As a long time Candlemass fan, I can’t help but be confused by their actions over the last year. First we get an announcement that Psalms for the Dead will be their last album, yet we are promptly reassured that the band will remain intact as a live act for at least several more years. An odd development to say the least, but not nearly as strange as vocalist Robert Lowe being dismissed from the band just a few short weeks prior to the album’s release. I had hoped that my first listen to Psalms for the Dead would wash away some of the confusion, but in reality it only served to muddle the situation further. I certainly didn’t expect what has been billed as Candlemass’ last studio album to be one of the most odd and experimental of their career.

At its core, Psalms for the Dead is classic Candlemass. It is an album built on the massive riffs that have become Leif Edling’s signature over the years, and it is very much a traditional doom metal album. The bells and whistles that accompany those massive riffs are where things get a little dicey. Keyboards are featured in every song on the album; sometimes this works well and adds a nice bit of atmosphere to the songs, but in a few spots the result is less favorable. “The Sound of Dying Demons” gets off to a good start, with a slow creeping build up that really seems to be going somewhere. Things come unglued though when the overly dramatic keyboard parts kick in. The keys accompany the chorus, and sound like something that you would hear in the background on an episode of The Munsters. “Siren Song” is another solid track that suffers from misguided keyboard use, this time in the form of a weird 70’s inspired mid-section. The album’s worst offense is its closing track, “Black as Time.” The true “what the hell were they thinking" moment shows up here in the form of some of the cheesiest spoken word interludes that I have ever heard from a band of this caliber. Like many of the other missteps on Psalms for the Dead, large chunks of “Black as Time” are frustratingly good.

Having delivered the bad news first, I should point out that there are actually several excellent songs on Psalms for the Dead. “Waterwitch,” “The Lights of Thebe” and the title track are stacked back to back right in the middle of the album, forming a brilliant three song run. Each of these songs represents the classic Candlemass sound, and the keyboards actually work really well on them. “Killing the Sun” sees the band wearing their Black Sabbath influence on their sleeve, and is another great track. The remainder of the album is solid, and the good clearly outweighs the bad. I should also point out that Robert Lowe turns in another fine vocal performance on here, giving me cause to further lament his dismissal from the band.

The keyboards aren’t really that shocking if you have heard Edling’s solo album, or listened to the two pseudo-Candlemass albums that were released in the late 90’s. This could have worked just fine if the execution had been more consistent. It does strike me as odd though that the band would take so many risks on what is supposed to be their final album. Death, Magic, Doom was a near perfect Candlemass album, full of well thought out songs and memorable hooks. It seemed very deliberate and cohesive, as opposed to the confused vibe that I get from Psalms for the Dead. At the end of the day, I would hope that people who read this review will understand that this is the reaction of a person who has been a fan for over 20 years. I do like the album, but I expect a lot more from Candlemass. I will be very disappointed if this ends up being the band’s swansong.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Prophet
2.  The Sound of Dying Demons
3.  Dancing in the Temple
     (of the Mad Queen Bee)
4.  Waterwitch
5.  The Lights of Thebe
6.  Psalms for the Dead
7.  The Killing of the Sun
8.  Siren Song
9.  Black as Time

Total playing time:  50:13

Release Date: June 8th 2012
Label: Napalm Records

Candlemass - Psalms for the Dead

Reviewer: Garett

July 15, 2012