Candiria was initially formed in 1992 by vocalist Carley Coma, guitarists Chris Puma and Eric Matthews, drummer Kenneth Schalk, and bassist Michael MacIvor. Even early on they were creating unusual music, with vocals that ranged from dry barks to rap. Chris and Eric's guitar have set Candiria's rhythmic style as riffing with little melody interrupted by jazzy chord progressions during the jazz breaks. Ken Schalk's drumming often consists of laying down a groove while staying true to the non-conventional time signatures that dominate the music, paired up with Michael's unusual bass lines. Michael, in fact, may be the least metal-influenced member of the group, as apparent in his melodically complex basslines which frequently do not follow the guitar riffs.
Chris Puma was replaced by John Lamacchia before 1997's Beyond Reasonable Doubt, while Lamacchia himself left the band after 2004's What Doesn't Kill You.... The latter album features a cover photograph of the band's van after a heavy traffic accident it endured in 2002. It took the band members considerable time to recover from their injuries.
As of 2005, Eric Matthews is no longer in the band.
Drummer Ken Schalk has been involved in a free-jazz side project named Ghosts Of The Canal, who have thus far released two full-length albums, Sessions from the Flats (1999) and Five Episodes From the Subconsious (2002), as well as two non-album tracks which appeared on the bonus disc of Candiria's The C.O.M.A. Imprint.
"Candiria" is plural for "candiru," a small blood-sucking Amazonian fish that lodges itself in the urethras of unwary bathers.
Discography
Albums
1994 - Subliminal (Demo Tape)
1995 - Surrealistic Madness (Too Damn Hype)
1997 - Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Too Damn Hype)
1999 - The Process Of Self-Development (MIA Records)
2001 - 300 Percent Density (Century Media)
2002 - The Coma Imprint (Lakeshore)
2004 - What Doesn't Kill You... (Type A)
2008 - Kiss The Lie
The C.O.M.A. Imprint
Not exactly a proper album, this is in fact a re-recording of Candiria's 1997 album Beyond Reasonable Doubt, featuring newly remastered and/or recorded songs. It includes a bonus disc which features songs from several bands signed to Carley Coma's label C.O.M.A., as well as two songs from Ghosts of the Canal.
2002 - The C.O.M.A. Imprint (Lakeshore)
1000 Points of Light
Candiria Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burn your bridges
Rise up against the chains that bind you
Remove your harness
Up, down, left, right
I am man that makes me strong
Faction
Cut your life
Blood is power
Stand with me
Die for honor with nail in hand
I bleed for you...bleed for you
I'll watch the palaces fall under my feet
We'll devastate the walls
Pure hysteria
Hairs will stand up on the neck
Fecal matter on their breath
So spit them out
They have come to infiltrate with demons in their mouth
Run
Hide
Hunted is the prey
Lost is the sheep
We have gone astray
I will speak of the wars that lie ahead
Your slavery is subliminal
The message forced
Digging it's teeth into your head
Bombarded with scenarios
This is the morning of the end.
This is the morning of the chaos that begins
A scream forever leaking from your burning kin
Illuminate the king
Forms of worship
Open your heart
Let me enter your kingdom
You're running with arms apart
They lied to you
They lied to you
Disgusting what is real
The gun is in your mouth
Be strong and pull it out
They will burn
They will burn, burn, burn
In the song "1000 Points of Light" by Candiria, the lyrics are a call to arms for individuals to rise up against the chains that bind them. The first verse speaks of burning away fears and removing one's harness, expressing a desire for freedom and strength as a man. The lyrics then move to a more aggressive and violent tone as the singer talks about standing with others and using blood as power to fight against those who have come to infiltrate with demons in their mouth. The chorus speaks of watching palaces fall and devastating walls, expressing a desire to overthrow those in power. The second verse warns of the wars that lie ahead and the subliminal messages that enslave people. The lyrics end with a call to open one's heart and pull the gun out of their mouth, promising that those who have lied and oppressed will burn.
The lyrics of "1000 Points of Light" can be interpreted as a call to action against oppressive forces, whether they be political, societal, or personal. The use of violent imagery and language can be seen as a representation of the anger and frustration that people feel when they are oppressed. The lyrics seem to be encouraging people to take control of their lives and to fight for what they believe in, even if it means resorting to violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Burn your fears away
Eliminate your fears and anxieties.
Burn your bridges
Cut off ties and connections with the past.
Rise up against the chains that bind you
Rebel against anything that restricts you.
Remove your harness
Get rid of the things that hold you back or restrict your freedom.
Up, down, left, right
Everywhere, in all directions.
I am man that makes me strong
Being a human and overcoming challenges makes me stronger and resilient.
Faction
A group with common interests or goals.
Cut your life
Sacrifice yourself for a greater cause.
Sing with me
Unite with me.
Blood is power
The willingness to shed blood for a cause is a display of strength and power.
Stand with me
Join me in my cause.
Die for honor with nail in hand
Be prepared to die with honor and courage while fighting for your cause.
I bleed for you...bleed for you
I am willing to sacrifice and suffer for you and our cause.
I'll watch the palaces fall under my feet
I will witness and celebrate the destruction of those in power.
We'll devastate the walls
We will completely destroy anything that stands in our way.
Pure hysteria
Intense and uncontrolled emotions that drive one to action.
Hairs will stand up on the neck
An overwhelming feeling of fear or excitement.
Fecal matter on their breath
Those in power are corrupt and filthy.
So spit them out
Get rid of them and their corruption.
They have come to infiltrate with demons in their mouth
Those in power are attempting to deceive us with malicious intentions.
Run
Flee from danger.
Hide
Conceal yourself from danger.
Hunted is the prey
We are being pursued and targeted by those in power.
Lost is the sheep
People are lost and being led astray by those in power.
We have gone astray
We have been lead down the wrong path.
I will speak of the wars that lie ahead
I will warn of future battles that must be fought.
Your slavery is subliminal
You are being held in invisible, subconscious bondage.
The message forced
Propaganda and lies are being heavily promoted.
Digging it's teeth into your head
The propaganda is making a deep and lasting impact in your mind.
Bombarded with scenarios
We are being overwhelmed with potential dangers and problems.
This is the morning of the end.
This is the beginning of the end of the current power structure.
This is the morning of the chaos that begins
This is the start of an era of upheaval and disorder.
A scream forever leaking from your burning kin
A sound of pain and anguish will forever emanate from our suffering family.
Illuminate the king
Expose and bring down those in power who are responsible for our suffering.
Forms of worship
Different belief systems which invoke strong feelings and submission in people.
Open your heart
Become open and receptive to new ideas and ways of life.
Let me enter your kingdom
Allow me to be a welcomed part of your life and your beliefs.
You're running with arms apart
You are running towards change with open arms.
They lied to you
Those in power have deceived you.
Disgusting what is real
The reality of the situation is revolting and disheartening.
The gun is in your mouth
You are the one in control and must make a difficult choice.
Be strong and pull it out
Be courageous and take control of the situation.
They will burn
Those in power will face destruction and disaster.
They will burn, burn, burn
The demise of those in power will be intense and complete.
Contributed by Jayce G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.