Hardcore may not be the first word that comes to mind when listening to Candiria (depending on the song), but it is one of many. Other obvious influences include metal, rap, and jazz. Yet Candiria has found a home in the hardcore scene; and why not? Hardcore is just as influenced by metal and rap these days as it is by punk. The lyrical style varies as much as the other instruments, including guest vocalists from both hardcore and hip hop. One thing that is fairly constant is the stream of consciousness style that the lyrics are written in; making it hard to pull out any meaning. However, Candiria gives us enough to recognize some level of political awareness.
The album opens up with Faction, which begins peculiarly similar to Earth Crisis' Forged in the Flames. This song has its fair share of progressive messages: "CUT YOUR LIFE / FROM THE POINT OF VIEW / THAT KEEPS YOU ON YOUR BACKSIDE / TRUST IN MY CLIQUE / ODDS ARE / ONE TO SIX / REVOLUTION OF THE SICK." The message then becomes a little clearer: "ELIMINATE / THE CAUSE / FACTIONS RISE UP THEN DEPLOY / NON ATTRACTIVE / THE LANGUAGE OF THE MASSES... UPRIGHT POSITION / MOVE IN THE FORWARD FASHION / OPPOSITION... PEACE BEAUTIFIES ALL." The last chapter (each song is divided into chapters) is by Mark Scondotto of Shutdown who screams, "CORPORATE BODIES FIGHTING TO BRING US DOWN / BANNING TOGETHER HELPS TURN IT AROUND... NOW WE MUST LOOK WHERE WE STAND / IN BETWEEN THE LINE INVADING THIS LAND." The general idea seems to be a call for a revolutionary group to rise up against those in power and eventually bring peace. But the message is neither strong nor clear.
In Year One, Jorge Rosado of Merauder sings "YEAR ONE / THE GATERHING OF THE UNDERGROUND / MILLIONS OF UNHEARD VOICES / READY TO CLAIM THEIR ANSWER NOW / YOU SET YOUR TRAP / BUT WE COUNTERATTACK... MUSIC OF WAR SURROUNDS / IT'S THE BEGINNING... / OF THE FINAL ROUND." Again the message is of an uprising and giving a voice to the majority that does not have a say.
Tribes is a song about the fighting between groups. Ryan Murphy of Cutthroat puts it best in chapter 2: "WE MAY LIVE IN DIFFERENT PLACES / BUT THERE'S NO MISTAKE WE SHARE / THE SAME BITTER FACES / YOU CAN'T ISOLATE THE HATE / TOO BUSY FIGHTING AMONGST OURSELVES / TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ANYWAY / WE'VE GOT TO GET OUR ACT TOGETHER / WE'VE GOT TO FIGHT THE ENEMY / TOO BUSY WASTING OUR TIME / WITH TURF SQUABBLES AND / STREET CRIMES / WE MAKE THINGS TWICE AS HARD / THE UNITY HAS BEEN SCARRED / TOO MANY IGNORANT MINDS / STUCK IN THE SYSTEM FOR LIFE." These lyrics have a clear message for young people to quit all the fighting between gangs and crews and take on a struggle against those who really pose a threat. The enemy isn't identified here, but MIM knows that it is the imperialist government and the bourgeoisie that controls it who threatens all our lives with war and environmental degradation, while feeding kids in the United $tates crap through the media to keep us distracted. The last line seems to be referring either to the prison system or perhaps the system that perpetuates crime and gang violence. Either way, Murphy is right to say that the system has trapped these people and to imply that education is necessary to find the way out. This is why MIM is actively working to educate the people locked up, as well as the people on the streets.
Carley Coma, lyricist for Candiria, seems to throw around the word masses a lot without really defining what he is referring to. MIM uses the term masses to refer to the majority of the world's people who are exploited by imperialism, and other allies to the struggle. In Primary Obstacle, Carley says, "OBSERVE THE MASSES AND DO THE OPPOSITE." As always its hard to get any context from his lyrics, but if he is referring to the "masses" as defined by MIM then we would disagree. It is the oppressed majority of the world whose interests will lead us towards a communist society where oppression no longer exists. If Carley is referring to the majority of the U$ as the "masses" then MIM would agree that their line will be reactionary and we must build revolution among the oppressed. It is the vanguard party's responsibility to maintain the perspective of the international proletariat and to reinforce the correct revolutionary line among the masses. Mao described how correct ideas come from the masses and must be sorted out and reinforced by the party, which has the responsibility of bringing these correct ideas back to the masses.