The Epic Doom Metal Thread
Candlemass - "Tales Of Creation" (1989)
It felt like the right time to revisit this very solid example of the epic doom metal sound this weekend after several years away & it certainly hasn't disappointed. "Tales Of Creation" is essentially Candlemass doing what Candlemass does but that's not such a bad thing because they'd clearly developed a sound that wasn't being touched by the rest of the market much at the time. The guitar-heavy production does a splendid job of highlighting the stupidly heavy riffs & Lars Johansson's lead work is quite superb. I've always heard a strong Mercyful Fate influence in his style actually which can't be a bad thing. As usual I tend to gravitate to the doomier tracks with the more heavy/power metal inspired material being less effective. The inclusion of neoclassical power metal instrumental guitar shred piece "Into the Unfathomed Tower" was clearly a mistake as it does nothing but break up the flow of the album following the amazing album highlight "Tears". Overall though this is a very solid & ridiculously epic doom metal release that brings me a lot of pleasure & is thoroughly deserving of it's position in third place just behind "Nightfall" & "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" for Candlemass' overall discography.
For fans of Solitude Aeturnus, Solstice & Crypt Sermon.
4/5
I don't know how many Academy members are big Candlemass fans, but I've been giving their discography a bit of a hammering over the last couple of weeks and although Candlemass have a distinctive style, I think each of the band's five different vocals have bought something unique to the table. So my question is how do you rate their vocalists in respect of how they define and refine the Candlemass sound?
Just to refresh memories the five vocalists and their albums are:
Johan Längquist - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus; The Door to Doom
Messiah Marcolin - Nightfall; Ancient Dreams; Tales of Creation; Candlemass
Thomas Vikström - Chapter VI
Björn Flodkvist – Dactylis Glomerata; From the 13th Sun
Rob Lowe – King of the Grey Islands; Death Magic Doom; Psalms for the Dead
For myself, I would go from best down:
Messiah >> Rob Lowe >> Johan Längquist >> Björn Flodkvist >> Thomas Vikström
So what's anyone else's take on the Candlemass singers?
I don't think I've even heard the Candlemass albums with Thomas Vikström and Björn Flodkvist, so can't play along. I will say that I think all three vocalists making up your top 3 are outstanding, and I'd have to listen to all their albums back to back to make a decision. For one band to have all three of those doom legends involved is amazing!
I don't think I've even heard the Candlemass albums with Thomas Vikström and Björn Flodkvist, so can't play along. I will say that I think all three vocalists making up your top 3 are outstanding, and I'd have to listen to all their albums back to back to make a decision. For one band to have all three of those doom legends involved is amazing!
Although inferior to the others, both Vikström and Flodkvist are still very good vocalists, Ben. Chapter VI is one of the weakest of the Candlemass dicography, although my recent relistens have left me far more open to it than I was previously. It is less doomy and more heavy metal leaning as it's overall pace is quicker and Vikström's vocals do suit it quite well. The two Flodkvist albums aren't bad, in fact From the 13th Sun is very good and is possibly more doomy. In addition there is the Abstrakt Algebra project that Edling wanted to replace Candlemass with, but which ultimately only ran from '94-'97 due to label (and fan) indifference. That band had Mats Levén on vocal duties, but in all honesty I'm not a fan, at least not until he teamed up again with Edling in Krux in the 2000s.
I'm afraid I'm in the same camp as Ben here. I'm really only familiar with Candlemass' 1980's classics & definitely prefer Messiah Marcolin over Johan Lanquist. In saying that though, I've been utterly worshipping at the altar of Robert Lowe over the last 24 hours due to my indulging in this month's The Fallen feature release & I suspect that he'd likely top them both if I was to venture further forwards in the Candlemass discography.
I honestly think Robert Lowe might top Messiah for me. His work for Solitude Aeturnus is second to none. I really should check out his Candlemass work!
I honestly think Robert Lowe might top Messiah for me. His work for Solitude Aeturnus is second to none. I really should check out his Candlemass work!
