 Candlemass
 Psalms For the Dead
 Review by Mike Korn
You are invited to a funeral. The deceased is not a "he" or a "she," but a "they." The Swedish doom metal masters have announced that this album will be their last release of original music. The title is more fitting than usual, then.
I take the announcement with an extra large grain of salt, but if this is indeed the last true Candlemass album, then at least they leave the scene with an iconic effort. A final album is no time to experiment...it's time to deliver what long-time fans expect. And that's just what we get on Psalms For the Dead. The tracks here are classic, archetypal Candlemass, even more so than their last few albums. We get slow, epic doom metal dirges, more uptempo metal songs and various combinations of both. The vocals of singer Robert Lowe have never sounded more plaintive, which is bittersweet as the band recently announced his departure from the fold. Again, he leaves on a high note.
It remains to be seen if this is truly Candlemass' last gasp, but take no chances...bow your heads in remembrance as this doom metal classic reverberates through the ether.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012 Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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