My first post on this forum, an album review? Not how I expected this to go, but after having been banned from the Metal-Archives some months ago community- for reasons I still maintain were trivial- I haven't had the opportunity to write a review.
Genre: Traditional/Epic Doom Metal
Rating: 9/10
Candlemass have had a history of stellar, and not so stellar, vocalists. Starting with the short lived Johan Langquist on their debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and moving to the vibrato king Messiah Marcolin for a series of solid albums, somehow remaining relevant through a number of sub-par vocalists like Thomas Vikstrom and Bjorn Flodkvist; and then in their last album returning to Messiah for what many expect to be the final time. In their recent album the doom-kings have added Rob Lowe, previously the vocalist of fellow trad/epic doom outfit Solitude Aeturnus, who happen to be another one of my favorite bands. When I heard this I heard of the addition I had no doubt their next album would be a strong effort. What I wondered was how, with Rob Lowe, they were going to differentiate themselves from Solitude Aeturnus, being that Solitude is essentially Candlemass with a more ethereal sound, that sound being distinguished by Lowe's laid back, high pitched vocal style, combined at times with a beautiful falsetto.
They pulled it off because Rob Lowe and Leif Edling are a pair of musical geniuses. Leif Ebling wrote music that was less melancholic, while still maintaining melody, and adding layers of crushing bass lines and a thicker guitar tone. Lowe, for his part, dropped his vocals a few notes and belting out his lines more aggresively. When he falsettos it sounds more akin to Warrel Dane (Sanctuary/Nevermore) than his previous work with Solitude. The lyrics are different from both Candlemass- who use religious fantasy and other gothic themes- and Solitude Aeturnus- who use themes of the abstract- going into the realm of dark fantasy.
The album goes through motions that have echoes throughout the entire doom genre, with the exceptions of death-doom and sludge. It opens with a prologue and then blitzes into Emperor of the Void which is a crushing number resembling Masters of Reality Black Sabbath. From there they move into a slower, more plodding number Devil's Seed. This track seems to scream Pentagram worship, even having lyrics similar to Evil Seed off that bands Day of Reckoning album, yet it sets itself apart from that category due to Lowe's equally wailing and aggressive vocal delivery. Of Stars and Smoke comes up next, and it's one of the more popular songs on the album; not my personal favorite but it's easy to see why the song is so well received. That chorus is too catchy for its own good; Ebling wrote just the right guitar hooks for Lowe to set up his ethereal high vocals which come so rarely on this album that when you become hypnotised by the contrast when it shows itself. Destroyer is classic Candlemass; while Embracing the Stix certainly echoes Solitude Aeturnus.
Near the end of the album we see how Lowe was accepted into the band as we hear some re-recordings of old Candlemass greats: Solitude (originally with Johan on vox) and At the Gallows End (originally with Messiah on vox). The Solitude cover is solid, Lowe knows what to do with his voice to make the melancholic lyrics work. He struggles with At the Gallows End however; that song was really written for Messiah who has such amazing range and the ability to hold a note for what seems like forever. Still it's not a terrible track, Lowe throws in a few tricks that make the song work; for instance the chorus was probably more well done than the original, not that Candlemass is really a band that focuses on chorus.
This doesn't receive a 10/10 only because I hesitate to give anything absolute praise. It's not quite Into the Depths of Sorrow by Solitude Aeturnus nor is it Nightfall by Candlemass but in a metal world dominated by -core influences and Metallica worship it's nice to hear a band from the past that can still kick a considerable amount of ass. I still wonder whether Lowe will remain with the band, as he is still the vocalist of Solitude Aeturnus and running two big name bands might wear on him at his age. It would be interesting to see what this collaboration could do with another effort; Sophmore albums historically either improve upon whatever flaws were in the debut or expound upon them.
Genre: Traditional/Epic Doom Metal
Rating: 9/10
Candlemass have had a history of stellar, and not so stellar, vocalists. Starting with the short lived Johan Langquist on their debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and moving to the vibrato king Messiah Marcolin for a series of solid albums, somehow remaining relevant through a number of sub-par vocalists like Thomas Vikstrom and Bjorn Flodkvist; and then in their last album returning to Messiah for what many expect to be the final time. In their recent album the doom-kings have added Rob Lowe, previously the vocalist of fellow trad/epic doom outfit Solitude Aeturnus, who happen to be another one of my favorite bands. When I heard this I heard of the addition I had no doubt their next album would be a strong effort. What I wondered was how, with Rob Lowe, they were going to differentiate themselves from Solitude Aeturnus, being that Solitude is essentially Candlemass with a more ethereal sound, that sound being distinguished by Lowe's laid back, high pitched vocal style, combined at times with a beautiful falsetto.
They pulled it off because Rob Lowe and Leif Edling are a pair of musical geniuses. Leif Ebling wrote music that was less melancholic, while still maintaining melody, and adding layers of crushing bass lines and a thicker guitar tone. Lowe, for his part, dropped his vocals a few notes and belting out his lines more aggresively. When he falsettos it sounds more akin to Warrel Dane (Sanctuary/Nevermore) than his previous work with Solitude. The lyrics are different from both Candlemass- who use religious fantasy and other gothic themes- and Solitude Aeturnus- who use themes of the abstract- going into the realm of dark fantasy.
The album goes through motions that have echoes throughout the entire doom genre, with the exceptions of death-doom and sludge. It opens with a prologue and then blitzes into Emperor of the Void which is a crushing number resembling Masters of Reality Black Sabbath. From there they move into a slower, more plodding number Devil's Seed. This track seems to scream Pentagram worship, even having lyrics similar to Evil Seed off that bands Day of Reckoning album, yet it sets itself apart from that category due to Lowe's equally wailing and aggressive vocal delivery. Of Stars and Smoke comes up next, and it's one of the more popular songs on the album; not my personal favorite but it's easy to see why the song is so well received. That chorus is too catchy for its own good; Ebling wrote just the right guitar hooks for Lowe to set up his ethereal high vocals which come so rarely on this album that when you become hypnotised by the contrast when it shows itself. Destroyer is classic Candlemass; while Embracing the Stix certainly echoes Solitude Aeturnus.
Near the end of the album we see how Lowe was accepted into the band as we hear some re-recordings of old Candlemass greats: Solitude (originally with Johan on vox) and At the Gallows End (originally with Messiah on vox). The Solitude cover is solid, Lowe knows what to do with his voice to make the melancholic lyrics work. He struggles with At the Gallows End however; that song was really written for Messiah who has such amazing range and the ability to hold a note for what seems like forever. Still it's not a terrible track, Lowe throws in a few tricks that make the song work; for instance the chorus was probably more well done than the original, not that Candlemass is really a band that focuses on chorus.
This doesn't receive a 10/10 only because I hesitate to give anything absolute praise. It's not quite Into the Depths of Sorrow by Solitude Aeturnus nor is it Nightfall by Candlemass but in a metal world dominated by -core influences and Metallica worship it's nice to hear a band from the past that can still kick a considerable amount of ass. I still wonder whether Lowe will remain with the band, as he is still the vocalist of Solitude Aeturnus and running two big name bands might wear on him at his age. It would be interesting to see what this collaboration could do with another effort; Sophmore albums historically either improve upon whatever flaws were in the debut or expound upon them.
