CANDLEMASS “20 Year Anniversary Party” /Super Jewel Box DVD; Live/

Embroidered bordered woven patch.

85x30mm 

The ninth full-length album by the legendary Swedish Epic Doom/Stoner Metal legend.
This 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 (ex-Solitude Aeternus), who would stay with the band until his departure in June 2012.
Can Candlemass survive without Messiah Marcolin? Yes!! New singer Robert Lowe just amazing! He manages the trick of taking after Ronnie James Dio without ripping him off. He uses a lot more emotion than Messiah ever did, too. The all stuff amazing too! Its Messiah Marcolin’s fault this album is so good. The music was already completed long before he left the band and he could only have fu**ed up the whole thing. “King Of The Grey Islands” really confirms idea that Messiah was holding them back. The album has all the elements were missing in “classic Candlemass”.
Suddenly the band dares to experiment. There are, for instance, more acoustic guitars and keyboards than on any previous Candlemass album and there are more unusual song structures for a Doom band. This is definitely the most Progressive album the band has made so far.
“King Of The Grey Islands” is not only recommended, it’s obligatory for anyone who loves Heavy Metal! This might be just an album of the year!!
A digipack version contains two re-recorded classic bonus studio session tracks (“At The Gallows End” and „Solitude“) with Robert Lowe.
Nuclear Blast, 2007 (NB 1818-0). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Prologue 00:55
2. Emperor Of The Void 04:30
3. Devil Seed 05:46
4. Of Stars And Smoke 05:38
5. Demonia 6 06:24
6. Destroyer 07:55
7. Man Of Shadows 06:15
8. Clearsight 06:51
9. The Opal City 01:12
10. Embracing The Styx 08:19
Bonus Tracks:
11. Solitude (Vocal Session W. Robert Lowe) 05:21
12. At The Gallows End (Vocal Session W. Robert Lowe) 05:57
Total playing time: 65:12 min.

The second EP by legendary Swedish Epic Doom Metal band.
Swedish Doomster provides two new tracks on this CD ("Lucifer Rising" and "White God"), as well as specially re-recorded hit
"Demons Gate". EP complemented by an exclusive 2007 recording from show in Athens.
First press.
Nuclear Blast Records, 2008 (NB 2173-0). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Lucifer Rising 09:06
2. White God 05:01
3. Demons Gate 09:03
Bonus Tracks:
4. At the Gallows End (Live) 05:17
5. Solitude (Live) 06:54
6. Emperor of the Void (Live) 04:53
7. Devil Seed (Live) 06:02
8. Mirror Mirror (Live) 06:04
9. Under the Oak (Live) 07:01
10. Of Stars and Smoke (Live) 05:51
11. Black Dwarf (Live) 05:30
12. Samarithan (Live) 05:52
Total playing time: 72:34 min.

Remastered re-rlease of the debut full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Epic Doom Metal band.
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.
"Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" is a true classic. Heavy Metal riffs blended with almost Neoclassical touches, plus some theatrical elements, bringing to mind bands like Mercyful Fate. 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 band being dropped from the Black Dragon Records during the same year. Upon release, "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" was met with universal critical acclaim, and since its release it has been looked upon as a cornerstone of Doom Metal. Candlemass instantly became a great inspiration to countless Metal bands upon the album’s release in 1986; a time when Thrash Metal, not Doom, was fast becoming the dominant style in both Europe and the US. All-in-all, this is considered one of the definitive Doom Metal releases. Bands such as Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride to this day rate "Epicus..." among their most inspirational albums.
The vocals were handled by Johan Längqvist, before the iconic vocalist Messiah Marcolin became a solid fixture in the band until the early nineties. 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.
This is one of the quintessential, definitive Doom Metal releases, immortalizing the band in the annals of music history & creating the foundations of a legacy spanning over thirty-five years. Going against the grain of bands at the time using speed to bolster their Metal with the ongoing rise of Thrash Metal in Europe & the US, Candlemass eschewed this direction and formed a phenomenon of their own through the latter part of the decade and beyond, with their slow and spellbinding atmospherics. A pillar of classic '80s Metal, this album will satisfy not only Doomsters, but any Metal maniac in the world!! The grand diamond of all times!!!
Peaceville Records Ltd., 1996/2018 (CDVILED722). Made in the UK. Pressed in Austria. Re-press.


Tracklist:
1. Solitude 5:38
2. Demons Gate 9:12
3. Crystal Ball 5:22
4. Black Stone Wielder 7:37
5. Under The Oak 6:54
6. A Sorcerer's Pledge 8:13
Total playing time: 42:56 min.


