Nightfall [Remaster]

Candlemass virtually gave birth to the modern doom metal movement with their classic debut Epicus Doomicus Metalicus, an album which introduced Black Sabbath-style, snail-paced heaviness to a new generation of metal fans. But it was only with the arrival of singer Messiah Marcolin on 1987's Nightfall that the band truly found their voice -- quite literally, since Marcolin's powerful, operatic delivery remains compeletely unique. The songs written by bassist Leif Edling lay the perfect foundation, combining religious lyrics with slow, grinding power chords which rarely move faster than a crawl. Perfect examples of this formula -- like "The Well of Souls," "Samarithan," and "Bewitched" -- would become live standards for years to come, and are nicely held together by short instrumentals, including a rendition of Chopin's "Marche Funebre." And while the band can't resist thrashing out just a tad on parts of "At the Gallow's End" and "Dark Are the Veils of Death," this is still a cohesive work, and a must for Black Sabbath fans. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia|