Candlemass - Death Magic Doom review
| Band: | Candlemass |
| Album: | Death Magic Doom |
| Style: | Epic doom metal |
| Release date: | April 03, 2009 |
| A review by: | Lucas |
Disc I [CD]
01. If I Ever Die
02. Hammer Of Doom
03. The Bleeding Baroness
04. Demon Of The Deep
05. House Of 1000 Voices
06. Dead Angel
07. Clouds Of Dementia
08. My Funeral Dreams
09. Lucifer Rising [US/Limited Edition bonus]
10. White God [bonus]
Disc II [DVD] [Limited Edition bonus]
+ Studio & Tour Report
Throughout their lengthy career, Candlemass has shown various faces. Well, what do you expect when your sound is very vocal-driven and you change vocalist on numerous occasions in your career? When Messiah left/got kicked out of the band in '06, they quickly introduced the -other- guy with the dazzling voice - Robert Lowe. Known for his works with the long-running Solitude Aeturnus, there were no doubts concerning his skills, but still their first album together felt a little uncomfortable and lacking in chemistry.
That, my doomed companions, is now no longer an issue. With their second album together "Death Magic Doom", and the tenth full-length album in Candlemass' life, both parties have found each other in a magnificent album. What Candlemass is today is a groovy, doomy and relentless killing machine. The characteristic despairing wails of Messiah have been replaced with Lowe's angry, bellowing lines. Still, the biggest change that this band went through in recent times has to do with the riffs. Where they used to be lead-heavy and pummelling, they are now fast(er) and full of catchy firework (especially the solos). This band has matured a lot, despite how superfluous and meaningless such a term actually is.
As opposed to the previous vocalists of Candlemass, who peaked early in their Candlemass-career, Lowe seems to work the other way around. "Death Magic Doom" is a definite step-up from their previous album and a very accessible, but nonetheless very enjoyable album. At times, they even sound more like a US Power metal act than a Traditional Doom metal one, with "If I Ever Die" as best example. Don't fear though, only on a few occasions and well, the band has always possessed a fair amount of cheese, right? Besides, the opener is compensated by the jaw dropping "Hammer Of Doom", with its stunning vocal performance and ditto main riff. And when the riffs are subtly accentuated by the keyboard in the background, things get even better (House Of Thousand Voices). Not every song is worth its weight in gold, but there are certainly no below-average tracks on this. Hell, "My Funeral Dreams" and "Clouds Of Dementia" are my least favourite songs on this album but they still kick the ass of a ton of Doom bands out there.
Lowe brought a significant amount of change and keeps the band fresh and vibrant, however paradoxical that may sound. "Death Magic Doom" is another great release from this highly prolific and important band. I personally think it is amazing how this band manages to maintain an interesting sound, even if the changes were forced upon them and Lowe is certainly not my favourite of the Candlemass vocalists. And truth be told: no Doom metal lover will be able to resist this baby. Swinging The Hammer Of Doooooooooooom!
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 15.04.2009 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff. |
Comments page 2 / 3
Comments: 76
Visited by: 417 users
| Heart_of_METAL Posts: 40  |
This album is goddamned great a bit better than previous 'King of the Grey Island' and Mr.Lowe is fuckin´ good vocalist, really.
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| Elio Red Nightmare Posts: 4920  |
I relistened to this after some time and it is good as the first lsiten. If I Ever Die is a bit generic but the rest is great. Gratz to Candlemass.
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| sraekman Posts: 7  |
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| Hamird Lieutenant Posts: 2564  |
As a person who have listened to a very small number of Doom Metal albums, I'm glad about one thing, that's whenever I listened to Candlemass it hadn't let me down.. This one it became to my favorite list.. It's hard for a Doom Metal album to take place in my favorite list, but Death Magic Doom has done it.. And it's been the second favorite Doom Metal album, after Watching From Distance.. I liked it much more than their famous Epicus Doomicus Metallicus which always people recommended to me as a great Doom Metal album.. 9/10 will be a fair rating for my taste..
