FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
On November 23, 1988, Candlemass released their third full-length studio album Ancient Dreams via Active/Enigma/Metal Blade Records.
Background:
Work would begin on the third Candlemass album not long after touring was finished for Nightfall. Edling had stated that the band suffered writer's block early on and at the time of release was not fond of the mix which he had cited as "And Justice For All-inspired" and "dry". The band also cited the label rushing the mix to get the album out in time for a North American tour that fall.
Epistle 81 (Märk hur vår skugga), was written by Swedish poet/musician Carl Michael Bellman (1740 – 1795). Incarnation of Evil is actually a reworked version of the old Nemesis track Black Messiah. Lastly the CD bonus track Black Sabbath Medley comprises of portions of several Black Sabbath songs: Symptom of the Universe, Sweet Leaf, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Into the Void, Electric Funeral, Supernaut, and Black Sabbath".
The cover art of the album is a painting made by Thomas Cole, second in his series, The Voyage of Life, entitled Youth.
Candlemass would perform an Ancient Dreams set on two occasions. First would be for 25 Years of Ancient Dreams on December 28, 2013 at Debaser Medis in Stockholm. Along with a standard Candlemass set the band performed the entire album, featuring guests such as Jörgen Sandström (Krux, Entombed, Grave, The Project Hate MCMXCIX) on the song Incarnation of Evil and Thorsten Flinck (Rockvindar) on the song Epistle No. 81.
At the 2014 edition of Roadburn Festival in Tilburg on April 11, 2014 the band performed seven of the album's eight songs with a two-song encore with Allen Averill (Primordial) as a guest on the song Incarnation of Evil. Both sets had Mats Levén as the lead vocalist.
Critical Reception:
Despite the album not being as critically acclaimed as Nightfall at the time, Ancient Dreams managed to peak at no. 174 on the Billboard 200 album chart, where it stayed on the charts for six weeks (the first and only Candlemass album to chart in the United States.). The album also peaked at No. 45 on the Swedish Albums Chart. The album has since attained near-universal praise in the years since it's release.
In his review for AllMusic, Eduardo Rivadavia stated;
“Candlemass' third album, Ancient Dreams is not quite as immediate as its predecessor, but with repeated listens, its songs (mostly running in the seven-minute range) become just as compelling. Outstanding tracks like Mirror Mirror, Darkness in Paradise, The Bells of Acheron, and Bearer of Pain combine sluggish, staccato riffs with surprisingly memorable choruses delivered by vocalist Messiah Marcolin with his trademark vibrato overload. The title track and Incarnation of Evil do seem to plod on a bit too long, but the more energetic A Cry from the Crypt picks up the pace with some typical late-'80s thrashing. The closing Black Sabbath Medley is interesting, but hardly surprising, making this an album for serious fans only.”
Reissues:
From 2001 onwards, beginning with Powerline Records, Ancient Dreams would be re-mastered and re-issued multiple times by the likes of Peaceville Records, Candlelight Records USA and Svart Records. Some reissues included; liner notes, bonus live tracks and an interview.
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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