Candy – It’s Inside You (Review)

Candy have always been a band who have experimented with their sound. Many hardcore fans may find this off-putting, but for me it makes the band stand out from the crowd. So, I was all the more excited when Candy announced their new album. It’s Inside You will be released on June 7th via Relapse Records. The record features 12 energetic tracks and some interesting guest appearances like Aaron Melnick (Integrity), Justice Tripp (Angel Du$t, Trapped Under Ice), David Gagliardi (Trash Talk), MIRSY (Fleshwater’s Marisa Shriar) and mmph (Sae Heum Han).

Candy have already shown on their previous works how to mix hardcore with other influences to create an interesting sound. It’s Inside You fits seamlessly into the band’s discography. “eXisTenZ“ is perhaps the perfect opener for this record. Super aggressive, blast beats reminiscent of a thunderstorm and paired with wild electronic sounds. In general, Candy experiment a lot more with electronic rhythms here compared to the previous record. This makes It’s Inside You seem much more diverse than the rest of the hardcore scene. At the same time, the band manages to build up a level of aggression and brutality, which already sounded good on older works, but here the quartet surpasses itself. Candy have never sounded so angry and hateful. Kurt Ballou, who mixed the record, is certainly one of the reasons for this.

Songs like “Love Like Snow” surprisingly show a completely different side of the band. Shoegaze influences that have never been heard before are perfectly showcased by the electronic components. “Dancing To The Infinite Beat” makes it clear that a song doesn’t just have to sound dangerous with low-pitched guitars or blast beats. The use of electronic rhythms and sounds, which are almost reminiscent of a Gameboy game, creates a very unique form of catharsis.

The song-writing is outstanding. The diverse influences that characterize the album can be heard in the tracks through the different nuances that amaze the listener almost every second. “Terror Management” feels like a Death Metal track written by Converge. Added to this are the aforementioned electronic influences on other songs, which make the record sound so refreshingly varied.

It’s Inside You is a flawless album. Candy exceed all expectations and show how to create a violent and monstrous record in an experimental way. Probably one of the best hardcore releases of 2024.

“dreams laid dead/stuck grieving/how do you fight the feeling?/are we living in a world just to die?“