Candarian - Trepanación Candarian

Hailing from one of the most fertile scenes in recent years, Costa Rica’s CANDARIAN were spawned in 2020 when Christopher (guitar) and Jose Pablo (bass / vocals) decided to start a new project inspired by old-school death metal from the early ’90s, like Autopsy and Incantation, with lyrics revolving around themes of gore and horror. After some rehearsals, Pablo (drums) and Felipe (guitar) were recruited, and the lineup was then completed. During the following months, the band focused on finishing their debut demo and presenting it live throughout the local scene. That demo, Stagnant Livor Mortis, was released in late 2022 by ME SACO UN OJO on cassette and quickly established the name CANDARIAN as a considerable newcomer.

And with the imminent release of their debut album, CANDARIAN capitalize on that potential – with disgusting, punishing aplomb. Titled Trepanación – the grisly cover art courtesy of Grant Hatfield leaves no doubt what the English translation is – the Costa Ricans’ first full-length is the fullest manifestation of their authentically throwback DEATH METAL: malignant, odious, reckless, and groove-laden. No more but no less, this is the early ’90s done to perfection, from performance and production on down; everything congeals into a totality that’s all-consuming and utterly convincing. It’s not inaccurate to suggest that Trepanación could bring long-buried corpses bubbling to the surface in a quagmire of rottenness. However, this pulsing & putrescent soundscape of horror and doom manages to go above basic old-school worship whilst including all the necessary filth that vintage death metal needs. Whether it’s the sometimes-bestial aspect to their rhythmic surge (think Belial’s classic Wisdom of Darkness) to the never-belabored atmosphere of the haunting and hovering, CANDARIAN display a mature grasp beyond their young years,

Prepare to bang your head and drudge through the mulched layers of corpses that CANDARIAN leave in their wake. The time is nigh to become possessed by real terror and carnage…and get crushed by Trepanación!