CANDLEMASS — Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (review)

CANDLEMASS — Epicus Doomicus Metallicus album cover Album · 1986 · Traditional Doom Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Conor Fynes
'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' - Candlemass (8/10)

While Black Sabbath may have pioneered the doom metal, it was Candlemass that solidified the style of music we know today as doom. Granted, I was a little put off their debut album's title, but after listening, I have no doubt that 'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' delivers what it promises.

This is considered a classic of the doom metal sound for very good reason; the band captures a dense, heavy song while simultaneously fueling it with intelligent, richly orchestrated songwriting. Led creatively by bassist Leif Edling, the music of Candlemass is slow, crushing, and emotionally charged; all now-fundamental tenants of the style. What I think distinguishes Candlemass' music from earlier work from bands like Sabbath however is that while Sabbath aimed for their brand of 'doom' to be evil and foreboding, Candlemass was among the first to get a little more introspective and melancholic. That's not to imply in the slightest that the sound here is anything but badass, however. Each of these six tracks lumbers on with thick guitar riffs, and a pummeling rhythm section that is offset only by the presence of some lighter synth arrangements that give the compositions an almost baroque quality to them. Best of all are the vocals of Johan Längqvist, who belts out powerfully, as if he was singing in an opera house. Längqvist manages to strike a nice balance between sounding badass and conveying emotion, and it turns out wonderfully.

The songwriting is confident and melodic, keeping in line with a fairly gloomy tone, but drawing out some surprisingly catchy choruses. 'Solitude' has an incredibly powerful hook, and works out to be the highlight of the album. There are not any weak tracks on the album, but I do feel with most of the tracks here that the choruses are made a little too important. The riffs are powerful, but when almost all of the hooks are thrown into the vocals, it can make for a one-sided memory, unless a listener is willing to sit down and let it truly sink in. As it stands, I have no problem calling 'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' a classic. The style and direction of the band is very narrow however, and thus makes this album one I would only be able to appreciate fully when I am in the mood for something both gloomy and bombastic. Regardless, Candlemass introduced themselves in 1986 on a remarkable note.
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