Epicus Doomicus Metallicus

Last updated

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Candlemass-album-epicus-doomicus-metalicus.jpg
Studio album by
Candlemass
Released10 June 1986
RecordedFebruary 1986
StudioThunderload Studios, Stockholm [1]
Genre Epic doom metal
Length42:51
Label Black Dragon
Producer Ragne Wahlquist and Candlemass
Candlemass chronology
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
(1986)		 Nightfall
(1987)

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is the debut studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 10 June 1986 by Black Dragon Records.

Contents

On its release, the album had a significantly different sound than other European heavy metal bands of the time, because of their use of operatic vocals mixed over slow and heavy guitar riffs. The album did not sell well on its initial release, which led to the group being dropped from the label during the same year. Since then, the album has been re-issued in several different formats. The album title Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is a dog latin translation rendering of Epic Doom Metal — the genre which the band helped pioneer and with which it is most commonly identified. Although he was actually a guest musician at the time of its recording, this was the only Candlemass album to feature vocalist Johan Längqvist until he joined the band, officially, in 2018. [2] [3]

Production

In 1985, the members of Candlemass began writing the songs "Under the Oak", "Crystal Ball", "Demons Gate" and "Dark Reflections" in Upplands Väsby. [4] In November 1985, the group recorded a demo album at O.A.L Studios, which featured the songs "Demons Gate" and "Black Stone Wielder". [4] The band did not have a regular lead singer at the time and Leif Edling performed vocals for the demo. [4] The group sent the demo to Black Dragon Records in Paris, France, who offered Candlemass a one-record deal with a budget of $1,800. [4]

In February 1986, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus was recorded at Thunderload Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, with producer Ragne Wahlquist from the metal band Heavy Load. [4] Still without a regular vocalist, Johan Längqvist performed the vocals despite not hearing any of the music the band had performed beforehand. [4]

Musical style

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' differs from other European metal bands who were known for "playing at breakneck speeds and screaming in a high-pitched frenzy". [5] Candlemass' album features slower riffs and vocals delivered in a "baritone, operatic style". [5] The opening song "Solitude" features lyrics revolving around themes of suicide and depression. [5]

Release

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus was released on 10 June 1986 on vinyl and CD. [4] The band was dropped from Black Dragon Records due to disappointing album sales. [4] Candlemass followed up the album with Nightfall (1987), after being signed to Axis Records. [6]

The album has been re-issued in several formats. These include a re-issue by Powerline Records in 2002 that included a bonus disc of a live performance recorded in Birmingham in 1988. [4] In 2011, the album was re-issued by Peaceville Records with an expanded booklet and the same bonus disc. [7]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal 7/10 [8]
Pitchfork 8.4/10 [9]

Eduardo Rivadavia of the online music database AllMusic referred to the album as "a pillar of classic '80s metal" offering "the strongest, most consistent songwriting of the band's career", although it "was let down by vocalist Johan Längqvist, whose performance failed to deliver with the power and command of his immediate successor Messiah Marcolin." [5] Canadian reviewer Martin Popoff lauded the "new expression of doom as black as Black Sabbath" and the executions and mix of the six tracks of the album, but found them "too manic depressive too uniformly". [8] Aaron Aedy, rhythm guitarist from goth / death-doom pioneers Paradise Lost, declared that Epicus Doomicus Metallicus was a "massive record" for them. [10]

Track listings

Leif Edling wrote all the original songs for Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Candlemass - Leif Edling.jpg
Leif Edling wrote all the original songs for Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.

All songs written by Leif Edling except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Solitude"5:38
2."Demon's Gate"9:12
3."Crystal Ball"5:23
Side two
No.TitleLength
4."Black Stone Wielder"7:34
5."Under the Oak"6:54
6."A Sorcerer's Pledge"8:20
Total length:42:51
Bonus disc (Live in Birmingham, March 1988)
No.TitleLength
1."The Well of Souls"7:25
2."Demon's Gate"9:02
3."Crystal Ball"5:18
4."Solitude"6:25
5."Bewitched"6:24
6."A Sorcerer's Pledge"10:53
7."Black Sabbath Medley" (Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Bill Ward)6:12

Personnel

Candlemass
Guest musicians
Production

Bonus CD personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candlemass (band)</span> Swedish doom metal band

Candlemass is a Swedish epic doom metal band formed in Upplands Väsby, a suburb of Stockholm, in 1984 by bassist, songwriter, and bandleader Leif Edling, alongside drummer Matz Ekström. The band has had a defining influence on doom metal, with the epic doom genre itself taking its name from their debut album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Along with Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and Trouble, Candlemass has been recognized as one of the "big four of doom metal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leif Edling</span> Swedish bassist

Leif Edling is a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist, main songwriter and one of the founding members of the epic doom metal band Candlemass. He is the only constant member of the band since its inception to the present day. Nevertheless, since the band's second reunion in 2002 Edling has been backed up again by founding rhythm guitarist Mats Björkman, who had been absent from 1997 to 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messiah Marcolin</span> Swedish heavy metal singer

Messiah Marcolin, also known as Eddie Marcolin, is a Swedish singer best known for his work with the epic doom metal band Candlemass. He is well known for his operatic voice and for his signature "Doom Dance", an exaggerated stomping motion.

