Date Released: 03/06/2016
Label: Napalm Records
New vocalist, Mats Leven stamps his authority on this EP nicely
and it would be accurate to say that Candlemass have always had plenty of
biting metal within and around their melancholy and this EP is no exception to
that career rule. For fans of Candlemass, of course, this is
essential stuff. You get four good tracks of uniformly high quality and a fine
example of the Candlemass sound- where songwriting and riffs are much more
important than what amp you are playing through.
“Death Thy Lover” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Death Thy Lover
2. Sleeping Giant
3. Sinister N Sweet
4. The Goose
2. Sleeping Giant
3. Sinister N Sweet
4. The Goose
The Review:
Candlemass return with this four
track EP. Their status as legends and front runners of the doom scene is set in
stone- albeit their line up has never been the most stable of things.
Naturally, this has always been Leif Edling's band and as he is riding high
again with Avatarium,
it should follow that his alma mater band would deliver the goods.
Indeed,
Candlemass
do deliver here. The EP's title track “Death Thy Lover” is a great song-
it mixes traditional metal, mournful doom and melodic guitar and vocals to
superb effect. Thematically, it is doom in the purest sense as well.
The
band follows this up strongly with “Sleeping Giant” which contains a
gripping vocal performance from Mats Leven who stamps his authority on this EP
nicely. It would be accurate to say that Candlemass have always had plenty of biting
metal within and around their melancholy and this EP is no exception to that
career rule. When the band appeared on the doom scene with “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus...” there
wasn't really a doom scene. There had been Sabbath, there was Saint Vitus and Trouble.
Candlemass
brought something new to the table; a distinctly Scandinavian take on the genre
with a dark and cold sound.
The
slick production on offer here does not really chill the blood, but the band's
approach remains intact and distinct, being as they summon up woe and sorrow by
the bucketload throughout the music recorded here. “Sinister N Sweet” is
a fine summary of where Candlemass are at circa 2016. It's weighty and
dark in equal measure, but counterbalanced by the prettiness of the melodies
and, yes, cold sound of the vocals.
Ending
on an instrumental is a rather strange touch for this, or any, EP. Titled, as
it is, “The Goose” does not really summon up thoughts of
impending disaster and misery, but the six and a half minutes is an effective
riff work out which runs through the band's lower tempo gears well. There is
good soloing to be had, too.
For
fans of Candlemass,
of course, this is essential stuff. You get four good tracks of uniformly high
quality and a fine example of the Candlemass sound- where songwriting and riffs
are much more important than what amp you are playing through. Who knows, for
those unfamiliar this may be ideal; a bite sized entree to the world of
Scandinavian doom.
