Johan Langquist - just wow! He was only 23 when "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" was recorded and now he's 55 and after all this years of almost silence he still sings like god of doom! Glad he's back and waiting for the new album! Greets from Ukraine!
I loved Johan's era. but I have much love for messiah also and Rob. King of the Grey Islands is amazing. Thomas Vikstrom wasn't too bad.. but Johan, Messiah and Rob are my 3 faves, but only when they are doing songs that were written with their vocals in mind. their covers of the other material just don't sound right to me.
All the singers were good, which is rare with revolving door vocalists (Blaze Bayley, cough) but Johan’s voice was just perfect for Epicus, setting the perfect gloomy tone for the advent of epic doom. Somber and restrained as compared to Messiah’s over the top delivery. He’s my favorite. Although I’ll admit they probably needed Messiah’s huge presence to get the success they ultimately achieved.
... for a long time I have not heard such a rich musical-dramatic palette in the voice of the vocalists! ..Johan Langqvist is simply amazing with his skill! Bravo Maestro!
Welcome back Johan, long overdue! I attended Maryland Deathfest several years ago on the promise he would sing with Candlemass. Nothing against Mats Levin, he's truly amazing but this has been way too long coming. I didn't like Rowe in Candlemass, I am of the Messiah Marcolin era but, Johan is the man!
wow... what a great song, it's such a rewarding moment when you find a singer that can put a great range of tones and emotions in a metal song. Mats Léven was one of this guys and I consider him one of the best voices in Metal, but Längqvist's fits Candlemass perfectly (no nostalgia here..). The song is pretty heavy and sluggish, great composition
[Intro] I had a dream last night, a vision, a prelude? Outside my body, I was free to do All things under the sun, and everything I want My head awake and clear, for everybody to hear And like the brightest day It fades away [Verse 1] Revelation and progress Thorns to the weak We are the eve of the ugly The dawn of the new everything Here is love, here is sunrise Assassination of the old Here is peeling off corrosion When the killing off the burdens that you have [Chorus] We are the alpha, omega The blessing, the curse We're the order in chaos Execution and birth [Post-Chorus] In the midnight hour When your soul's devoured We go into the mass Though your heart is aching And you feel forsaken We go to black mass [Guitar solo] [Verse 2] I had a dream last night, and I wonder, was it true? I saw a big machine, in a velvet castle room Inside the doom club, the spice, the cloak, and dagger And the pentagram, I think I understand More cyclones, more witches Inside the circle and the ring In the ruins lies the future Another dimension, another fling [Chorus] We are the alpha, omega The blessing, the curse We're the order in chaos Execution and birth No, no, no [Outro] In the midnight hour When your soul's devoured We go into the mass Though your heart is aching And you feel forsaken We go to black mass Oh people, keep the light on We bring a new sensation Enjoy the mass
I have always been a huge Candlemass fan and I think the first 4 albums plus the 2002 reunion album are brutal. However, I see people expecting this new album to Epicus number 2 just because Johan is in it but people may be disappointed. I'm not say6 that because I don't think Candlemass is any lesser than a great band but to match such a classic album, especially after listening to this first song seems very unlikely. Let's appreciate the new album for what it is, comparing this to Epicus is not fair in my opinion. Looking forward for this album very much but let's be realistic!
Paul Seidler Yeah. The only thing remotely related to EDM is the album art and Johan Is back. There's never going to be an album like Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, so we might as well take this for what it is; it's only one song so far, and it certainly feels like an album closing song, so it'll be interesting to hear what the rest of the album is like.
I've been listening to the promo for a month. This album doesn't feel like "Epicus part 2". I don't think it is as strong as Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, but it's very close to be one of the band's best releases. Also, I think Epicus Doomicus Metallcus have some of the best drum sounds in the history of metal. The drums are loud as fuck and I luv that!!
Now, I love Candlemass, and I don't post youtube comments except once in a century. To weigh in on this track, I love that Johan has returned. He's singing in a higher register some of us feared he would, but it still sounds good. However, to go back to the roots, Candlemass needs to go back to the roots. I can't explain the change in songwriting, but EDM and Nightfall had a somber and dark-fantasy style to narrative, each song acting as a warning, tale or short story. Nowadays the main topic is an ABAB rhyme with high flung vocals, no real coherent atmosphere or pressure in the lyrics (they're there to just be there.) and they /seriously/ overproduce their sound. This track sounded insanely washed out at times, simply too much going on. I wish they would go back to trad doom; I know they invented epic doom, but they lost the magic along the way. Not all hope is lost, however. The outro to this track is incredible and that's what Candlemass needs to do. Slow, aggressive, doomy riffs like demons gate with Johan again. This feels like DMD2, not EDM2, in my opinion.
I would have arranged this song better,, Parts are good but all over the place,, And me personally I would have brought messiah back, Those nightfall and ancient dreams albums are great,, This is still good, Just needs some better arrangements
I absolutely agree with you, I am a Candlemass fan since their inception and this is some work? I was so incredibly excited in 2014 when they announced they would play Maryland Death Feet with Johan guesting doing Epicus in it's entirety, I dreamed of it, I thought about how lucky I am to witness this. I bought Tix I mean I had to. I made the 12 hour trek to find out it was Levin of course, I wasn't devistated because hey, it's Mats Levin. I was beyond disappointed though. I am so happy for this reunion though. I love Messiah, Ancient Dreams is one of my all time favorite albums and of course Thomas Vikstrom really killed at that 20th year reunion show. I so hope they tour the U.S.
Please do my dream and come to freakin North Macedonia, i won't be financialy able to ever see you, who knows if the band will be together by then or something.. oh. .. man.. tragicially happens. I just gotta see you,. come, please!
Nice to see Johan back, although wandering how that occurred since Leif stated he wasn't that into the music on EDM commentary. Great track seems you guys have gotten back on track - seems to be on level with with the albums just below your classic first three and to me its still missing that fuzzy production and the heavy riffing in the mix - basically slightly too polished. Anyway, hyped for the rest of the album sounds great \m/
Nice song for sure ! But I don't know why they took back the skull from Epicus to make pretty much the same cover. I would have expected a fresher art concept.
The full moon and crescent moon at the foot of the woman clothed with the sun is part of the omega circle. To suppress the dragon and the engine alpha means the apocalypse and judgement for the false definition of man and woman.
