About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

The Barnacle Cordious is a great progressive metalcore album that dazzles the listener with jazz-infused instrumentals and quirky, untraditional song structures.



Pros

• Phenomenal bass work.
• Strong instrumentals.
• Complex and innovative songwriting.
• Keeps the interest of the listener the whole time.

Cons

• “Rabid McFly Grid” is too short to build towards anything.

Description

• Released March 17, 2009 on Blackmarket Activities.

• This is Paria’s sophomore release.
• Recorded at Infinite Productions studio in Omaha, Nebraska.

Guide Review - Paria - 'The Barnacle Cordious'

Paria’s sophomore album The Barnacle Cordious is a major leap forward for the band. While their debut album, 2004’s Misanthropos, was a solid slab of metalcore, The Barnacle Cordious takes things one step further, showcasing growth in both songwriting and musicianship.

Paria push themselves to the limit on The Barnacle Cordious, with each member bringing their full potential to the table. While John Claus is an eccentric and technically proficient guitarist, the real star of The Barnacle Cordious is bassist Dustin Treinen. He plays with a ferocity that brings to mind Dan Briggs on speed, yet adds in a funk-infused sound to the proceedings that force the listener to sit up and pay attention.

The Barnacle Cordious was originally written as an instrumental album, until vocalist Brian Craig came back into the fold. His vocals are of the garden-variety screaming type, but match up quite well with the music.

Paria did leave two instrumentals on the album, “Pish Posh” and closer “I've Never Been Here Before In A Long Time.” The highlights of the album, the instrumentals are melodic, yet powerful, with Paria’s progressive influences digging their way to the surface.

Paria took five years to release their sophomore album, and The Barnacle Cordious proves that the wait was worth it. While Misanthropos was largely ignored by the mainstream metal audience, The Barnacle Cordious is an album that is just begging to be given some recognition. While their debut album was full of unrealized potential, Paria follows up on that potential with a thrilling and unpredictable sophomore album.