Album review: Candy – Heaven Is Here

Don’t be fooled by the name – Candy are anything but sweet. Having previously stomped on skulls in 2017 with their 18-minute debut album, Good To Feel, the band make a return with Heaven is Here. This is their first release on Relapse Records and, taking a leaf out of labelmates Full Of Hell’s playbook, there are electronics and industrial influence aplenty.

Each track blisters with frenzied fury, mercilessly going straight for the jugular. However, bubbling away on the surface of every song is crackling static and textured synths. The overall effect serves to add an element of sleekness to what is otherwise a pretty miserable affair. It’s obvious that Candy are pushing boundaries and comfortable enough with their established sound to feel confident in experimenting with it. It’s jarring and unsettling, which aren’t usually words that spring to mind when describing something enjoyable. With this record there’s a thrill to the disquiet and the illusion of never really knowing what may happen next.

While most songs don't even make the two-minute mark, closing track Perverse clocks in at over 10 minutes of experimental noise. It’s like hitting a brick wall following the breakneck pace of the previous nine songs, but it’s not an unwelcome addition. It’s interesting to hear Candy embracing their experimental side and, for anyone in any doubt, their industrial tinged noise is every bit as horrible as their hardcore – a wonderful spectrum that ranges from explosive anger to sinister brooding.

If Heaven really is here, then Hell doesn’t bear thinking about.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Full Of Hell, Code Orange, Power Trip

Heaven Is Here is released on June 24 via Relapse