Candlemass is one band that kicks arse. Yes they have reformed, and no, we haven't heard this album yet.
Candlemass are the masters of operatic gothic metal. The songs are
all dark and gloomy, and have the power of true metal to rock.
Candlemass' first album is this rather rare album. I have an original Red Dragon release CD, and each and every song kicks arse. Although it is clear in hindsight that Candlemass could conquer new realms of true metal, this album has been listened to many, many times.
Solitude starts the playing order, with excellent harmonics and melodies and heavy lyrics. "Please Let Me Die in Solitude....". This then leads on to tracks such as Crystal Ball and Black Stone Wielder. Yes, more of the same style stuff, but this is really good stuff. Hardcore in Fact. This album is distinctive for its rather innovative drumming - not fast, just dark. Heavy guitars, excellent lyrics and some of the most impressive dark and operatic metal vocals. Finally we reach Under the Oak, an arse kicking track indeed.
A benchmark album. Investigate.
Solitude
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I was never terrible impressed with this album. Many good tunes, but most marred by singer Messiah Marcolin's rather too operatic songs. Instead of the usual effect of dread and doom, an effect of dark hilarity seems to pervade.
Guitar work is dark and gloomy, and basically everything is pukka. Compared to Epicus, this release is a lot 'lighter' and might be called accessible. However, since I heard this album after most of the others it seemed to be missing the vital ingredients of a decent Candlemass album.
Noteable tracks include A Cry from the Crypt, Darkness in Paradise and the epic Epistle No.81. Epistle must rank as one of the defining Candlemass releases and any Candlemass fan should have it in their collection. However, when it comes to the other tracks, they simply sound much better on the Live Albums.
I wouldn't recommend buying this CD unless Candlemass really does kick your arse. It kicked mine, and I still like this CD, but compared to the other releases this CD is pretty poor.
More use of Keyboards on this album. The vocals are even more dramatic, and have probably reached their peak of perfection with this album. This is altogether a longer album, and I have heard it called their best. The inclusion of instrumental tracks on this album adds not only variety but more individuality to this album.
This was the first Candlemass album I heard, and as you can imagine, the original worn out tape recording still features on my tape deck several times a month. Recommended.
Slightly more produced, Tales of Creation stands out for me as being a Candlemass album with and with a little less substance than the cracking Epicus release.
This album may be a little over-produced. For example, the vocals have echo effects over the top. I'm not sure I like the way it's done as much as on the other albums. Still, the quality of the songs is again impressives. Under the Oak is produced in another version, which is interesting, and disputably better. Into the Unfathomed Tower is a demonstration of Manowar style speed solos...perhaps a highlight of this album - after all, only True Metal can achieve fingerwork like this. Other tracks of epid metal include The Edge of Heaven and Dawn.
To sum up: More epic doom metal from Candlemass...
The last album Candlemass produced before they split up for a few years. A severe dissapointment at first, but in time, a few of the tracks have become sacred. This new voacalist sings at rather too high a pitch to be dark and gloomy, so this may shock those who have heard other albums. It sounds a little too much like Iron Maiden. Still the rest of the band is still performing metal true to it's roots. Try to get a recording of this album.
My personal favourite. Most of Candlemass' best tracks, played up-beat and live. Candlemass really seems to excell in the live arena. All those solos and extra's thrown in make it sound as if you haven't heard any of their other material.