King Of The Grey Islands - Candlemass

When it comes to the Swedish doom metal pioneer legends that are Candlemass, I really loved their first album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and Johan Lanqvist who was the session vocalist on that album remains my no.1 choice of singer that they've had over the years. What I liked about him was his low end vocals as despite being a metal fan, I can't be doing with too much falsetto or balls in the vice Jack Blackesque screaming. Candlemass then moved on to Messiah Marcolin who despite singing quite a lot in the high range, had a simply awesome range and a pretty damn good voice - undoubtedly the fan's favourite vocalist over the years. This album sees a new ...  Read the complete review

Candlemass' most recent album secures the band's reputation at the forefront of the epic doom metal scene they pioneered in the late eighties, and once again demonstrates that the band can still impress even without its most well-known frontman. Messiah Marcolin's departure from the reunited line-up was doubtless met with dismay by long-time fans, but his replacement in Rob Lowe, of excellent Candlemass-inspired doom band Solitude Aeturnus, helps the album's distinctive tone considerably, and makes for the finest Candlemass release since their original classic era. Lowe's voice is still capable of reaching the same operatic high notes as Marcolin in the songs ...  Read the complete review