Candlemass

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus was a major landmark in Metal's transition to the ‘dark mood’ – later adopted in much of Extreme Metal to come. The album itself still has many elements of the extroverted Speed/Thrash/NWOBHM of the era (seen in the album's mid-paced sections,  driving rhythms, palm-muted, lower-tones and fantastic guitar solos). However these are mixed with an obvious Black Sabbath influence and used in a different way to create a feeling of impending doom,  hellish environments, fantasy elements and obsession with the forbidden (demons and sorcery). As a result the album is often inward looking, writhing in melancholy and the allure of darkness, and often presents an intensely personal battle with the human condition (Solitude is a great example of this). 

This conflict between the internal and external worlds is evident musically, especially between slower and faster sections – ala Black Sabbath - and the way that wider sections of songs build up into a crescendo. Everything here does sound like it is done on a wide,  epic scale (true to the album title). The twin guitarists are excellent throughout, the solos  varied from those of a haunting feeling, dripping with fire and brimstone,  or immense mystery . Furthermore keyboards and  clean sections are used cleverly to build or release tension (without seeming overdone or gimmicky), and the bassist also ventures into his own territory melodically to supplement and add complexity to the superb guitar duo.  The vocals are of the soaring baritone variety - emotive,  and full of anguish/misery when needed. All in all,  the music here is fairly progressive in its nature (at least for the Metal of the time).

Being a Swedish band,  it would appear that the melodic riffing and solos were somewhat influenced by the European power metal scene (for instance bands like Helloween) and undeniably Mercyful Fate. In fact throw Candlemass' dark melodicism, off-beat hardcore punk rhythms and Autopsy into a blender and it would not be a stretch to say that you had many of the ingredients to make the existential crisis themed music that was Swedish death metal in the early 1990s.

Despite the songs often being drowned the aforementioned existential crisis or filled impending doom or dangerous arcane powers, the songs themselves are well structured, and the fantastic riff-work,  memorable choruses will appeal to fans of heavy metal of the 1980s. The balance between 'headbanging' and the more epic nature of the album is tastefully done,  mainly because Candlemass were able to not take themselves too seriously, which is a big reason for its wide appeal.