One of the best and most influential Doom Metal bands records an album together with one of the best lead singers who ever saw the light of day, at least in my opinion, namely Robert Lowe! This message hit me like a hammer and I was looking forward in suspense to listen to the programmed classics.
I know that great names do not bring home the bacon and expectations are made to be destroyed like rules are destined to break…but in this case the wait was more than worth!
While enjoying the short, just one minute lasting Prologue, the listener can lean back and search for a quiet place to relax, ere the first track Emperor Of The Void falls in with powerful intensity, the first riffs and the aggressive voice push me back in my comfort seat – but after this short discountenance I gather myself – and there is no chance to just sit and listen! This Power Doom Metal, pushing heavily forward, makes me jump up and creates kind of live atmosphere in my living room. Like a steamroller the chords relish my auditory canals, and Robert’s exceedingly variable vocals put the cherry on the cake. CANDLEMASS deserve the title “of utmost quality”, because they do not forget to add clever breaks to build up contrasts in speed and measure. If the basic tempo turns out to be moderate, the band speeds up in perfect timed parts, in more speedy songs acoustic passages add zest. On top of everything, almost every refrain gets hooked in my brain and nerve centre after the first spinning and so there is nothing to left desired. Devil Seed (yeah that’s exactly what we want to be, right?) is one of these musical jewels, with a chorus made for eternity. Equally to all Solitude Aeturnus releases, King Of The Grey Islands must get a place of honor in every damn Metal collection! Some groups are unable to compose substandard or average material and CANDLEMASS are definitely among these metal masters. The next step to immortality is the simply unbelievable wonderful chorus in Of Stars And Smoke, God (or whoever) may bless these musicians for such a great composition! Demonia 6 does a credit to the title and seems to be the most aggressive song on this album. I could dwell on every song closely (like the impressing Clearsight or the concluding epic masterpiece Embracing The Styx), but too many words implicate risks to delete the music’s impact of this all around felicitous record.
In further course, variation concerning tempo and sentiments progresses, a borne track finds its place just like a double bass dominated one; elegiac guitar solos appear as well as powerful lead guitar chords. King Of The Grey Islands clarifies once more the Doom maniac’s desire: Doom till Death!