CANDLEMASS — Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (review)

CANDLEMASS — Epicus Doomicus Metallicus album cover Album · 1986 · Traditional Doom Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Warthur
A foundational document of doom metal, the debut Candlemass album finds the band springing into being fully formed with an impressive command of their chosen style. Though they are not afraid to spruce up the compositions with some synthesiser embellishments here and there, the band know where their main focus needs to lie - heavy as hell Sabbath-inspired lyrics, wailing operatic vocals, and the nuanced songwriting of Leif Edling.

Solitude is an expression of unalloyed misery which is almost single-handedly responsible for the depressive direction of much subsequent doom metal, the concluding Sorcerer's Pledge finds Candlemass dabbling in the occult fantasy which would characterise most of their Messiah-era albums, and in between there's four doom classics which are just as influential (including Under the Oak, which would eventually be a cornerstone of the subsequent Tales of Creation concept album). Simply put, this album is 100% vital for anyone with even a passing interest in doom metal, particularly doom metal as it existed in the speed-obsessed 1980s.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Merciless Crossover Thrash
BODY COUNT
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us