Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Maybe that's the case, I don't know. I read an interview of him today where he said that he has always been active in the intervening years, just not as much as you would think due to him having a family to tend to.



In the new album, his characteristic vibrato hasn't changed a bit, it's amazing. His voice is raspier though due to his age.

Album Rating: 5.0

The new album is the best thing they've done since the reunion with Messiah in my opinion. A lot of the Robert Lowe albums just seemed to drag on, and I am not a fan of the Mats Leven stuff. I think "The Door to Doom" is a great return to form for them even if the album does drag a little bit in the middle. I'd give it 4/5

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

It could have been better imo. I don't like that leif tried to bring some of the elements he used with Avatarium, that age has come to pass and this is a different band we're talking about. Another thing I didn't like was the mid-paced tempo in most of the songs. Johan's voice would be more suitable with slower songs.

Album Rating: 5.0

I agree that it could have been better. I thought that having "House of Doom" on the album screamed filler. The song was not good in its original form, and even if Johan did vocals on it, the song is still a clear clunker. What can I say about a song designed to go along with online slot machines though?



Songs definitely could've been slower too. I wasn't expecting him to scream like he did on "Under the Oak", but I did expect a "Demon's Gate" type song at the very least. I still think "Astorolus" the best song on the new album though.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

House of doom was there just to fill the space, agreed. They didn't even try to make it a bit different, Johan just sang Leven's lines.



"I wasn't expecting him to scream like he did on "Under the Oak""



me neither but some of the few screams he makes sound powerful and fit the music like a charm



"I still think "Astorolus" the best song on the new album though"



I was expecting more songs to delve into that style, unfortunately for me, they preferred a faster tempo.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

And because everything is not bad, a good word must be said for Lars Johansson. The man is easily one of the best lead guitarists of all time in metal music and on the new album he displays yet again some amazing guitar work.

Album Rating: 5.0

If anything can be said about this new album, it is Johan still sounds amazing. It shouldn't be too shocking though. I don't know if you ever watched videos of the Epicus reunion concerts that happened in 2011 I believe, but he still sounded great live then. They also re-recorded "Black Dwarf" and "At the Gallows End" around the same time with him, which can be found on Youtube. He sounds great on both songs, but "At the Gallows End" is the better performance of the two.



I like to think that they knew Johan is probably the best part of this current lineup, that's why they put his vocals at the forefront on the album for the most part. He's done great preserving his voice all these years.



Edit: Agree on Lars as well

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

I saw them on October 2011, they did Epicus in its entirety and sang a catalogue of classics with Lowe. Johan was in great shape back then and I'm glad to hear he's still going strong. I really hope they can make more albums with him but they need to use Epicus as their lightning guide if that's possible.

Album Rating: 5.0

That’s awesome that you got to see Epicus live. How was Lowe that night? I’ve heard he wasn’t the best performer live with Candlemass but I love his music with Solitude Aeturnus.



But seriously though, I’d be perfectly fine with them having Johan for the rest of the time that Candlemass is an active band but that isn’t to say that I wouldn’t welcome Messiah back with open arms either but that just seems like it will never happen.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Lowe was ok, not too bad, not too great, just ok. Johan was great but I remember both singers being caught by surprise with a stupid malfunction on the mics that night. They didn't perform to their full potential. I had a lifetime opportunity to see those legends perform and the fucking production team kinda ruined it. It's so typical to have sound problems in greek concerts that you get used to it after a while and you simply stop investing your money hahaha

Album Rating: 5.0

At least you've been able to see Candlemass live. I can't remember the last time they've come over to the states besides for a festival or something.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

"I’ve heard he wasn’t the best performer live with Candlemass but I love his music with Solitude Aeturnus"



Lowe was EXCEPTIONAL in his first Candlemass concerts, mark my words. He also did a great job when he was given decent material to work with. Watch his early SA concerts, the guy was unstoppable. His problem was that he wasn't a good professional and he did not work hard to preserve his voice. Atop to that, he didn't keep an eye on his health; when i saw him in 2011, he had a nice round belly.



I was attending a music school at the time, and i remember discussing that with a friend who himself was attending vocalist lessons. We discussed how much can a singer get affected by being overweight. He told me every organism is different, you might as well be overweight and you won't see any difference in your voice, the difference is you get tired faster. BUT as the years go passing by, if you do not attend to your problem, it keeps adding on and maybe one day you won't be able to sing at all.



