To my great surprise, i read this weekend that DMF (dynamo metal festival) announced that Candlemass would be integrally playing their live album on this years edition on the Dutch festival.

This announcement brought me back more then 30 years in time.

• The time between 1986 and 1989, the times of the (imho) three biggest Candlemass releases,
• A time when they toured extensive trough europe with their 2nd singer Messiah Marcolin,
• A time when i had the pleasure to see them play in small venue’s, many many times.

BUT WAIT YOU THINK ... WHO THE F*&%#K IS A CANDLEMASS????

Candlemass is a Swedish doom metal band established in 1984 by bassist, songwriter and bandleader Leif Edling. The band had a defining influence on doom metal. (And my youth)

Their first release, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986), immediately secured their standing, positioning the band within metal circles, setting a milestone in the doom metal scene.

Following the band's debut album Längqvist was replaced by Messiah Marcolin. By the time the band entered the studio to record their second effort, Nightfall, in 1987, Bergwall and Ekström had left the band. Jan Lindh joined the band on drums, and Lars Johansson joined the band on guitars following the completion of the album.

The 2nd Album with Messiah Marcolin on vocals was Ancient Dreams, and even though, the album was not as good as nightfall or epicus doomicus metallicus. The first single and openingtrack mirror mirror made everything good.

After these releases, there were quarrels and the band broke up, took a hiatus, started with another line up, broke up again, reunited, broke up again. And meanwhile they recorded several albums, live albums, EP’s and singles ... but nothing ever had the magick of these three albums

Last year Candlemass turned full circle when Johan Langquist returned after 35 years as the candlemass vocalist on the 2019 album, the door to doom.

And Even though the album sounds heavy as fuck, and patterns go often back to the epicus, doomicus, metallicus days ... Only time will tell, if this album stands the test of time just as good as epicus did, and i am not sure about that. To be honest ... i have my doubts