Candyass
1998 studio album by Orgy
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Candyass is the debut studio album by American rock band Orgy, released on August 18, 1998 by Warner Bros, Reprise and Elementree.[1][2] One of the more influential rock albums of the late 1990s, it combines the riffs, hooks and songwriting of the genre with electronic music. While grouped in with nu metal, as lead singer Jay Gordon had produced Coal Chamber's self-titled debut album a year prior, and Korn frontman Jonathan Davis is a guest vocalist on "Revival", the band has described their music as "death pop".[3]
N.R.G. Studios, North Hollywood, California
Josh's Garage, Hollywood, California
Westlake Audio, West Hollywood, California
| Candyass | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 18, 1998 | |||
| Studio | Donner Pass Cabin, Truckee, California N.R.G. Studios, North Hollywood, California Josh's Garage, Hollywood, California Westlake Audio, West Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 48:10 | |||
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| Orgy chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Candyass | ||||
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Production
The album was named after a drag queen the band had met with Alexis Arquette.[4][5] The album makes heavy use of the Korg Triton.[4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Orgy (Jay Gordon, Amir Derakh, Bobby Hewitt, and Ryan Shuck), except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Social Enemies" | Orgy, Josh Abraham, Troy Van Leeuwen | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Stitches" | 3:19 | |
| 3. | "Dissention" | Orgy, Paige Haley | 3:31 |
| 4. | "Platinum" | 3:43 | |
| 5. | "Fetisha" | 4:02 | |
| 6. | "Fiend" | 4:29 | |
| 7. | "Blue Monday" (New Order cover) | Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris | 4:28 |
| 8. | "Gender" | 4:28 | |
| 9. | "All the Same" | Orgy, Haley | 4:06 |
| 10. | "Pantomime" | Orgy, Haley | 4:29 |
| 11. | "Revival" | Orgy, Jonathan Davis | 4:11 |
| 12. | "Dizzy" | 3:21 | |
| Total length: | 48:10 | ||
Personnel
- Orgy
- Jay Gordon – vocals, programming, additional synthesizers
- Amir Derakh – lead guitar, additional engineering
- Ryan Shuck – rhythm guitar
- Paige Haley – bass
- Bobby Hewitt – drums
- Additional
- Chad Fridirici – engineering, mixing on "Gender", pro-tool editing
- Josh Abraham – production, additional engineering, programming, additional synthesizers
- Dave Ogilvie – mixing
- David Kahne – mixing on "Stiches", "Fetisha"
- Jay Baumgardner – mixing on "Pantomime"
- Tom Baker – mastering
- Brian Virtue – assistant engineer
- Cope Till – assistant engineer
- Doug Trantow – assistant engineer
- Anthony Valcic – programming
- Jonathan Davis – additional vocals on "Revival"
- Elijah Blue Allman – additional vocals on "Revival", additional synthesizers
- Troy Van Leeuwen – additional guitars on "Social Enemies" and "Dissention"
- Steve Gerdes – art direction, design
- Joseph Cultice – photography
Critical reception and legacy
Critical reception of Candyass has been mixed-to-positive. Some praised the album as a refreshing take on nu metal, but others felt it was unoriginal, if well-written and having some of the better songs in the genre. Their following two albums, Vapor Transmission (2000) and Punk Statik Paranoia (2004), were not as well-received, and the band disbanded in 2005. Most reviews of the band's discography have been removed due to copyright issues.
The Baltimore Sun wrote: "Whether through the ominous crunch of 'Social Enemies' or the frenzied thrum of 'Fiend', Orgy knows how to use its artfully distorted sound to stunning effect, evoking a world of anomie and unease with each verse and chorus."[9]
In 2021, the staff of Revolver included the album in their list of the "20 Essential Nu-Metal Albums".[10]
Sales
Candyass is the most successful Orgy album, and peaked at No. 32 on the US Billboard 200. Many critics attribute the success of the album to its second single, "Blue Monday", a cover of New Order's song of the same name. While now perceived as one-hit wonders by many, the lead single, "Stitches", was also successful on rock and alternative charts. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 22, 1999, and certified Gold by Music Canada.
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[14] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[15] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||