Both Messiah and Rob Lowe are exceptional vocalists with little to choose between them, but I think it is actually Messiah who defined the Candlemass sound vocally, with the help of their best material admittedly, so would place him above Rob within the context of this thread.
Incidentally, have you heard any of Messiah's albums outside of Candlemass? Both Mercy and Memento Mori have some great albums that should appeal to any Candlemass fan.
Both Messiah and Rob Lowe are exceptional vocalists with little to choose between them, but I think it is actually Messiah who defined the Candlemass sound vocally, with the help of their best material admittedly, so would place him above Rob within the context of this thread.
Incidentally, have you heard any of Messiah's albums outside of Candlemass? Both Mercy and Memento Mori have some great albums that should appeal to any Candlemass fan.
I haven't. Sadly, the list of things I really should check out has grown to preposterous levels lately. I think I need to retire and take up listening to metal full time.
Both Messiah and Rob Lowe are exceptional vocalists with little to choose between them, but I think it is actually Messiah who defined the Candlemass sound vocally, with the help of their best material admittedly, so would place him above Rob within the context of this thread.
Incidentally, have you heard any of Messiah's albums outside of Candlemass? Both Mercy and Memento Mori have some great albums that should appeal to any Candlemass fan.
I haven't. Sadly, the list of things I really should check out has grown to preposterous levels lately. I think I need to retire and take up listening to metal full time.
Well Ben, it's what I did!!
Candlemass - Nightfall (1987)
Candlemass shook the metal world's foundations with their debut, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, an album so fundamental to epic doom metal that the genre was named after it. It's massive riffs and larger-than-life theatricalities laid down the fundamentals of the genre for the succeeding generations to follow. So, having perfectly defined an entire genre at the first attempt, where do you go from there? Well for Lief Edling he decided to do it again, only more so! To this end Candlemass recruited the immense talent and larger-than-life personality of Messiah Marcolin from little-known act Mercy (where he was drummer in addition to singing) to take over vocal duties from Johan Längquist who was only credited on the debut as a guest performer due to his unwillingness to commit to Candlemass. There is no doubt that Messiah grabs hold of Nightfall and takes full advantage of the opportunity presented to him by turning in an amazing and, yes, epic vocal performance where he draws a line in the sand for the gold standard of epic doom singers. Yet despite Messiah's excellent vocals, this is no one-man show as the rest of the band are in career-defining mode. The guitarists sound great with the riffs having as much depth as any you will hear on a doom metal album and Lars Johansson's solos are exhilharatingly performed.
The real stars of the Nightfall show though are surely the songs which are incredible and, as a collection for me, top the debut and are surely the crown jewels of Leif Edling's songwriting career. If you kick off an album with as devastating a one-two combination as Well of Souls and At the Gallows End (my absolute favourite Candlemass track) then you know you are in for one hell of a ride. Candlemass take massive Sabbathian riffs and draw them to their logical conclusion, the quickening riff of At the Gallows End and the main riff of Dark Are the Veils of Death would leave even Tony Iommi gasping for breath and the way the egyptian-sounding melody is interwoven into the main riff and given extra prominence following the chorus of Well of Souls is masterful. Drums are seldom discussed much in relation to doom metal, but the echoing thuds and percussive interjections, such as the tubular bell during Mourner's Lament, all add to the pomp and circumstance of the album's imperious atmosphere and Jan Lindh should be commended for his controlled and vital contribution.
I have really been caning Nightfall over the last few weeks and during that time it has worked it's way up and up in my affections, now lodged firmly as one of my all-time favourites, deposing the debut as my favourite Candlemass album and even knocking A New Dark Age off it's perch as my favourite epic doom album. This is the very definition of epic doom to my mind and should be required listening for any doom metal fanatic.
5/5
"Nightfall" was actually my favourite epic doom metal record until last week when the Solitude Aeturnus feature record overtook it. It's certainly my favourite Candlemass release though.
Whilst Alone is also an awesome record for sure, I don't think it has anything as iconic as Well of Souls or At the Gallows End on it , so is downslope from Nightfall for me. But this is nitpicking as they are both records I would unhesitatingly recommend to any trad/epic doom fan.
It's been a while since I did a Top Ten, so here's my current top ten epic doom albums (using RYM genre tagging for want of a better solution).
1. Candlemass - "Nightfall" (1987)
2. Solstice - "New Dark Age" (1988)
3. Candlemass - "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986)
4. Scald - "Will of the Gods Is Great Power" (1996)
5. Solitude Aeturnus - "Alone" (2006)
6. Candlemass - "Candlemass" (2005)
7. Candlemass - "Tales of Creation" (1989)
8. Isole - "Silent Ruins" (2009)
9. Age of Taurus - "Desperate Souls of Tortured Times" (2013)
10. Procession - "Destroyers of the Faith" (2010)
Whilst Alone is also an awesome record for sure, I don't think it has anything as iconic as Well of Souls or At the Gallows End on it , so is downslope from Nightfall for me. But this is nitpicking as they are both records I would unhesitatingly recommend to any trad/epic doom fan.
Contrary to popular opinion, I've never found "At the Gallows End" to be anything terribly special to tell you the truth. I do quite like it but definitely think of it as one of the least appealing couple of tracks on "Nightfall". "Well of Souls" is certainly an amazing track but my personal favourites are "Bewtiched" & "Black Candles" which I regard as being the equal of anything I've heard from the epic doom metal subgenre. In fairness though, I'd place Solitude Aeturnus' "Scent of Death" right alongside them in that respect.
Whilst Alone is also an awesome record for sure, I don't think it has anything as iconic as Well of Souls or At the Gallows End on it , so is downslope from Nightfall for me. But this is nitpicking as they are both records I would unhesitatingly recommend to any trad/epic doom fan.
Contrary to popular opinion, I've never found "At the Gallows End" to be anything terribly special to tell you the truth. I do quite like it but definitely think of it as one of the least appealing couple of tracks on "Nightfall". "Well of Souls" is certainly an amazing track but my personal favourites are "Bewtiched" & "Black Candles" which I regard as being the equal of anything I've heard from the epic doom metal subgenre. In fairness though, I'd place Solitude Aeturnus' "Scent of Death" right alongside them in that respect.
It's weird (or maybe it's me who is) but despite it possibly being Candlemass' most well-known track, Bewitched is my least favoured "proper" track on Nightfall. Go figure!
Smoulder - Violent Creed of Vengeance (2023)
I really enjoyed Smoulder's 2019 debut, Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, their female-fronted epic doom metal was quite a revelation at the time, so much so that I bought myself a vinyl copy from their Bandcamp page. They followed the debut, scarcely a year later, with a six-track EP featuring three new numbers and the three tracks that constituted their 2018 demo EP, two of which, The Sword Woman and Voyage of the Sunchaser, ended up on that debut. Coming hot on the heels of Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, the EP solidified their position as a purveyor of epic doom to be taken seriously.
So now, after a gap of three, plague-ridden years they return with their sophomore, Violent Creed of Vengeance. Vocalist Sarah Ann and husband, guitarist Shon Vincent, have since moved from their native Canada to Finland and have put together a live band featuring Finnish musicians, but still record remotely with the original band, drummer Kevin Hester, bassist Adam Blake and guitarist Collin Wolf completing the lineup.
The first difference from the earlier recordings is that the production sounds much denser and has a noticeable "Scandinavian" feel to it. The second major departure is that this focusses less on the doom aspects, generally being of a higher tempo and feels like it references US power metal much more than epic doom metal acts like Candlemass or Solstice. They haven't abandoned the epic doom of their earlier material completely, tracks like Midnight in the Mirror World and the nine-minute closer Dragonslayer's Doom still bring the doom sufficiently to feed my doom addiction. That said though, tracks like The Talisman and the Blade and Spellforger fair hurtle by and are definitely more USPM than doom metal. Either way they cut it, the riffs are massive and the sound is huge, Adam Blake's bass sitting fairly prominently and driving things along superbly, although Kevin Hester's drums sound a bit subdued and could do with a bit more crispness to be honest. Sarah Ann's vocals are terrific, really powerful and clear and soar over the thunderous riffs to wondrous effect. The soloing is perfectly fine, even though it isn't especially exhilharating, but I don't really think that is what Smoulder want to emphasise here, the riffs and vocals being the main event.
Unsurprisingly, I guess, the final, doom-ridden epic Dragonslayer's Doom is my favourite of the seven cuts Smoulder have laid out for us here, although the faster stuff is great too and I think the album displays a nice balance between USPM heavy metal and epic doom that should appeal to devotees of either persuasion. The drum sound and lack of truly inspiring soloing prevent a top-tier score, but this is still a record I enjoyed massively.
4/5
Candlemass - "Ancient Dreams" (1988)
Listening back now, I don't think I'd actually heard the third album from these Swedish doom masters' before to tell you the truth which is a shame because it's another ultra-professionally produced & executed slab of epic doom utopia. Iconic front man Messiah Marcolin's vocals soar & the lead guitar work of Lars Johansson dazzles while the riffs of Mats Björkman are as bone-crushingly heavy as any you'll find. Unlike many fans, I definitely prefer the slower, doomier material over the more heavy metal-influenced numbers & that means that the album starts off a little slower for me over the first couple of tracks but from there on it hits a new level of power & atmosphere with my personal favourite "Incarnation of Evil" being right up there with Candlemass' best work. I even really enjoy the Black Sabbath medley that closes the album. "Ancient Dreams" may not quite equal the first two Candlemass records but it doesn't sit very far behind in my opinion & I slightly favour it over 1989's more highly regarded "Tales of Creation" fourth album if I'm being honest. Fans of bands like Solitude Aeturnus, Crypt Sermon & Solstice should be all over this one.
4/5
Candlemass - "Candlemass Live" (1990)
I hadn't heard this release before but jeez it's a solid live effort which shouldn't come as any surprise given that it came right at the end of their classic run of 1980's albums. The Mercyful Fate-ish lead guitar work & the vocals of Messiah Marcolin are simply superb. I place this one behind only the first two studio albums in terms of Candlemass' discography overall.
4/5
Yeah, I've got to agree Daniel. I only listened to it myself for the first time earlier this year and I think it is a top tier metal live album, perfectly capturing the band's best era.
I've been working up to it for a while now but I'm finally in a position to post my first Top Ten Epic Doom Metal Releases of All Time list. It's clearly dominated by one band in particular which is an indication of my level of experience with the subgenre more than anything else but it's a place to start & I'm sure we'll see it start to become more diverse over time. See what you think & feel free to post your own top tens too.
01. Solitude Aeturnus - "Alone" (2006)
02. Candlemass - "Nightfall" (1987)
03. Solitude Aeturnus - "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" (1991)
04. Candlemass - "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986)
05. Isole - "Bliss of Solitude" (2008)
06. Solstice - "New Dark Age" (1998)
07. Candlemass - "Candlemass Live" (1990)
08. Candlemass - "Ancient Dreams" (1988)
09. Candlemass - "Tales Of Creation" (1989)
10. Lord Vigo - "Danse de noir" (2020)
My top 10 is also dominated by the mighty Candlemass, but that's not really surprising. I have left out Candlemass Live, because great album though it is, it contains tracks that are already on the list on one album or another.
1. Candlemass - "Nightfall"
2. Solstice - "New Dark Age"
3. Candlemass - "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986)
4. Scald - "Will of the Gods Is Great Power" (1996)
5. Isole - "Silent Ruins" (2009)
6. Candlemass - "Tales Of Creation" (1989)
7. Solitude Aeturnus - "Alone" (2006)
8. Isole - "Bliss of Solitude" (2008)
9. Death the Leveller - "I" (2017)
10. Candlemass - "Candlemass" (2005)
Stygian Crown - Funeral for a King (2024)
Stygian Crown are a new one on me. They are a five-piece, Los Angeles band playing epic doom metal with twin guitars and a female vocalist, which is a combination I think works very well. Funeral for a King is the band's sophomore full-length, following four years after their self-titled debut. They take their cues from the usual sources, Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus and the more recently successful acts like Smoulder and Crypt Sermon. The riffs possess a nice crunchiness in sound, being both chunkily solid and memorably melodic, with the band being unafraid to change into a quicker tempo, "Bushido" and "Beauty and Terror" being particular examples of tracks in a more traditional metal, bordering USPM, rather than doom metal style. The plodding pomposity (in a good way) of the band's titanic epic doom forerunners is the general order of the day, though and they have a solid grasp of what constitutes good epic doom, with a full sound, theatrical songwriting and powerful vocals. Singer Melissa Pinion has a strong voice and is well able to command the space, in true Messiah Marcolin or Rob Lowe style, with a soaring performance that is never threatened by the thick and meaty guitar sound, but which meets it head-on.
There are a couple of interludes in a more stripped-back style that provide a contrast to the ostentatiousness of the band's signature sound. "Let Thy Snares Be Planted" is a short instrumental piece with piano and strings in a classical style and the balladic "Blood Red Eyes", which also features piano and strings, sounds a bit like a track Tarja and Nightwish may have been at home with. All in all, this is a decent album that displays a great understanding of the epic doom genre and which is technically sound with a powerful lead vocalist. As such it is a worthy addition to the recent slew of releases in the resurgent sub-genre and whilst still punching a little below the weight of the true titans, Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus and so on, with tracks like "Scourge of the Seven Hills" and "Strait of Massina" I would suggest they are heading in the right direction. Definitely worth your time if you are into the more epic side of doom metal, especially if you are a fan of female vocals in the genre.
4/5
Grey Skies Fallen - Molded by Broken Hands (2024)
Formed in 1996 as Eve of Mourning and fast approaching three decades of existence, Grey Skies Fallen are another one of a plethora of seriously underrated doom metal bands. None of the New York four-piece's six albums have even got to the modest heights of 100 ratings on RYM and here at the Academy my sole rating for previous album, Cold Dead Lands, is the only one they have received so far, which is a great shame as these are clearly a talented bunch of musicians who deserve more recognition.
The band's approach to songwriting is quite progressive, with a number of shifts in tone during each track which lends them a story-telling, narrative feel. They don't stick to out and out doom metal, nor do they focus on just one style, but rather draw together strands of death doom, epic doom, conventional doom, gothic metal and progressive metal into grand, epic soundscapes that are imbued with an imperial bombast, yet are also tinged with melancholy and regret, like visiting the ruins of a once mighty empire, whose glory days are a distant memory. As well as a deft skill for writing a certain kind of bombastic doom metal, Grey Skies Fallen are also extremely adept performers, with the band sounding exceedingly tight. Guitarist Rick Habeeb also provides vocals and has a fine voice, with convincing deathly growls as well as really nice, soaring cleans and is never left wanting. Interestingly he is also vocalist with grindcore crew Buckshot Facelift, illustrating just how versatile a singer he really is.
The doomy riffs display a nice range of variety from the gloomily gothic a la My Dying Bride to the bombastic and epic, straight out of Rich Walker's Solstice song book, and all points in between. In fact, I would suggest Rich is quite the influence for Grey Skies Fallen because a sizeable proportion of the soloing sounds like it is delivered by guitarists well-acquainted with Solstice's New Dark Age album. In fact the more I listen to this, the stronger the comparison with New Dark Age grows, with even the production sound being similar and anyone who knows my view on NDA knows that is definitely a good thing in my eyes (or ears, as the case may be). I think this is an album that benefits from repeated listens and a cursory exploration may fail to unpeel it's layers, leaving the listener unfulfilled, but time getting to know it is time well-spent as I found it getting better every time I returned to it. I would also suggest listening to it on a decent set-up as I suspect a phone speaker almost certainly won't do it justice.
Ultimately Grey Skies Fallen are superbly talented musicians and songwriters who have languished in obscurity for far too long and Molded By Broken Hands is a high quality doom metal release that deserves a far wider audience than it is likely to garner.