That was Lowe's problem. He wasn't professional. Add to that his frequent fights with the rest of the band that occurred later on and the fact that he didn't learn his lyrics but read them from a piece of paper when he performed live!!



and...you get the picture...

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

"At least you've been able to see Candlemass live. I can't remember the last time they've come over to the states besides for a festival or something"



most of the European bands (except maybe for the major ones like maiden or radiohead), had always some "issues" with their tours on the states

Album Rating: 5.0

That's very interesting. I always read about how he just read off of lyrics pages while with Candlemass. I never took his weight into account with some of his subpar performances. It's such a shame that Robert Lowe seems inactive at the moment. I heard he was the singer of some band called Tyrant a few years ago, but nothing after that. It makes me wonder what the deal with Solitude Aeturnus is right now. I would've thought Solitude Aeturnus would've set itself up again after he was out of Candlemass, but nothing at all, not even an interview or statement.



It's the same thing with Messiah Marcolin. After he left Candlemass the second time, he's basically been off the map for over a decade now besides those guest vocals on the Amon Amarth song. If anything, I would've thought he'd be up to something.

Album Rating: 5.0

For the record, not only do I want Candlemass to come to the states again, but I'd love Triptykon to be in my area as well, but I guess some things are out of the control of the bands.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

"I would've thought Solitude Aeturnus would've set itself up again after he was out of Candlemass, but nothing at all, not even an interview or statement"



Do some research on that, Solitude's members have stated that they don't wish to make a record unless it has the potential to be a good one. I think it was Perez who said it.



Ah, here it is, i found this excerpt on Metal-archives on the SA page:



With regards to the long periods between albums in the band's later career, John Perez said in a 2011 interview: "We’ve just slowed down a bit as we’ve gotten older. Everyone lives far apart, we all work full-time jobs, kids, houses etc... Plus, it gets more difficult each time to make a great album. I’d rather do less records and make sure they are all 100% killers rather than put out more records that are just re-hash of our previous work."



So, judging from what he said back in 2011, they're not into it anymore unless it can be sth special, and after settling down, it can be hard to get the engines running again.



"It's the same thing with Messiah Marcolin"



Marcolin is a different case. He was a great singer but i don't think he's got it anymore. But that's not the real problem. The real problem is Marcolin himself. His first tenure with C'mass ended violently but the second time he was with the band, he caused some major problems (at least that's what Leif claims to be the reasons of his departure). Look it up on C'mass website. It's been said that Marcolin wanted the highest salary, he didn't answer the phone calls, he was fighting with everyone and he said that the band can't go on without him. The relationship was described by Leif as "toxic". That's why i always get pissed when the fans demand Marcolin's return. Because they obviously have no idea what has happened between them. In my eyes, Marcolin will never be part of Candlemass again.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

"For the record, not only do I want Candlemass to come to the states again, but I'd love Triptykon to be in my area as well, but I guess some things are out of the control of the bands."





I hope you see your wish fulfilled, my friend.

Album Rating: 5.0

You’re like a metal almanac haha. I didn’t know that about Solitude Aeturnus.



In terms of Messiah, I was only aware of the situation surrounding his second exit. You said something about the first exit being violent. Can you send me a link or explain to me what happened there?



In terms of Messiah’s vocals, recent footage has surfaced of him singing “Solitude” live from last year and it sounds quite decent. At this point however, Johan’s voice is definitely in better shape. Although their relationship may be toxic, neither of us should really look down on fans who want Messiah to return to Candlemass in some form. He’s the iconic singer of the band. He’s charismatic and had a damn good voice. The General fans do not care about the relationship between band members as long as their music is given to them. You and I both realize the extreme unlikelihood or distinct impossibility of Messiah ever returning to Candlemass, but nothing will stop people from wanting it, and like I said before, if they were to resolve their differences, it would be cool to see them do a one off concert with him or something.

Album Rating: 5.0

An Epicus Doomicus Metallicus album. m/

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

@master of reality i like the way you see things, it's quite romantic to believe that marcolin will return and everything would be as if nothing ever happened. But no, in the real world where relationships are involved, things work different i'm afraid. And not everything can be done according to what we (the fans) want. You have to take into perspective what really happened between these guys.