<i>Nightfall</i> (Candlemass album) 1987 studio album by Candlemass

Nightfall is the second studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 9 November 1987 through Axis Records. After being dropped from the label Black Dragon Records, Candlemass were the first band signed to Axis. The group had a new line-up from their previous album including vocalist Messiah Marcolin, whose decisions became instrumental during the production and release stages of the album.

<i>Ancient Dreams</i> 1988 studio album by Candlemass

Ancient Dreams is the third studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released in 1988 and reissued in 2001 by Powerline Records with a bonus CD. The cover art of the album is a painting made by Thomas Cole, second in his series, "The Voyage of Life", entitled "Youth". Ancient Dreams was the first Candlemass album to chart in the US, debuting at No. 174 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

<i>Tales of Creation</i> 1989 studio album by Candlemass

Tales of Creation is the fourth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released on 25 September 1989. It was reissued in 2001 with a bonus CD.

<i>Chapter VI</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Candlemass

Chapter VI is the fifth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 25 May 1992 by Music For Nations.

<i>Candlemass</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Candlemass

Candlemass is the eighth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 3 May 2005 through Nuclear Blast Records. It is the band's last album to feature vocalist Messiah Marcolin.

<i>Dactylis Glomerata</i> 1998 studio album by Candlemass

Dactylis Glomerata is the sixth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 13 April 1998 through Music For Nations. This was their first album released since their split in 1994.

<i>Doomed for Live – Reunion 2002</i> 2003 live album by Candlemass

Doomed for Live – Reunion 2002 is the second live album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released in 2003 through Powerline Records. It was recorded at Stockholm's Klubben on 31 August 2002.

<i>King of the Grey Islands</i> 2007 studio album by Candlemass

King of the Grey Islands is the ninth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 22 June 2007 through Nuclear Blast Records. It is the first album recorded following the departure of vocalist Messiah Marcolin, who left the band during the pre-production phase of the album. He was replaced by Robert Lowe, who would stay with the band until his departure in June 2012.

<i>Live</i> (Candlemass album) 1990 live album by Candlemass

Live is the first live album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 3 October 1990 through Music For Nations in the UK, and through Metal Blade Records in the US.

<i>Death Magic Doom</i> 2009 studio album by Candlemass

Death Magic Doom is the tenth studio album by the Swedish epic doom metal band Candlemass.

<i>Lucifer Rising</i> (Candlemass EP) 2008 EP by Candlemass

Lucifer Rising is an expanded EP by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released in 2008 by Nuclear Blast Records. Candlemass recorded two new tracks, "Lucifer Rising" and "White God", and re-recorded "Demons Gate" for this release. The collection is also primarily composed of a series of 9 live tracks recorded in Athens, Greece on their 2007 tour. Recording on the new material was completed in April 2008. The title track, "Lucifer Rising", is included as a bonus song on the digipak edition of the full-length album Death Magic Doom, which was released six months after the EP.

<i>Doomology</i> 2010 studio album by Candlemass

Doomology is a five-CD boxed set released by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass on 20 December 2010 on Nuclear Blast to celebrate their 25th anniversary. It contains two complete live concerts, including the band's first ever show, and three discs of demo recordings and unreleased tracks.

<i>Psalms for the Dead</i> 2012 studio album by Candlemass

Psalms for the Dead is the eleventh studio album by the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 8 June 2012. At the time of its release, the band stated that this would be their final album, though bassist and founding member Leif Edling has since retracted this claim. Psalms for the Dead is, however, the last Candlemass album recorded with singer Robert Lowe, who left the band just six days before its release.

"Solitude" is a song by the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass. It is the opening track on the band's debut studio album, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, released in June 1986. It is one of the band's signature songs, and has been a feature of all the band's live setlists since the release of the album.

<i>The Door to Doom</i> 2019 studio album by Candlemass

The Door to Doom is the twelfth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 22 February 2019 via Napalm. It is the band's first full-length studio album since 2012's Psalms for the Dead, marking their longest gap between studio albums, and the first one to feature vocalist Johan Längqvist since 1986's Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.

<i>Sweet Evil Sun</i> 2022 studio album by Candlemass

Sweet Evil Sun is the thirteenth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass. It was released on 18 November 2022 through Napalm Records. Recording sessions took place at Nox Studios in Jakobsberg. Production was handled by Marcus Jidell.

References

  1. ↑ "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus – Candlemass : Credits : AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "CANDLEMASS Parts Way With Singer MATS LEVÉN, Announces Return Of JOHAN LÄNGQVIST". Blabbermouth.net. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  3. ↑ "Here is Video Of CANDLEMASS Rehearsing 'Solitude' With Newly Returned Singer JOHAN LÄNGQVIST". Blabbermouth.net. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)". Candlemass Official Website. Sweden. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus – Candlemass : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". Allmusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Nightfall (1987)". Candlemass Official Website. Sweden. Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus". Candlemass Official Website. Sweden. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  8. 1 2 Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 66. ISBN   978-1-894959-31-5.
  9. ↑ Lyons, Patrick (7 June 2022). "Candlemass: Epicus Doomicus Metallicus Album Review". Pitchfork .
  10. ↑ sin23ou (19 June 2020). "NEW DISC REVIEW + INTERVIEW【PARADISE LOST : OBSIDIAN】". Marunouchi Muzik Magazine. Retrieved 3 June 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.