Ancient Dreams [Import]

Candlemass | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 21, 2011)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Peaceville UK
• ASIN: B000Y9NNIS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,655 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Repressing. 2008 expanded two CD edition of this 1988 album from the Swedish Doom Metallers including a bonus disc featuring live tracks and the video for 'Mirror Mirror'. Candlemass were formed by bassist and songwriter Leif Edling in Stockholm, Sweden in 1984 and are well known for their epic Doom Metal. They have hugely influenced a generation of the genre's subsequent greats - Candlemass themselves taking a large influence from Black Sabbath. Ancient Dreams was Candlemass' third album. Released in 1988, it featured a natural progression of slow-mid tempo epic arrangements from their previous release, 'Nightfall', with the unique tones and unmistakable voice of Messiah Marcolin still dominating proceedings on this pure Doom Metal classic. Peaceville.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Doom Metal classic in every respect, September 6, 2003

By 

Murat Batmaz (Istanbul, Turkey) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ancient Dreams (Audio CD)

Candlemass are without a doubt one of the most important doom metal bands in the world. Ever since their incredible debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus they've gone a long way paving the way for other bands. They're among the founders of modern doom metal and while I enjoy each and every Candlemass record I consider the first 4 absolutely essential.

Ancient Dreams is the second album with doom metal vocal god Messiah Marcolin and the third Candlemass album. It picks up where the classic Nightfall left off. Leif Edling's songwriting and bass playing is at its best and Marcolin's voice is simply incredible. The guitar solos are brilliant. It is hard to believe this was released back in 1988 when almost everyone was into glam, hard rock or thrash metal. I appreciate and respect Candlemass for their courage to stand up for themselves and make the music they believed in even though they knew it would never sell millions. That is why they have lasted all these years and are considered fathers of doom. They always remained true to their roots be it with Marcolin, Vikstrom or Flodkvist. My personal favourites off this record are "Cry from the Crypt", "Darkness In Paradise", the title song, and "Bells of Acheron". There's not a single filler on Ancient Dreams though.

You might also want to check out Memory Garden, Solitude Aeturnus, Abstrakt Algebra and some other bands.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Doom Metal, June 19, 2001

By 

Melkor "Librarian, Reviewer" (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ancient Dreams (Audio CD)

On this third release by Candlemass the band had already effectively carved their own niche as a respected metal band. Not as impressive as their previous album "Nightfall", this is still a strong album. Vocalist Messiah Marcolin has vocal power rivaling opera singers with incredible range and vibrato. "Epistle No. 81" is a shining example of his versatile style. Bassist and chief song writer Leif Edlin wields his pen like a surgeon crafting songs of sorrow, fear, pain and mourning. "Darkness In Paradise" is a song of woeful despair and darkness delivered with gothic melodies. The guitar work is a combination of sludging Sabbath riffs and dark melodies delivered with less low end and more melody than the metal masters. Lead guitarist Lars Johansson is a blitering soloists employing a variety of techniques in his solos. "Mirror Mirror", "Bearer of Pain", and "A Cry From The Crypt" are energetic thrashers while songs like "Incarnation of Evil" are more plodding and slowed down. "Ancient Dreams" is an album higlighted by memorable choruses, dark melodies, and epic compositions all in the seven minute range. Fans of "Nightfall" will enjoy this album. New fans should start with "Nightfall". If you don't like that one you won't like this one. If you are looking for doom and depression look no further.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bittersweet Dreams, April 18, 2003

By 

José Carlos Milito (Maceió, AL, Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ancient Dreams (Audio CD)

Aaahhhhh... the bittersweet smell of death. This album introduced me to those guys, IMHO, the best swedish band ever, back in '91. I can clearly recall my first impressions when I first heard Mirror Mirror, Epistle No.81, and the really spooky Darkness in Paradise, IMO, the greatest highlight in this gothic masterpiece. They had a lot of trouble during the making of this album, which included the loss of their former producer, which didn't prevent them from producing a classic, however.