Every few years a band comes along to take heavy music to a place it's never been. Usually, even the most heralded advances of the genre are barely incremental, but Candiria's first LP, Surrealistic Madness (Too Damn Hype, 1995), not only brought metal into previously unexplored territory, but Candiria's arrival completely shattered several boundaries simultaneously. Never before had hip-hop and jazz been incorporated like this into a death metal and hardcore context. Never before had a band evoked John Coltrane, Astrud Gilberto, Onyx and Lemmy Kilmesiter in the same 32-bar progression, let alone the same album. Only the most accomplished and versatile musicians could fulfill such an agenda. Drummer Kenneth Schalk, guitarists Eric Matthews and John LaMacchia, bassist Michael MacIvor and Vocalist Carley Coma have proved themselves more than capable over the years and were recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the "Ten Best Metal Bands" for their efforts. Candiria's ability to re-create the energy and technical proficiency demonstrated on their recordings has resulted in invitations to share the stage with the some of the most respected bands of the era, including bills with Sepultura, Biohazard, Meshuggah, Machine Head, Cannibal Corpse, The Misfits and Hatebreed, stand-out performances at the last two New Jersey Meltdowns and New England Metalfests, the Milwaukee Metalfest and national tours with Neurosis, Vision of Disorder, Earth Crisis, Madball and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Candiria's second LP, Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Too Damn Hype, 1997), showed that in the process of exploring unknown frontiers, Candiria was on their way to creating their own musical language. Beyond attracted interest from fans and earned a national radio chart position without any promotion. It also attracted the attention of bigger labels, and in 1999, Candiria signed with MIA Records. The LP masterpiece, Process of Self-Development (MIA Records, 1999), was the fruit of that union. Process clocked in at nearly 80 minutes and was replete with conceptual ingenuity, instrumental virtuosity and a production approach somewhere in between Pink Floyd and Slayer. Process also marked the arrival of MacIvor, Candiria's first full-time bass player, who had recently departed the New York-based metal-core pioneers, Merauder. Candiria was MIA's top seller and radio band. Process sold over 20,000 copies in its first seven months, was top-ten on college radio and helped garner an ever-growing acclaim for Candiria. In the course of creating a sound the world has never heard, Candiria has provoked that dynamic effect only the greatest artists inspire. Largely by word of mouth, Candiria has engendered an unusually devoted international legion who have discovered a band that represents the high level of artistic integrity they feel is truly worth believing in. Candiria creates a world where everything is possible again, where the old rules are tossed out the window, where previous boundaries no longer exist. Candiria is the nexus of a loosely-knit collective they call "Children Of Mental Awareness," or "C.O.M.A. Productions," which brings other talented artists, instrumentalists, producers, filmmakers, rappers and Web designers into its orbit. Candiria has inspired many more musicians and artists in their audience to stretch their limits as Candiria's influence has an increasingly palpable effect on the culture. Candiria is the most critically acclaimed band to come out of the Northeast hardcore scene. In addition to the aforementioned Rolling Stone accolade, Candiria has also been given feature space in The New York Times, L.A. Weekly, The Village Voice, The Aquarian Weekly, Alternative Press, Metal Maniacs, Metal Edge, The College Music Journal (CMJ) and Thrasher Magazine. Besides their LP's, Candiria has appeared on several notable compilations, including Aggro 2000 (K-Tel Records) and New York's Hardest 2 (Black Pumpkin Records). Soundtrack appearances include Troma Film's Decampitator and the upcoming Buddy Boy. Candiria has recorded their fourth LP, 300 Percent Density, for Century Media Records with their longtime producer Mike Barile at Purple Light Studios. Scheduled to be released in May 2001, 300 Percent Density is a record that bears witness to the musical cohesiveness gained from five solid years of playing, touring and writing together. The material on 300 Percent Density represents an elegant evolution in Candiria's style, mixing ear-grabbing hooks with the trademark mind-blowing instrumental transmutations that have won Candiria the respect and praise of musicians and fans the world over. Unmistakably Candiria and chock full of musical surprises, 300 Percent Density is going to rock the planet in YEAR ONE!

Official biography