Artist Spotlight

 

The (John) Candy from California is a group that I haven’t been listening to that long. I became a fan in mid-2023 after discovering them on Youtube and haven’t stopped listening since. They have a great way of mixing sight and sound, creating an unforgettable and sometimes absurd experience. 

Labeled by some as ‘Samplecore’, The (John) Candy mixes traditional Metalcore instrumentation with an array of recognizable samples from movies and songs. The fusion brings life into a genre that I consider stale. The term stale isn’t a knock to the Metalcore pioneers like Earth Crisis, nor to a band like Architects. However in a sea of 1’s and 0’s, hearing Arnold Schwarzenegger say “Party pooper” at the end of their song ‘The World Is a Vampire and It Feels So Good’ is a change that I didn’t know I needed.

The (John) Candy doesn’t exist without controversy. Comment sections across social media don’t always love what they do and will dismiss their music as “cheap”, “a gimmick”, and “easy”. As a DIY band, what they’re doing is anything but. From a production standpoint they’re at the computer for hours, editing and layering everything in a way that makes sense.

If you like Metalcore but want something a little less conventional than a band like Parkway Drive, I encourage you to check out The (John) Candy. Their sound is refreshing, heavy-hitting, and if you’re anything like me, the video for the song ‘Arthur Rhodes’ will make you feel really uneasy the next time you see Jif Peanut Butter. For more information I’ve linked their website as well as the video to the song ‘Arthur Rhodes’ below. 

Official Website

Arthur Rhodes Music Video

Copyright 2024: All Writing Owned by Justin Grevencamp (Atonal Asides Blog)

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