 2 newly recorded songs. As with the small, three-song dose of the band's capability released in 2003, Living Sacrifice did not disappoint with Death Machine and The Battle.
Sadly, this time around the band was not accompanied by their former percussionist ... or any percussionist at all for that matter. When I saw the band set up on stage without any form of auxillary percussion, I was assuming that certain songs would have to be cut from the set. Further proving their superiority in musicianship, however, I was proven wrong as the band delivered Bloodwork, Hand Of The Dead, and Send Your Regrets amongst many others with the same amount of intensity as they once encompassed with the tribal drumming patterns within the songs. Simply put, Lance Garvin is one of the most insane drummers within heavy music
One of the main reasons I've always been drawn to Living Sacrifice has been the sincerity and legitimacy they have shown to their faith in christ. I know it probably makes no sense, but a large portion of my favorite bands have always been "christian". Sometimes because I think its funny or cute, but in cases such as Living Sacrifice (or original Zao line-up, for example), the sincerity that radiates from their live shows, lyrics, and/or interviews is undeniable despite my obvious lack of similar beliefs. Point being ... these 90s christian metalcore bands have a higher legitimacy rating than any of the vegan SxE gatherings of the same era.
Its safe to say I'm quite excited for this new material in which the band is scheduled to record by the end of the year. I'm anxiously awaiting to hear the one thrash song that the band throws on towards the end of every album just to prove that they can still thrash 20 years after the initial start of the band. More than I can say for most bands who used to bring it.
No, their new records aren't available for download here. It's every bit as good as every other Earth Crisis release. Picture somewhere between Breed The Killers and Gomorrah's Season Ends. There are still some special order packages left through Century Media's distro. You get the CD, a 7" with two songs from their unreleased 1992 demo, and size small shirt (all the other sizes are sold out). Guess how much that will cost you? $18. Don't slack ... order this before its gone. Make sure you go out and support Earth Crisis on their current tour. The band has went through a lot to get this project up and going again and the support would be much appreciated I am sure.
Its easy to sit around and talk shit on an album when you downloaded shitty Mp3 rips of it for free. No sense of or pride in ownership through downloading Mp3s. I waited to listen to the album until my pre-order package arrived ... lyrics and all. It's been a while since I've cared enough about an album to buy it brand new, let alone to pre-order it and wait for the real deal to show up. A lot of people have forgotten the concept of taking more from an album other than the music itself. The lyrics and actual sound quality found on the CD (as opposed to shit quality Mp3s floating around the internet) give you an actual indication as to what the band has created.
And while you're at it ... pick up the new Unholy through Prosthetic Records' online store ... or pick it up at one of their shows on the Earth Crisis tour they're currently on. These are two of the most legit bands within hardcore and metal currently and they deserve your support. Bands of this nature are becoming few and far between. Instead of reminiscing about the "glory days" exclusively, make a point to show your appreciation to the bands who are currently going at it with their full dedication. Its harder now than ever for sincere bands to keep their heads above water.
I remember seeing Candiria when I first started going to shows. At the time I had my standard education in metal through my mastery of Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, and Testament (always the big 5 in my head at the time) supplemented by the hardcore likes of Hatebreed, Sworn Enemy, Mushmouth and bands of that nature. While I still jam those bands quite frequently, my musical perspective was completely fucked the first time I saw Candiria. Sure, I had heard the thrashing of Slayer, every Kirk Hammet solo, the hardest breakdowns known to man on Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire ... but none of that seemed as crazy after Candiria combined jazz with death metal.
Looking back now, as a musician, it all makes quite a bit of sense. However, as a 15 year old kid who thought double kick drums were the end-all-be-all of heavy music, my mind was quite perplexed by the shit Candiria was bringing to the table. I specifically remember getting caught in my own mosh on at least 5 different occasions during their set due to their fucked-up time signatures that I did not know existed at the time. Candiria, to this day, remains as the one-and-only band in which I prepared my mosh for prior to attending their shows. You basically had to.
I didn't get into Candiria until around 1999 whenever the band released their Process Of Self.Development full length on the infamous MIA Records (ironic label name). In order to cover the band's process of self-development up until this point in their career, I'm going to switch over to a biography written up by some guy who, up until 2007, ran the Angelfire-hosted Candiria fan page. Mad respect to him for keeping the tradition alive for as long as he did. For a bit of a trip down memory lane of hardcore-on-the-internet prior to unlimited bandwidth, pay your respects to his work right here.
"Have you ever successfully tried to follow one of their songs? I can almost do it but there's always that one bastard riff in every song that I can't get! And obviously you're here to learn more about the band, so I'll stop rambling now and give you some meat about the Brooklyn quintet...
It is 1992, Brooklyn, New York. In a rehearsal studio, Eric Mathews, Chris Puma, Carley Coma, Kenneth Schalk and original bassist Matt Holt come together week after week to dictate the beginnings of what they understand to be music. All five of them were seriously focused on changing the face of heavy music. Inspired from all directions, Candiria was ready to hit the laboratory and experiment with a new musical formula. The center point or foundation, of course, was the consistent element of DANCEABLE MUSIC. From that, the song was to be like a beautifully written novel-an introduction leading to a well defined, in-depth and expansively informative body that brings you smoothly and excitingly through the conclusion and off to the back cover for the "about the author." It would take many years of pain staking labor and commitment to pull this off.
Candiria was growing musically, and had the impetus to move forward but faced a few hurdles... One of them being the issue of a bass player. Candiria had 2 bass players after Matt left in the spring of 1992. It was winter 1994 and the band just watched their 3rd bassist leave and decided to go on without one. They had been playing around the city for the past year and gave out about 300 or 400 copies of their Subliminal. demo to fans and bands as well as sending it off to various record companies, rock venues and management and booking agencies . The band had too much momentum to start looking for a fourth bass player. The first album, Surrealistic Madness was originally warranted to be a demo also, but the band had generated a good enough buzz at that point to interest Too Damn Hype records in releasing their music. The hard work and unique vision was beginning to get recognized.
The second album Beyond Reasonable Doubt was created with the same line-up, and on this album, the bass lines were executed by Eric, and Ken. Still no bass player. Candiria continued to play live shows, but the low end was missing and it just wasn't right..........yet.
The Candiria line-up was forced to make change when Chris Puma became impatient with the bass situation, and for some unknown personal reasons, left the band. Candiria had to let him go.
Candiria then recruited friend John Lamacchia, who was in a band called Dead Air. Since Dead Air was calling it quits, and happened to rehearse in the same studio as Candiria, they asked John to join, and he did. The bass player in Dead Air, Michael MacIvor, had already left the band to play with NYHC pioneers Merauder. MacIvor was honored to play with Merauder at first, but as time passed wanted to go in a more open-ended direction. He was always a fan of Candiria, and when they asked him to join, he couldn't refuse. The five members have now fortified, and remain a constant entity since 1998.
Candiria has two albums to date (EDITOR'S NOTE: this was written just before The Process Of Self.Development was released), both in their own respect are different, yet all contain elements of fusion, metal, ambience, jazz, rap, and urban madness. The sound produced by these cats is one that sincerely stands alone, by itself. Defiant in nature, they break common threads that unify the common 4/4 tempo of many bands today. A major focus for Candiria is the off-beat practice of syncopation. Candiria is just the remedy we need in this world so full of pre-packaged aggression. To be unique in a market bonded by threads of anti-this, and anti-that, and "My life sucks" type songs, is truly something to savor. It almost seems that metal along with all Rock sub-genres combined, has found a complacent bowl of fruit to eat from. The inability to evolve musically, will be the self-destruction of what modern music is today. Candiria will continue to evolve, bringing new and exciting music to its listeners and is something I'll always look forward to, now that I've found FUCKING CANDIRIA!!!"
Picking up where this article leaves off, I shall tell you of the perfection that is The Process Of Self.Development. Essentially serving as a "best of" album from that point in their career, the full length consists of re-recorded tracks from the first two full lengths alongside obscure demo and 7" material. In true Candiria fashion, the band also included new material in order to keep their musical revolution in "constant velocity". Through the acquisition of what was thought to be a legitimate label at the time, the band finally managed to finance a recording worthy of the material that was being put to tape. The album also marked the start of the transition away from the prevelant death metal influences heard primarily in the vocals on the first two albums. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely parts on this third full length offering that put Cannibal Corpse to shame, however quite obviously through the acquisition of a full-time bassist, the group seemed to shift focus moreso onto the groove aspect of the band. That is also not to say that the element was not relevant on previous recordings.
I was lucky enough in this era to see Candiria on multiple occassions despite never getting to see Jamey from Hatebreed and Phil from Irate jump on stage to do their parts as can be seen in the YouTube video above. It was seeming as though "things" were starting to happen for Candiria around this era. A constant touring schedule coupled alongside the demise of MIA Records landed Candiria a deal with Century Media for the release of their next full length, 300 Percent Density.
Despite the once-again flawless nature of this new album, I remember a bit of dissent from the hardcore scene at the time. For the younger kids who may be reading this and not understanding how something as simple as signing to Century Media could cause such a reaction, I don't really have a good explanation for you. Regretfully, at the time whenever a "hardcore" band signed to a "metal" label, talks of sedition instantly arose. This was 2001, Hatebreed had just signed to Universal Records and written the song "You're Never Alone" alongside playing OzzFest and bringing rednecks into "the scene". Looking back I can almost under the apprehension that came with bands getting picked up by Roadrunner, Century Media, and other pseudo-major labels. Candiria's musical offering was untouched by the transition, however.
300 Percent Density was perhaps the pinnacle of Candiria's aggressive music career. While The Process Of Self.Development had all of the hits and guest appearances, there were still tracks on the album that had been written almost 5 years prior to its release. The musicianship on 300 Percent Density had matured ten-fold since the release of their previous album in 1999. Despite the tastefulness that was used in doing so, the band DID introduce the usage of more standard song structures; at times even utilizing repeating choruses. With the release of the "single" from the album, Without Water, I remember realizing that big changes were on the way for Candiria.
Candiria toured relentless with the release of their 300 Percent Density album with acts ranging from the Soul Brains (Bad Brains) to Poison The Well to Cryptopsy to Madball to Shadows Fall. It was amongst this touring, however, that the band was almost taken away due to a severe wreck with a tractor-trailer. I pulled up the following statement made by the band from the incident.
"The five members of the pioneering metal-fusion band Candiria and their tour manager escaped life-threatening injury when their van was rear-ended by a tractor trailer east of Buffalo, New York on Monday September 9th, 2002. The accident occurred at 9:15 am on Interstate 90 in Batavia, New York, when the tractor trailer driver, who was charged with speeding, plowed into the back of the van at full throttle. The van was hauling an equipment trailer, which buffered the blow. Upon impact, the van left the pavement, flipped over four times, then skidded on its roof for several hundred feet before stopping at the side of the center median culvert. Four members of the band were ejected from the vehicle through the shattered side windows. The other two were in the front of the van and were able to crawl from the wreckage. Candiria drummer Ken Schalk was flown by MediVac helicopter to the nearest trauma unit, located at the Erie County Medical Center, the others followed by ambulance. They all suffered multiple contusions, abrasions and lacerations that required extensive stitching. Schalk was treated for six hours for his injuries, which included a severe cut to the ear. He also suffered a concussion. Guitarist John LaMacchia also sustained a so-called "closed head injury," as well as a broken clavicle and fractured shoulder. Guitarist Eric Matthews suffered two broken ribs and injured knees. Singer Carley Coma was feared to have internal injuries, but escaped with abdominal contusions. Bassist Mike MacIvor suffered a hand injury as well as the bruises, scrapes and cuts they all sustained. Tour manager Kevin Macormick also suffered a torn rotator cuff.
The tractor trailer driver admitted fault and was issued a summons by police at the scene on several charges, including following too close, reckless endangerment and speeding. Candiria's van and all its contents were completely demolished. The equipment trailer was split in two and everything in it destroyed."
The future of Candiria was very uncertain at the time. Members all took part in their various solo and side projects including Ghosts of the Canal, which was featured at the Micro Museum in Brooklyn, NY, in part of a multimedia production "that also features live dancers, videography, and projections". Drummer Kenneth Schalk also played live drums for several jazz groups, some of which featured members who had contributed elements to prior Candiria albums. It was also in this downtime when the band wrote material for their next album, "What Doesn't Kill You...".
While the following is mere speculation, I think it is safe to say that the band's musical progression on their follow-up to 300 Percent Density is what caused the split between the band and Century Media. While the band always managed to make considerable progression between every album, the difference between 300 Percent Density and its successor, What Doesn't Kill You... is quite drastic. While the album still focuses quite strongly on the aggressive aspect of the band on the earlier tracks, the B-side tends to stray moreso into the realms of jazz, hip hop, and even reggae at times. While I personally find this release to be the most listenable album of all the Candiria albums, I think it is safe to say that a large majority of Candiria's fan base felt quite alienated by this release. I would venture to say that the vocals on the album consist of equal parts harsh screaming and clean singing. Personally, I find this album to be yet another pinnacle of the band's song-writing capacity ... yes, I'm illustrating the fact that every album is the band's pinnacle.
