Times haven't been easy for Candiria. A late 2002 van accident nearly derailed their career for good, leaving all members of the band with extensive injuries and a long road of rehabilitation ahead for some of them. Thankfully, they were already a band accustomed to adversity though as their professional career has also consistently put them in the face of uncertainty, only to see them prevail once again. Having since aligned themselves with the newly forged Type A Records (their fifth label for those keeping count), the band have now recovered and returned with a stellar new opus in the form of "What Doesn't Kill You...".

Enlisting the services of producer David Bendeth this time around, Brooklyn's finest heavy ensemble have unquestionably taken something home with them from their brush with death. In turn, this effort sees all bets being put off as the group are no longer making minor steps in their musical evolution, instead preferring to now plunge right off into the deep end. At its core this album still holds the key elements of jazz, metalcore, hip-hop, prog and more that make Candiria what they are. But it also sees some extreme experimentation from them as well. Easily the biggest change instituted here is the full-on melodic approach the band adopt on a number of the tracks. Surprisingly enough, the cleanly sung vocals are also quite appealing as well, retaining much emotion and providing a welcome juxtaposition to the more throaty screams and barks that also populate this release.

With the vocal elements now playing a more upfront role, the rest of the band have adapted and become more subtle with their genre-defying feats. The music they lay down here remains no less complex, yet is tailored towards overall momentum rather than stitching together various parts. To elaborate, a jazz styled bassline or Egyptian sounding guitar part will mesh flawlessly with a pungent metal riff or bruising double-kick drum performance to provide understated contrast; rather than the band taking the full-blown approach where every member joined in like they have in the past. Interestingly enough, this mindset actually seems to display even more talent from the band, as the timing and structuring require even more intelligence to play. Not too mention, reward the listener with a wealth of converse instrumentation.

Of course being a Candiria album there are still forays into jazz, hip-hop, ambiance and more. But as a whole this effort has definitely seen the band mature and evolve into an even tighter unit. To speak ill of their back-catalogue would almost be criminal, but "What Doesn't Kill You..." is perhaps their first output that sees them become a seamless hive-minded creature. Not to say that their previous outings were cut and paste, but the transitions and contrasts showcased here are streamlined to a degree not found on their previous works. Factor in that this album also tackles a broader range of the emotional spectrum than they ever have in the past and you are faced with one hell of an invigorating listen. Long-time fans may be a slight bit disappointed that Carley's vocals still stray from the death/grind reminiscent pitch of the past. Others may take issue that the music is perhaps less antagonistic. Yet from a birds eye view the elements they have been replaced with still deliver considerable integrity and ability. All in all, the adage this album is named after definitely rings true. But while what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, it also brings you clarity and focus and this album is seemingly a testament to that as well.