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)
Mathematics
Candiria Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
agonizing
Global blinding has come in full
Suffocate the remaining percent
Subtract
All is expendable
A thousand points of heat
Mourning breath ammonia thirst quenching leach
Tapping the network of veins
Genetic harvest in vain
Licking the wounds uncontrollably
Systems of gain
Sour heart reeks casualties
CHAPTER TWO
all the bread has molded fungus dwells inside
Multiple
Estimates
Convincing with their graphic pride
The mask that suffocates bleeds in me
All is to believe but we are pawns poisoned
In quantities
The
Arsenic hysteria
Like fleas on a dog irritating
This
Microwave insomnia
No strength
No heart
No option
Blugeoned with diversions
Concentrated dose
Exterminate the addiction
High vantage point
Chlorine infliction death
No microchip
Shall rest underneath my flesh
I'd prefer the obstacles of death
I will fill the tombs worthy of consequence
CHAPTER THREE
epileptic cancer causing agents
Starved
Lack of nutrition
Will you live this life on calloused knees?
Neck broken in?
Particles of mass deception forced in
Corrosive sting
Stall
The all seeing eye sees all
The most relevant faction
Foundations fractured
Economic death
Sarcastic devotion runs in excess
Sew my lips and burn my opened eyes
One soul divine
The engines are running mind altering
The most vile of things
Man has ever seen
Inspiring
To know all these
Admiring
My eyes are leaking viciously
Dissecting the harsh anatomy
CHAPTER FOUR
the devils suck the life out
Injecting america with blood disease
The reason and cause my friend, no room for vacancy
Decrease the numbers with crack and poverty
Methamphetamine
Cling to this massacre of excuses
Fully aware of the hidden agendas
CHAPTER FIVE
isolated
Silent warfare germ gestapo
All of the seeds condemned
Controlling and disabled
The greed infection in disguise
Behold united lambs of slavery
Rhythm of extremities amplifies
The source is nameless
CHAPTER SIX
Miralo, ahora para la eleccion
El camino del guerrero, en caminos de revolucion
Yo vengo preparao cargando mi cañon
Yo vengo preparao con los santos a mi lado
INJUSTICIA
The song "Mathematics" by Candiria is a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of various societal systems and the ways in which they cannibalize both individuals and entire communities. The lyrics are structured into six chapters, each with its own distinct focus and set of images.
Chapter one sets a bleak scene of global destruction and the devaluation of human life. The lines "agonizing/Global blinding has come in full/Suffocate the remaining percent/Subtract/All is expendable" paint a picture of a world in which people are treated as disposable and easily eliminated. The rest of the chapter deals with disease and genetic manipulation, suggesting that humanity's own efforts to control and improve itself have backfired catastrophically.
Chapter two builds on this theme of manipulation and control. The lines "The mask that suffocates bleeds in me/All is to believe but we are pawns poisoned/In quantities" suggest that individuals are being lied to and manipulated by those in positions of power. The chapter also touches on addiction and the ways in which distractions like technology can be used to numb people to their own suffering.
Chapter three deals with health issues and the effects of pollution and mass deception. The lines "Starved/Lack of nutrition/Will you live this life on calloused knees?" suggest that people are being deprived of the basic necessities of life, while other lines, like "The all seeing eye sees all/The most relevant faction/Foundations fractured/Economic death," hint at conspiracy and corruption at the highest levels of society.
Chapter four brings the focus back to the devastating effects of drugs on individuals and communities, particularly in America. The lines "the devils suck the life out/Injecting america with blood disease/The reason and cause my friend, no room for vacancy/Decrease the numbers with crack and poverty/Methamphetamine" are a scathing indictment of the ways in which marginalized groups are preyed upon and destroyed by systems that claim to be helping them.
Chapter five continues this theme, suggesting that people are being controlled and manipulated by hidden forces. The lines "All of the seeds condemned/Controlling and disabled/The greed infection in disguise/Behold united lambs of slavery/Rhythm of extremities amplifies/The source is nameless" are particularly haunting and suggest a sense of powerlessness in the face of a vast, malevolent machine.
Finally, chapter six introduces a Spanish verse that calls for revolution and resistance. It's a powerful call to action that suggests that while the problems Candiria addresses in the rest of the song are overwhelming, they're not insurmountable.
Line by Line Meaning
agonizing
A painful and distressing realization of the current situation
Global blinding has come in full
A worldwide phenomenon of misinformation and deceit
Suffocate the remaining percent
Eliminating anyone who is not aligned with the false narrative
Subtract
Removing elements deemed unnecessary to achieve the desired outcome
All is expendable
No life value is greater than the agenda
A thousand points of heat
Intense pressure from all angles
Bacteria son of disease
The root cause of the epidemic
Mourning breath ammonia thirst quenching leach
The undesirable effects of the cure
Tapping the network of veins
Exploiting the vulnerabilities of the system
Genetic harvest in vain
Unsuccessful attempts at manipulating DNA for personal gain
Licking the wounds uncontrollably
Failed attempts at recovering from past losses
Systems of gain
Methods intended to accumulate wealth or power
Sour heart reeks casualties
The distressing aftermath of immoral actions
all the bread has molded fungus dwells inside
Corruption has infiltrated every aspect of society
Multiple
Numerous fabricated stories of conflicting truth
Estimates
Grossly inaccurate predictions and projections
Convincing with their graphic pride
Manipulating the masses with false visual representations
The mask that suffocates bleeds in me
The internal struggle of conforming to societal pressure
All is to believe but we are pawns poisoned
The manipulation of beliefs to serve an ulterior motive
In quantities
The sleight of hand in distorting the facts to fit a narrative
The
The looming threat of danger
Arsenic hysteria
The fear-mongering tactics of those in power
Like fleas on a dog irritating
The continuous annoyance and harassment by those with hidden agendas
Microwave insomnia
The inability to rest or escape from the constant bombardment of information
No strength
The lack of will to resist the indoctrination
No heart
The dehumanization and desensitization of individuals
No option
The sense of helplessness when faced with the enormity of the issue
Blugeoned with diversions
The abundance of distractions intended to manipulate focus and attention
Concentrated dose
The insidious and concentrated dose of propaganda
Exterminate the addiction
The importance of breaking away from the addictive cycle of consumption and controlled information
High vantage point
The need for a clear and impartial perspective on the situation
Chlorine infliction death
The metaphorical poisoning and mass elimination of dissenting voices
No microchip
The resistance against being reduced to a mere number or statistic
Shall rest underneath my flesh
The refusal to give into the ultimate control and submission
I'd prefer the obstacles of death
The choice to fight against the oppressive system even if it means risking everything
I will fill the tombs worthy of consequence
The willingness to suffer the consequences of fighting for the truth
epileptic cancer causing agents
The toxic and potentially fatal ingredients of modern society
Starved
The lack of substance, fulfillment, and purpose in modern life
Lack of nutrition
The deficiency in essential knowledge and truth
Will you live this life on calloused knees?
The call to rise up and fight against the oppressive system
Neck broken in?
The vulnerability and fragility of the human body and mind
Particles of mass deception forced in
The inescapable manipulation and indoctrination of society
Corrosive sting
The painful and damaging effects of lies and deceit
Stall
The delay in progress and change due to the resistance and ignorance of the masses
The all seeing eye sees all
The awareness of the government's vast surveillance and information gathering capabilities
The most relevant faction
The group or individual with the most power and influence
Foundations fractured
The instability and vulnerability of the core institutions of society
Economic death
The financial collapse and ruin of a nation or society
Sarcastic devotion runs in excess
The cynicism and irony of those who are aware of the true nature of things
Sew my lips and burn my opened eyes
The attempt to silence and blind the truth-seekers and activists
One soul divine
The unity and interconnectedness of all humanity and the universe
The engines are running mind altering
The machinery of the system that is manipulating and deceiving the masses
The most vile of things
The darkest and most evil aspects of society
Man has ever seen
The atrocities and horrors perpetrated by human beings throughout history
Inspiring
The potential for positive change and transformation
To know all these
The awareness and understanding of the harsh reality of modern society
Admiring
The appreciation and respect for those who choose to fight for the truth and justice
My eyes are leaking viciously
The emotional impact of witnessing the injustices and atrocities of society
Dissecting the harsh anatomy
The critical examination and analysis of the broken and corrupted systems of modern society
the devils suck the life out
The corrupt and evil forces that drain the vitality and life force of society
Injecting america with blood disease
The corrupting and toxic influence of those in power on the nation
The reason and cause my friend, no room for vacancy
The absolute certainty of the cause and reason behind the current state of society
Decrease the numbers with crack and poverty
The deliberate effort to reduce and weaken the opposing population through addiction and deprivation
Methamphetamine
The drug used as a tool of control and manipulation by those in power
Cling to this massacre of excuses
The tendency to justify and make excuses for the oppressive status quo
Fully aware of the hidden agendas
The awareness and recognition of the ulterior motives and agendas behind the actions of those in power
isolated
The feeling of being alone and powerless against the oppressive system
Silent warfare germ gestapo
The covert and insidious methods of control and manipulation used by those in power
All of the seeds condemned
The suppression and elimination of any potential opposition or resistance
Controlling and disabled
The complete domination and paralysis of the masses
The greed infection in disguise
The hidden and disguised influence of greed on society
Behold united lambs of slavery
The tragic and pitiful state of the masses who are unaware of their own enslavement
Rhythm of extremities amplifies
The increasing severity and urgency of the situation and the call for action and resistance
The source is nameless
The anonymous and faceless nature of the oppressive system and its agents
Miralo, ahora para la eleccion
Look, now it's time for the election
El camino del guerrero, en caminos de revolucion
The warrior's path, on the roads of revolution
Yo vengo preparao cargando mi cañon
I come prepared, carrying my weapon
Yo vengo preparao con los santos a mi lado
I come prepared, with the saints by my side
INJUSTICIA
Injustice
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: CARLEY GERVAIS, ERIC MATTHEWS, JOHN LA MACCHIA, JORGE ROSADO, KENNETH SCHALK, MICHAEL MACIVOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind