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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply put: The birth of DOOM, October 8, 2003
Prior to this album, "doom" did not exist. A few Black Sabbath clones, and even Sabbath itself, are considered pioneers of this art form, but I can present a strong case to the contrary.
Unarguably, Black Sabbath invented what we know as heavy metal. No one before them sounded like they did. However, only a few of their songs could be considered to meet the requirements, musical and lyrical, of "doom"--"Electric Funeral" from Paranoid is a prime example--but as their career progressed, they failed to capitalize on this trend and got stuck in a heavy rock sort of vein. Even when they reinvented themselves in the 80s and regained some heaviness they did not duplicate the dark, evil sounding riffs.
Candlemass does NOT sound like Black Sabbath. Candlemass is the origin of doom metal. Period. A few earlier bands attempted it on a song or two, but Candlemass was the first to perform such a style throughout an entire album and in the process formed their own brand of music: Heavier, darker...They even gave it a name: Epic Doom Metal.
Quite simply, Candlemass is the pioneer of DOOM as a musical religion, and this album is the blueprint for the genre for all time. No one can dispute this.
Every song is a dark lament. Every song is a dirge for forsaken lives and fading hopes. Nothing since has come even close, even the godly Candlemass albums which followed. The line-up on this album did not stay together, which is a shame. The singer is the premier doom vocalist, with his mournful, haunting delivery of Leif Edling's suicide letters and tales of undying despair. His replacement on subsequent albums, while an adequate vocalist, brought an unwelcome element of ham with his operatic histrionics. And the drummer here is outstanding. Check out his fills on "Demon's Gate".
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus to this day remains unchallenged in its position of DOOM supremacy. Even Candlemass themselves could not have topped this. Other albums are called "the best doom metal blah blah blah...". Uh-uh. Those are sales pitches. This is the real thing.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The beginning of true Doom metal, January 31, 2005
Candlemass were the creators of doom metal. Black Sabbath paved the way for Candlemass to be the heaviest band known to man. This is their first record, before Messiah was on vocals. It has the main songwriter and bass player Leif Edling on vocals which is not too much different from Messiah. It did take me a couple times the first time I ever heard Candlemass to get used to the vocals, but now I love the singing style. At first I thought Nightfall was their best record but since I have got the remaster of Epicus I think this is their best record even without Messiahs awesome vocals. And I was so glad to hear that the band is back together with Messiah on vocals with a new album due out in early May. If you are a fan of doom metal, this is one of the best records to have.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
We're doomed! Doomed, I tell you!, October 30, 2005
Back in the 80's, it seemed that metal was dominated by thrash metal acts whose primary selling point was to play as fast as humanly or possible, or horrid hair metal bands of which we will not speak. So when Swedish band Candlemass came out with Epicus Doomicus Metallicus in 1986, with its slow, heavy riffs and overall mood of darkness and despair, it was pretty certain that it would never achieve any sort of mainstream success. And you know, you just have to respect their courage for doing just that.
THIS is Doom Metal. Black Sabbath may have pioneered the style somewhat, but it was Candlemass who developed it into a genre in its own right, and named it as such. Every Doom Metal band today, from Anathema to Katatonia to My Dying Bride; they all descend from this album right here. Opening track "Solitude" is Doom Metal in its purest state: slow, ultra-heavy guitar riffs, and lyrics talking of sorrow and suicide. As a whole, "Epicus" is a long way off from the intense darkness of modern day Doom Metal, but it set in stone the patterns of the genre to follow.
"Epicus" is filled with classic songs and memorable riffs, from the aforementioned "Solitude" to "Demon's Gate" and "Under the Oak." (later re-recorde for their fourth album "Tales of Creation") Truly Leif Edling had a brilliant vision (which would be fully realized on the follow-up "Nightfall"), but "Epicus" is not quite without shortcomings. Session vocalist Johan Lanquist is a tad weak compared to his successor Messiah Marcolin, and sadly, the album itself is quite short. But these are quibbling points. If you have any interest in Doom Metal whatsoever, you need this and "Nightfall" in your collection.
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