Like being caught between the eyes with a sledgehammer and then brought back to consciousness with a voraciously brutal seduction, the Sealed Within The Walls EP from British metallers Canaya is a real beast of a proposition. It is a merciless and compelling slab of ferocious confrontation infused with a riveting and absorbing wealth of inspiring riffs and potent grooves, a towering heavy weighted triumph from one of the UK’s most impressive if still ‘undiscovered’ metal bands.
Featuring ex-members of Tangaroa, Executive Distraction Tasks, Hot Prophecy and Nerve Engine, Canaya was formed in 2010 and soon drew acclaim and eager attention with debut EP Alignment Of Dying Planets that same year. Live the Leeds quartet of vocalist Simon Wright, guitarist/vocalist Owen Wilson, bassist/vocalist Chris Wilson, and drummer Andy Richards have also wasted audiences, performances amongst a great many including Damnation Festival, Brew Records, Big Spaceship, Brainwash, and British Wildlife and with bands such as Narrows, Keelhaul, Knut, Coliseum, Humanfly, Melt Banana, Hawk Eyes, Brontide, and Lavotchkin, all increasing and reinforcing the powerful emergence of the band. The video of the single Dios Muerto found heavy viewing and support on YouTube, leading to the attention of Ginger from The Wildhearts who invited Wright to provide guest vocals on his album Mutation. The Hyde & Seek released Sealed Within The Walls is the next thunderous incitement from Canaya and possibly the trigger to the widest recognition, it is hard to imagine any other outcome.
Opening track Levitating Casket, the new single from the release, instantly storms the ears and senses with a concentrated 
and intensive barrage of punches from the drums and broad sonic swipes of guitar. Each has a fearsome weight and intent in their power which the bass only empowers with its imposing predacious intensity. It is a striking start which spreads into a sonic causticity with animosity drenched vocal squalls from Wright supported by the two Wilsons. Continually twisting its attack with grooves and hooks flailing the senses amidst the infernal rampage of riffs and energy, the track is a tempestuous and mouthwatering onslaught, and as contagious as it is disturbingly venomous, the song soon has attention and imagination sealed within its corrosive embrace, both eager to fall deeper into the roaring invention and malevolence.
The unpredictability and imagination of the first song is replicated by next up Award Winning Bastard, a distinct character with more sonic voracity than its predecessor but equally as captivating and incendiary upon the senses. You almost feel synapses and emotions withering within the tracks scorching sonic persuasion and rhythmic pummelling, but with another irresistible distraction from the band’s adventure and ingenuity only instinctive hunger prevails under the avalanche of sound. For something so vicious and brutal it is hard to believe the contagion of the songs is so virulent but it is and just as impressively repeated in the following Monarch Of Sin. Standing tall and muscular from its first seconds of rhythmic provocation and corruptive riffery, the song takes a less forceful approach in comparison to previous tracks but is just as dramatic in its enticement. A smouldering melodically fuelled acidic casting is aligned to a cleaner vocal delivery, the union almost Killing Joke like at times, and sandwiched between a heavily weighted predatory stalking brought by the bruising intensity and ravenous metal ferocity. The song is a savage and ruinous yet bewitching encounter, a temptation elevated by the Converge like fury of group vocals at the song’s finale; it and track a glorious tempest.
Committed rages next and features John Sutcliffe from Humanfly within its scintillating exploits. From the first rapacious swagger and torrent of guitar invention the track secures greedy attention which it’s subsequent rampant riffing and transfixing rhythmic antagonism, not forgetting brawling vocal combination. The song swings and lurches from one explosive and thrilling point to another, infection and toxic animosity unrelentingly igniting it’s too brief but outstanding presence. The best track on the release, amongst only major triumphs, the song gives a big test for the closing Audio Porn to live up to. Raw and abrasive within an evocative melodic crafted enterprise, the song easily rises to the challenge providing release and listener with another individually startling expanse of inventive vehemence and exhausting adventure. It is a mighty intrusive end to a severe and masterful incitement for ears and passions. Influences for the band are cited as bands such as Black Sabbath, Metallica, Pantera, Mastodon, and Gojira , a list you suspect the name Canaya will eventually be added to as an inspiration for others. They and Sealed Within The Walls are right now collisions you simply need to stand in front of to bend and bask within.
9/10
Ringmaster 15/02/2014
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