As always, the band embarked on considerably varied tours with the release of this album. I was lucky enough to see the band on their stint with Kittie, 36 Crazyfists, and Twelve Tribes. The show was being held at one of the larger venues in Pittsburgh that I was not particularly fond of and, in turn, would not donate any finances to. I went down in hopes of sneaking in and directly supporting the band with merch purchases to no avail. It was on my way back to my car that I encountered Carley who asked where we were going. I told him my deal of wanting to see Candiria (and Twelve Tribes) without being able to bring myself to give any money to the venue or promoter involved with the show. Without the slightest bit of a second guess, he instructed my friend and I to follow him into the show. We did so, and in turn, got to witness the band perform their new album, What Doesn't Kill You in its almost entirety. Looking back, it was one of the best sets I have ever witnessed and wouldn't have traded it for the world. I digress.
It was not long after this that long-standing guitarists John LaMacchia and Eric Matthews both stepped down. The original intent was for Eric Matthews to temporarily leave for a back surgery whereas John LaMacchia was to permanently step down citing musical differences. The band continued on temporarily with two fill-in guitarists in order to continue with their touring schedule, which included a short-run on the Stillborn Fest. This show was not three months after I had just seen Candiria perform a set of entirely new material. While I was overly exuberant at the prospect of seeing a repeat performance of the newer material, I was even moreso excited whenever the band got on stage and played a set of "old" material exclusively. It truly put into perspective the wide range of capability the band possessed amongst their ranks; even when nearly half of the band were fill-ins.
From this point on, the band seemed to dissolve in front of everyone's eyes. Guitarist Eric Matthews was the first to leave. As previously stated, the original intent was for him to take a temporary leave of absence in order to facilitate his back surgery. There was never any specific statement made by the band as to his exit other than that it, in turn, yielded the departure of drummer Kenneth Schalk. Bassist Mike MacIvor and vocalist Carley Coma were then left with a nearly completed album without a band to tour on it. Despite the re-addition of long-standing guitarist John LaMacchia, their label, Type-A Records who released their previous full length, would not release the album due to the band's unwillingness to tour without Kenneth Schalk on the shells. The album sat on the shelf for over two years before finally being released by John LaMacchia's new label, Rising Pulse Records.
The album is once again another huge step into the creative world that is Candiria. If you weren't into What Doesn't Kill You, there is a very good chance that you will also not appreciate their latest release, Kiss The Lie. If you gave their previous album an honest chance and took the time to understand its intricacies, then I would highly suggest picking up the beautifully laid-out, gatefolded double LP at Rising Pulse Record's MySpace page. I am specifically not including the Mp3s to this album as the band essentially put this out through their own DIY work ethics and it deserves support for all of the apparent bullshit they had to go through in order to ensure its release. There are also future plans for a collection of 4 limited edition remix LPs entitled Toying With The Insanities. Even if you're not as dedicated of a Candiria as am I, you can also pick up Surrealistic Madness on clear vinyl while you're there.
The band is currently on yet another "indefiniate hiatus" while members state in interviews that interest in the project has been lost. As much as it may be wishful thinking, I would like to believe that the members of Candiria realize the monster of a project that they created can never come to an end. While I am more than content with checking out the various side projects that the members are currently partaking in, the necessity of Candiria is insatiable to me. I'm not going to be content until I get another chance to cut shit up to Faction.
Overall, I think Candiria was summed up by the best following statement made by the webmaster of the Candiria Pit 718 Angelfire Fan Page. "Simply put, take some salt in one hand, and pepper in the other. Bring both your hands together and shake it around....now here's where music and salt part ways. Throw the mixture on the table. Physically, the pepper and salt will mix , forming a ---pepper and salt mix. But musically, after mixing the pepper and salt, the two will miraculously end up where they started.....salt on one side, pepper on the other! (did I confuse you?)"
By the way, if anyone could upload the Mathematics/Down To The Last Element 7" put out by Stillborn Records ... that would complete the discography as far as I know. Any information on other recordings would be greatly appreciated.
Always being a fan of the unrecognized and under-appreciated, Dissolve is probably my favorite finding within the past few years. To be completely honest, I always kinda heard the name floating around but chose to delay checking the band out for absolutely no reason at all. It wasn't until I heard as many people who's musical taste I respect getting as excited as they did over the band's reunion shows in 2008 that I chose to pay attention. I found their self-titled 7" on Endless Fight Records and it was decided before side A was even done that I was fully obsessed with this band.
Rewinding a bit to the band's beginning, they started with the release of a cassette demo entitled Rebirth Of Thought in 1992 which I unfortunately do not have. This was followed up by a 7 track demo in 1993 which I am fortunate enough to have a copy of. In fact, I actually have two different rips of it that I included in the download link for the diehards.
contributing two tracks to the original Over The Edge compilation put out by the same label. Both songs would later be re-recorded for their Dismantle CD which is surprisingly still available through Interpunk for $8.25; a very random find.
