CANDLEMASS — Tales of Creation (review)

CANDLEMASS — Tales of Creation album cover Album · 1989 · Traditional Doom Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Tales of Creation" is the 4th full-length studio album by Swedish doom metal act Candlemass. The album was released through Music for Nations/Metal Blade Records in September 1989, less than a year after the release of "Ancient Dreams" from November 1988. Candlemass were on fire in those years (releasing albums on a string and touring the world) and they obviously wanted to capitalize as much as possible on their success. "Tales of Creation" would be lead vocalist Messiah Marcolin´s last studio album with Candlemass as he left the band during the tour supporting the album after disputes with some of the other bandmembers (he would rejoin in 2002 and leave again in 2006).

The material on "Tales of Creation" continue the epic doom metal style of the preceding releases by Candlemass and in many ways it is very similar in sound and style to especially the two direct predecessors which also feature Marcolin on vocals. They experiment a little more on "Tales of Creation" though and there are even a couple of tracks which can be described as slightly fast-paced (including "Dark Reflections", which is the first regular track after the short intro "The Prophecy"). The neo-classical influenced instrumental "Into the Unfathomed Tower" is also a standout track on the album, and quite different from anything the band had done before. There are several epic, doomy, and heavy tracks like "Under the Oak" and "The Edge of Heaven" on the album too though, so this is still through and through Candlemass as we know them. It becomes Candlemass to try some different ideas and it brings nice variation to the album and helps create a good tracklist flow.

The musicianship is strong and there are some skillful playing on display. The guitar solos have to be mentioned among the highlights of the music, but the instrumental part of the music is generally of a high quality. Marcolin is an exceptionally skilled and distinct sounding vocalist too with his strong voice and semi-operatic delivery. Candlemass were at the time (and still is) a very unique sounding act and while primary composer/bassist Leif Edling have openly admitted his fanboy status, when it comes to Black Sabbath, it´s not the legendary Birmingham band which comes to mind when listening to "Tales of Creation", but more a combination of the epic doom metal of Trouble and the neo-classical influenced melodic heavy metal of King Diamond. If I was Candlemass and read that description of my music, I´d take it and run with it, because coming from my mouth, that´s a major quality stamp. Featuring a raw and powerful sounding production job "Tales of Creation" is a high quality release on all parameters and a 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.
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