Review : PARIA – “The Barnacle Cordious”

Paria – “The Barnacle Cordious”
Released March 17, 2009 on Blackmarket Activities

Metal Archives claims that Paria is a metalcore band and nothing else. I would beg to differ. They are definitely metal, and they often have a ‘core aspect to them, but they also have influences from mathcore bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Protest the Hero. The majority of this album is complex, hectic, unrelenting metallic hardcore. However, they throw in two tracks (4 and 9) that are instrumental and sound almost indistinguishable from Pelican (both also incorporate some piano, an interesting touch). Personally, these are my two favorite songs on the album, as I’m a sucker for post-metal, and somehow the band makes it flow well. The rest is fairly repetitive and monotonous, but if you like the aforementioned groups, I’m sure you would enjoy this. Some songs feature unique segments, however, like the gothic sounding breakdown of track 2 or the bluesy solo on track 7. As one unit, I’d say this is a very accomplished work, with everything flowing together. Despite my dislike for the genre that this album is based in, I prefer it over the other options. It’s a good “fuck you” to contemporaries like Bullet for my Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold.

FCC: 2, 6 (a woman says “fuck” after the song at the end of the track)
Try 2, *4*, 7, 8, *9*

01. The Barnacle Cordious
02. Circus
03. The Wallabee Dance Machine
04. Pish Posh
05. Bomb
06. Rabid McFly Grid
07. Thrash
08. Be
09. I’ve Never Been Here Before In a Long Time

Rating: