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Rating: For thousands of years, man's imagination has been carried away by the immense emotional, evocative, solemn, majestic, and in some ways terrifying power of the night. With its noises, its darkness, its smell. All of this is Nightfall, the second album by the Candlemass (a band from Stockholm), dated 1986, an absolute masterpiece of doom metal.
Already with "Epicus, Doomicus, Metallicus," the band had outlined the main characteristics of the genre, partly distancing it from the old sounds dictated by Black Sabbath and Pentagram; but it is with "Nightfall" that the artistic peak was reached, a peak that would never be surpassed in the future.
Sabbath-like guitars weave the fabric of every single song in the work which, thanks also to the splendid voice of the new singer Messiah Marcolin (with breathtaking vocal range and power), acquires an epic, solemn, sulfurous, and biblical charge that will be hard to find in future bands and that will make Candlemass one of the most important metal bands of all time.
The work opens with an instrumental piece "Gothic Stone" which, with its tremendously slow and martial pace, is the best presentation for the group and for Marcolin's voice, which rises in an immediate and unmistakable way in "The Well Of Souls".
The record moves swiftly (if swiftly can be spoken of in doom) until it reaches "At The Gallows End", a dramatic song that reveals the last thoughts of a man condemned to death «...with sad emotions I sing this epitaph, my tombstone, on the hills of Tyburn where the gallows stands, only the vultures will come to see me hang...» and that alternates slower, epic parts with faster, much more heavy and easy listening parts.
However, the gem of the piece is encountered with the next track: "Samarithan". Here it is Marcolin's voice that dominates the scene, and a splendid guitar solo leads the listener to measure themselves against the greatness and the artistic and intellectual vision of bassist Leif Edling, who is the creator of music and lyrics. Making the atmosphere even sadder and heavier is the sixth track, which is nothing other than a cover of one of Chopin's most famous compositions (Marche Funèbre).
Thus, we arrive at "Mournful Lament": the lyrics are something magnificent and represent the sad farewell, heart-wrenching in its pain, for the loss of a child «...I remember your light and in my heart I am with you every night, your journey into the unknown will be very long...». Here, the whole song is dramatically evocative, leaving aside the faster riffs that characterized some previous tracks. To lift the listener from suffering, there's "Bewitched" (perhaps the band's most famous song) with its dark, sulfurous, and seductive pace. Closing the masterpiece is "Black Candles", another instrumental featuring a very beautiful guitar loop.
"Nightfall" is a masterpiece of doom metal. A record to be absorbed through multiple listens (perhaps in the dark, while driving at night or reading the splendid lyrics) because of the pachydermic solos and its funerary pacing, but which will reserve many emotions for those who manage to listen to and make this masterpiece their own.
Please don't hold it against me if this review seemed particularly tedious to you, but if instead, I manage to introduce you to an album (and a genre) that you didn't know before, I will have fulfilled my purpose.
Moreover, I apologize to Cold Fuckin Winter who posted the work before me, but the piece is so beautiful that I couldn't help but write my personal review.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 The Well of Souls (07:26)
Crypt of despair
The old man is there
Forming a circle of magic and prayers
Guarding the well
The black hole to hell
Its evil must never arise I can tell
Holy mission
Forever he's sworn
To protect our world from hatred and scorn
He will not fear
Though the Sabbath is near
Twelve strokes for Candlemass darkness descends
"Break the circle and all hell comes loose
The well of souls must stay sealed
Ancient force of light against the dark
The well of souls must stay sealed"
Black wind turns out the candles
The air grows cold and threatening
Dark shadows wicked laughter
Brings darkness to your heart
Behold the goat of Mendes
Red burning evil eyes
Lord's prayer holy water
Only faith can save you now
Disharmony, satanic serenade
Black symphony, a tribute to the plague
The twisted souls awakened by the chanting
Unchained at last, rise, they will now rise
A new day's dawn, holy light
Sunlight redeems
Slays the dark, warms and heals, makes you
See nightmares' terror is back in your dreams
Sleep well my friend 'cause
This tale's now to end, don't
Believe our world is as safe's we pretend
"Break the circle and all hell comes loose
the well of souls must stay sealed
Ancient force of light against the dark
the well of souls must stay sealed
Black wind turns out the candles
The air grows cold and threatening
Dark shadows wicked laughter
Brings darkness to your heart
Behold the goat of Mendes
Red burning evil eyes
Lord's prayer holy water
Only faith can save you now
04 At the Gallows End (05:46)
Sunrise I greet you, the beauty of your light
So warm and tender was never the night
In tears I see you, the last time it will be
So give me your blessing, I'll meet my destiny
No rest for the Sinner
Hypnos refused me my sleep
This was the last night of my life
With wine I pondered on my deeds
I drank to the devil with servants
It's good with a friend where you go
No one would share my last chalice
So I drink to the ones that I know
Ring brother, ring for me
Ring the bells of hope and faith
Ring for my damnation
I am at the gallows end
With sad emotions, I sing this epitaph
My swansong, my headstone, the farewell of my heart
The hills of Tyburn, up where the gallows stand
Only the vultures will come to see me hang
Behold the sight of my Golgatha
The gallows enlightened by the moon
Proud of his art are the carpenter
His creation a tool for my doom
I am the outcast no winner
I am the fallen the one
That lived all his life as a sinner
The Tempter has called me his son
Soon it is time the dark has now fled
And I see the place for my death
The priest he will pray for my lost soul
I'm sure he's wasting his time
A sinner, a fool or a devil
Or just a victim of life
It's no fun to burn in hell's fire
But I sure have enjoyed my life
Ring brother, ring for me
Ring the bells of hope and faith
Ring for my damnation
I am at the gallows end
05 Samarithan (05:29)
One day I saw a man
dressed in rags, with a staff in his hand
begging for a penny to survive
How poor a man can be
I gave him hospitality
a room, a bed and lots of food to eat
Still I hear his last few words
"I can never return what you've done
heaven will remember and repay"
Fifty years had gone since I saw him
I was dying and I'd soon be dead
Three angels stood in front of me bed
The first one she said to me, don't be afraid
I will give you immortality, and grace for your soul
The second had eyes of gold, she gave me my wings
The third gave all wisdom, an angel could give
... to me
One day I saw a man
dressed in rags, with a staff in his hand
begging for a penny to survive
How poor a man can be
I gave him hospitality
a room, a bed and lots of food to eat
I joined with my destiny, eternally
I knew I was born again, an angel to be
A vision beyond my dreams, called me by name
So in devotion I spread my wings, to heaven I had came
...to stay
08 Mourners Lament (06:08)
Let me stay here by your side
be one with you my precious child
Let me cover your bed with tears
I will save you from all fears
I burn the candles for your soul
I sing you prayers as the preacher told
I bring you flowers, I dress in black
though I know this cannot give you back
[Chorus:]
I sleep by your shadow
remembering your light
In my heart
I'm with you every night
Far goes your journey
into the unknown
wherever you might be
be well my son <i>[1st time: you are my son]
Why just you my flesh and blood
I cannot live nor understand
my dearest treasure to be found
six feet under in sacred ground
Watch me bleed you lucky ones
I envy you your living sons
I'll give mine the strength of my faithful breath
I will mourn him to my death
[Chorus]
[Rest in peace]
[repeat 1st verse]
[Chorus]
09 Bewitched (06:36)
Can't you see, the devil in me
just take a look in my eyes
I will play for you, this wicked melody
it's magic will reach for your soul
It burns inside, no place to hide
this strange tune possesses your mind
It comes over you, and the nightmare is true
you'll enter the realm of the dark
You are bewitched... [x 2]
Bewitched be delight, you'll reach the night
dancing and singing to my fiddle
So take my hand, and understand
that no-one will see you again
You are bewitched... [x 2]
I am the master of the enchanted tune
I'll play for your joy, for your soul, for you doom
My fingers they dance upon the strings like fire
weaving a spell of my burning desire
Sing with me, meet your destiny
set yourself free to the magic
So come with me, my kingdom to see
believe me you're captured my friend
You are bewitched... [x 4]
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By Cold Fuckin Winter
This album seems to transport me to the brink of evil, to a parallel world where only darkness and decay reign.
If you have never heard of doom, this is your chance to fully understand the meaning of this slow and oppressive music.
