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After the release of the very Euro sounding "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" Candlemass revamped their lungs with the addition of rotund vocalist "Messiah Marcolin" (Memento Mori) Messiah reportedly auditioned for the bassist/founder Leif Edling over the phone and got the job instantly. Messiah surely changed the texture of this already improving band. He added an operatic strength to bolster the ancient classic feeling which eminates from the Candlemass sound. "Nightfall" was a memorable highlight of the undeground scene at the time, with its church like reverence echoed in its many instrumental interludes, the listener found a gem of a different, yet familiar shade. Immediatley one can associate Candlemass with the legendary Black Sabbath (check out the Candlemass medley to the SABS on "Ancient Dreams"), Humongously treacherous are the riffs coming from "Nightfall" rarely does the tempo wander to a fervent pace, albeit for the evil track "Bewitched" which churns out the most incredible mid-section doom riff ever plastered down since Sabs "Sweet Leaf". If you favor the old double bass drum there is a wealth of it throughout pumping out heavy vibrations, guitar leads from the odd lefty Lasse Johanssen round out a truly all encompassing package of modern production values entwined with the ancestry of classic metal from the 70's. Cranking up instrumental "March Funebre" whilst zooming down the highway is a real zip of nostalgia, the susbsequent releases "Ancient Dreams" & "Tales of Creation" really didn't capture the musty, dusty European classiness of "Nightfall". Messiah departed after "Creation" as Candlemass carries on today without much success or recognition. I managed to see them live on the "Tales of Creation" tour in NJ during one of their rare US appearances. They played a new tune yet to be released called "Night of the Witch" it of course never came to fruition as Messiah split, but it was a great tune with many faster paced licks and tricks. Is is too bad Candlemass never got to continue in that form as they tried, but were unsuccessful in reviving this ancient style of metal started so long ago.
Candlemass - Nightfall 8/10
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