Samples: https://peaceville.bandcamp.com

Remastered re-rlease of the third full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Epic Doom Metal band.
Massively influential album from the pioneers of Epic Doom Metal. "Ancient Dreams" featured a natural progression of slow-mid tempo epic arrangements from their previous release, "Nightfall" (perhaps even more distinction between slow and faster parts) with the unique tones & unmistakable voice of Messiah Marcolin, still dominating proceedings on this pure Doom Metal classic. Outstanding tracks like "Mirror Mirror", "Darkness in Paradise", "The Bells of Acheron", and "Bearer of Pain" combine sluggish, staccato riffs with surprisingly memorable choruses delivered by Messiah Marcolin, with his trademark vibrato overload.
Majestic and sorrowful, melodic and powerful, Sweden’s finest export! Eight songs, eight anthems, eight wonderful expressions of gloom with stunning riffs and vocals from the throat of an angel from heaven, come down to warn us mere mortals of the error of our ways. Never has a singer’s name been so appropriate as Messiah Marcolin’s, here on just his second full-length with the band, but already a vital part of the line-up. He’s one of Doom’s greatest voices, the perfect vocal accompaniment to what the genre says with its music, and you’re caught in his vocal grasps with each utterance, unable to tear your attention away.
We have to praise the rest of the band too, of course, especially guitarists Lars Johansson and Mats Björkman, whose pounding riffage takes the almost celestial opening to first track, "Mirror Mirror", and gives it a Heavy Metal drive. The almost stoner stomp of "The Bells of Acheron" is just as wonderful, complete with tolling bells. As those with past knowledge of Master Edling’s skills will know, however, the songwriting is typically beyond solid here. The slow trudge of "A Cry From The Crypt" providing a perfect post-Sabbathian pounding with seemingly minutes of lovely soloing. The glorious gloom of "Darkness In Paradise", the operatic invocations of "Incarnation Of Evil", the chilling misery of "Bearer Of Pain"... few bands can manage to write such consistently excellent music on adjacent albums, let alone creating such a solid run as Candlemass do here. With a perfect balance between melody and sheer heaviness, it is still debatable whether this is the ultimate Candlemass and therefore greatest Doom Metal album of all time... some giving this particular title preference over the seminal "Nightfall" album.
"Epistle 81" (Märk hur vår skugga) was written by Swedish poet/musician Carl Michael Bellman (1740 – 1795). "Incarnation of Evil" is actually a reworked version of the old Nemesis track "Black Messiah". * 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.
The ultimate compliment you could give Candlemass, is that they are a worthy successor to Black Sabbath, taking the legends’ crown and becoming Gods of Doom in their own right. They’re certainly a band that demand more respect than they receive, and "Ancient Dreams" is an excellent slice of Doom that all gloombahs need to own and love!!
Peaceville Records Ltd., 1998/2018 (CDVILED727). Made in UK. Pressed in Austria. Re-press.


Tracklist:
1. Mirror Mirror 6:16
2. A Cry From The Crypt 7:25
3. Darkness In Paradise 6:47
4. Incarnation Of Evil 7:19
5. Bearer Of Pain 7:23
6. Ancient Dreams 7:04
7. The Bells Of Acheron 5:21
8. Epistle No. 81 (Carl Michael Bellman cover) 4:37
Bonus Track:
9. Black Sabbath Medley (Black Sabbath cover) 6:17
Total playing time: 58:29 min.


Samples: https://peaceville.bandcamp.com

The eleventh full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Epic Doom Metal band.
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 former Solitude Aeturnus singer Robert Lowe, who left the Candlemass just six days before its release.
As an album to sum up an illustrious career, "Psalms For The Dead" provides enough of what you would expect from Candlemass. One can confidently state that "Psalms For The Dead" sees Candlemass going out, if not on a high, certainly in strong health, and obviously on their own terms. The release is filled with such highlights as "Dancing in the Temple of the Mad Queen Bee" or the sweeping opening track "Prophet", which beautifully showcases the band's strengths. Singer Robert Lowe embellishes the songs with his characteristic vocals and sounds as though he has been a part of Candlemass from the band's early beginnings. The powerful and crystal-clear production delivers a first-class sound that will send shivers down one's spine. All in all, it's quite a remarkable display of songwriting skill for sheer variation alone, but each song is a killer with something unique to offer, each a stellar Doom Metal anthem.
A collection of excellent tunes that grips from the first listen and proves its quality more on every listen! The masters have done their best once again, and they can retire knowing that Candlemass has gone out on a high!!
The bonus DVD features "a making of" and cuts from the "70.000 Tons Of Metal" cruise!!!
DVD-5 | 16:9 | PAL | Stereo 2.0 | Region 0 | Approx. 29 min.
Napalm Records Handels GmbH, 2012 (NPR 427). Made in Austria. Pressed in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:

CD
1. Prophet 6:06
2. The Sound Of Dying Demons 5:30
3. Dancing In The Temple (Of The Mad Queen Bee) 3:38
4. Waterwitch 7:04
5. The Lights Of Thebe 5:50
6. Psalms For The Dead 5:16
7. The Killing Of The Sun 4:09
8. Siren Song 5:57
9. Black As Time 6:47
Total playing time: 50:17 min.

DVD
1. The Making of "Psalms For The Dead"
2. Ready for Boarding: Behind The Scenes (Candlemass at the 70.000 Tons Of Metal Festival)
Approximate time: 00:29 min.