I haven't heard much of Candlemass' newer works. I love Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (it really got me hooked into Candlemass, and even more so into doom metal), and have enjoyed many a listen to Nightfall, Ancient Dreams, and Tales of Creation, all stellar works within doom. And besides some tracks from King of The Gray Islands, that is it. So that means that I have a 20 year break within the Candlemass I know and the Candlemass of today.
Death Magic Doom is alot faster then most of the songs I have heard from Candlemass, but it's all good. There is still the doom-style, with the droning guitars and the epic lyrics, it's just got some faster (not real fast, but fast for doom) songs to break up the monotony. One thing I miss - but this is by no means bad - is the vocalist of the old days. The original singer (and then the second singer who sounds almost exactly the same) had such an amazing voice. I believe it was his voice that added the 'epic' to the 'epic doom metal' sound that the group was peddling. The new singer is good, and fits with the faster tracks, but he doesn't have the staying power of the originals. But now I am just nitpicking, it is a good album.
My favorite songs are "If I Ever Die," a great song detailing what horrors await the world if the singer ever actually dies, "The Bleeding Baroness," a oddly-creepy tale of a dead baroness coming to get you, and "Demon of The Deep,"just good music all around. "Clouds of Dementia" is a close runner up, its good, but not as good as the others mentioned before.
Besides my slight nitpicking about vocals, Death Magic Doom is a good album. If you obsess about Candlemass's older music, this is not a return. But if you like the band, if you like doom, or you want to hear somthing new, check out Death Magic Doom.
Track Listing
1. If I Ever Die
2. Hammer of Doom
3. The Bleeding Baroness
4. Demon of The Deep
5. House of One Thousand Voices
6. Dead Angel
7. Clouds of Dementia
8. My Funeral Dreams
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