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
The hammer of DOOOOOOOOM. Great song. Still miss Messiah as the vocalist thou : /
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989  |
It was a pretty good album, but part of me will never be able to get over the fact that Messiah's not their singer anymore  He was definitely my fav Candlemass singer, and I think one of the best vocalists in metal as a whole. He deserves a lot more credit than he gets.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.03.2011 at 12:46 He is a great singer al right, but I don't miss him at all since this cd and the previous one would sound horrible if Messiah was singing instead of lowe, it wouldn't fit at all.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.03.2011 at 12:46 True story. Candlemass hasn't been worth the time without him in my opinion. I'm not usually so concrete about stuff like this but Lowe belongs in Solitude Aeturnus, not Candlemass. Not to mention the fact Candlemass have lost the ability to write good doom songs, their new stuff is rife with hit and miss tracks. I prefer Isole these days. I know everyone and their dog will disagree about modern Candlemass but it shows how everyone can be wrong all at the same time :}
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 21.03.2011 at 13:30 What? Since when an opinion about liking or not liking something is right or wrong?
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 21.03.2011 at 18:36 By that way of thinking... You like the latest Candlemass since I like their latest two albums and since it's just a mere extensions of your thoughts, you like them as well  Oh, and you like thrash and heavy metal just like everybody else.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.03.2011 at 18:57 That's one way of looking at it, or perhaps I create antitheses of myself to help definite the boundaries of my personality O.o Ooooooh.... or something.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 21.03.2011 at 19:06 Nah, that's bullshit and you know it. You're just afraid to admit that you're such an Iron Maiden fanboy. You lost the argument... But then again... You just lost the an argument between you and another extension of yourself. You just lost to yourself, that's pathetic, you might just kill yourself now  Use some cheesy Stratovarious soap opera ballad for your suicide, since I know you like them because many people (many of your extensions that is) love them.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.03.2011 at 19:11 You do realise that everything you're saying was preordained by me? I have to say you're an amusing facet of my being.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 21.03.2011 at 19:22 What makes me laugh is that you don't know for sure you aren't an extension of someone else... Maybe you are just an extension that happens to be an arrogant one and thinks he is the original.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 21.03.2011 at 19:27 We are connected baby, oh yeah.... Also... Maybe you are the extension that loves 2001 while the original mind don't see it as a movie.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427  |
Get the fuck out of my review, bitches. 
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Lucas on 21.03.2011 at 20:02 Be quiet, aggressive, sarcastic side of me. Ok I'm gonna stop this now. Scouts honour.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
As for Candlemass being hit or miss nowadays... Ffs they have been hit or or miss on ALL their albums since Ancient Dreams (and even there there are some near misses) imo Messiah is the most overrated part of their history. Plus the only thing he ever contributed was his voice. Didn't write a single note or even lyrics the lazy ****
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
I wholeheartedly disagree with you on the Messiah part imo Lowe's vocals add way more to Candlemass than Messiah's on the self-titled. And tbh Rob only gets better with the passing of years. On the first two SA albums he tried to sound like Messiah and at times also as a progressive power metal vocalist. Nowon the last SA album and two Candlemass ones (not talking about the ep with the Dylan and Blue Oyster Cult cover of course) he has finally found a voice of his own.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Clearly you are totally deaf my good sir. That's what too much black does to you
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
I'm with Joe on this one. Messiah helped define the sound; Lowe is too...detached as a power in my opinion. I focus more on the atmosphere the instruments create to escape the vocals, whereas Messiah was a part of that atmosphere I longed for. It's all a matter of opinion though, much like Metallica vs. Megadeth arguments. The fact both vocalists have a strong argument for each of them is a testament to the rest of the band.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Why the hell are WE talking about Messiah vs. Rob when in fact the best vocalist was Johan on Epicus. That album is the true definition of Candlemass' sound.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 21.03.2011 at 13:30 Well like I said, Death Magic Doom wasn't that bad. Neither was King of the Grey Islands. Matter of fact, I actually think that Of Stars and Smoke was one of their best songs in a while. But part of me wonders, when I listen to those two albums, what it'd be like if Messiah had sung on them. Idk, I guess I'm just a little obsessed with him. I'm biased, lol
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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