4/5
Solitude Aeturnus - "Beyond the Crimson Horizon" (1992)
Given my life-long obsession with metal music, it’s perhaps a little surprising (& arguably a touch embarrassing) that it took me as long as it did to truly discover the magic of Dallas-based epic doom metal masters Solitude Aeturnus. I’d always been aware of them but I guess I simply assumed that they wouldn’t be for me, based purely on my early struggles with Candlemass’ more theatrical side. Strangely though, I continued to shun them for decades after I’d overcome my issues with the Swedish gods of the subgenre & it wasn’t until Ben nominated Solitude Aeturnus’ classic 2005 “Alone"sixth album as our September 2022 The Fallen clan feature releases that I became aware of what I’d been missing out on. From that point on, this band has become my favourite epic doom metal artist with their 1991 “Into the Depths of Sorrow” also thoroughly impressing me. It’s long overdue that I then explore Solitude Aeturnus’ magnum opus then, isn’t it, with 1992’s “Beyond the Crimson Horizon” apparently having the potential to usurp the band’s other releases at the top of my top ten for the subgenre based on the common consensus. I’ve been buzzing to see what it has to offer for some time but have been waiting for the right time which would obviously seem to be right now, wouldn't it?
My hopes were very quickly found to hold merit as “Beyond the Crimson Horizon” kicks off with an absolute belter in the classic “Seeds of the Desolate” which I was exposed to some time ago while exploring one of our The Fallen clan Spotify playlists. I remembered it very clearly upon being reminded of that experience this week too which says something about its impact & significance. Interestingly though, that song isn’t really a doom metal track at all with it’s more up-beat tempo, epic atmosphere & driving riffage representing a very clear example of the US power metal model in my opinion. I absolutely love it too just quietly. The production job is perfect for this style of metal, providing all of the necessary room for the expansive atmospheric, melodic & occasionally progressive creative exploration the band have become known for. Extraordinarily talented front man Robert Lowe absolutely soars on every track & single-handedly manages to keep proceedings on track even when some of the riffs start to head into a more generic territory. He really is an enigma & is the clear element that gives Solitude Aeturnus their edge over the competition. The lead guitar work of Edgar Rivera & John Perez is nothing to be scoffed at either though as these dudes can shred with the best of them, their tones being something to behold too.
Things settle down significantly after the elite opener but never deviate from a rock-solid quality level, thanks largely to Lowe’s contribution. Some of the tracks in the back end of the A side took me a few listens to truly connect with & that seems to be a common theme with Solitude Aeturnus records which are heavily driven by the vocal hooks which dig their talons in deeper with each subsequent listen. The end of the album is utterly devastating though with the one-two punch of “Plague of Procreation” & crushingly heavy instrumental closer “Beyond…” leaving me feeling as though I’ve experienced something of great significance once it’s all over & battling with the temptation to simply do it all over again.
As much as I enjoy Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus reach another level altogether in my opinion as all of the elements that I enjoy about the Swedes have been further emphasized & are capped off with one of the great singers in metal history. I think this is not only the best Solitude Aeturnus’ record I’ve heard to date but I’d suggest that it may well be the pinnacle of the epic doom metal sound overall too. "Beyond the Crimson Horizon" is about as essential as it gets for fans of the classic doom sound.
For fans of Candlemass, Solstice & Isole.
4.5/5
Here's my adjusted Top Ten Epic Doom Metal Releases of All Time list with Lord Vigo's "Danse de noir" dropping out altogether:
01. Solitude Aeturnus - "Beyond the Crimson Horizon" (1992)
02. Solitude Aeturnus - "Alone" (2006)
03. Candlemass - "Nightfall" (1987)
04. Solitude Aeturnus - "Into The Depths Of Sorrow" (1991)
05. Candlemass - "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986)
06. Isole - "Bliss of Solitude" (2008)
07. Solstice - "New Dark Age" (1998)
08. Candlemass - "Candlemass Live" (1990)
09. Candlemass - "Ancient Dreams" (1988)
10. Candlemass - "Tales Of Creation" (1989)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/186