There are times when an album is released that no one could possibly anticipate its historical impact. And that most certainly is the case for Candlemass' debut. In 1986, thrash metal was dominating the underground, and bands were popping up everywhere to be the next Metallica. So what did this unknown band from Sweden do? Slowed it way down, and referenced early 70s Black Sabbath. At the same time they brought interesting lyrical themes and a grandiose approach to the compositions. A genre was born: Epic Doom Metal. It would be many years before anyone even recognized that it was happening. Candlemass had a strong run through the end of the 80s and petered out in the 90s like most metal bands from the decade prior. They floundered along through the early 2000's, only to be held in the highest esteem upon Messiah Marcolin's (brief) return in 2005. By that time Candlemass were the band everyone was chasing to be. When reviewing the music, it's not the heaviest production one can hear, and some ideas are stretched longer than they need to be. But its impact remains timeless, a powerful statement going into strong headwinds. That's the definition of true metal. My personal favorite among the 6 lengthy tracks is 'Under the Oak' which features a massive riff that Iommi would be proud of. Interesting to note that iconic vocalist Marcolin isn't on this debut, but rather a guest by the name of John Langquist. Many consider him Candlemass' best singer. Somewhat similar to Greg Munford and the Strawberry Alarm Clock.
Ownership: LP: 2010 Peaceville (UK); CD: 1992 Leviathan / Black Dragon (USA). The LP is a beautiful gatefold pressed on red vinyl, sounds terrific, and features insightful liner notes for each track inside the centerpiece. Also included is an inner sleeve with historical footnotes. The CD is basic, and I don't even recall how I ended up with it, but I didn't buy it new. It's an early pressing, which has some demand, but I think I'll keep it anyway. The first copy I owned was the original Leviathan LP (USA) purchased while still in college (1987). This was an excellent example of my "silted port" metal LP collection that sat dormant for 25+ years. It comes in a single sleeve that had a huge cut corner. It was one of the few I decided to let go of in recent times, to no regret. Especially now that I have this much superior reissue, that I bought at What's Left the first time I visited the store last year, right after they opened. A great way to start our relationship!
new entry
No comments:
Post a Comment