Candlemass: Psalms for the Dead

Psalms for the Dead marks Candlemass’s 11^th and final studio release. While I had a hard time coping with this, I can assure you that this newest album could not have provided the band with a better grand finale. Long-time fans can still expect guitarist Lars Johansson to create bellowing melodies that are as spine-chilling as the haunting euphonies of Rob Lowe of Solitude Aeturnus. Transforming his voice from song to song, from the voice of an angel to the intonation of a demon, Lowe’s mesmerizing vocals would make Messiah Marcolin extremely proud.

Band: Candlemass
Album: Psalms for the Dead
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: Napalm Records
Release Date: June 8, 2012

Candlemass has a knack for painting a vivid picture in your imagination as you listen to each song. A great example of this is the song “Waterwitch” the sludgy wah-wahs that introduce this doom ballad are reinforced by the dark rumblings of Leif Edling’s bass, leaving me with a sensational image of the slow, thick undulations of ocean waves on a dark night. A song that contains so much depth that it transports you to realms of your imagination deserves to be called a high quality masterpiece.

Yet Candlemass is also astounding in their abilities to fuse elements of traditional heavy metal with the abysmal atmosphere of doom metal. “Dancing in the Temple (Of the Mad Queen Bee)” involves furious but mesmerizing guitar solos that snap the boundaries of sludgy doom in a millisecond, while “Killing of the Sun” and “Black as Time” really showcase the astounding abilities of drummer Jan Lindh to attack his kit with supernatural ability. “Siren Song” features some rad keyboard work that surprises yet satisfies.

With songs reaching for the skies one moment and ballads digging to the depths of the earth in the next, Psalms for the Dead would do well to reach into the hands of the living. Remember, this is their FINAL RELEASE so even if you are new or old to Candlemass, don’t forget to Pre-order the album here.