Candlemass was formed by bassist and songwriter Leif Edling in Stockholm, Sweden in 1984. Well known for their epic doom metal and continuing their legacy as genre leaders to this day, Candlemass has influenced a generation of the genre’s subsequent greats from My Dying Bride to Paradise Lost - Candlemass themselves taking a large influence from Black Sabbath.

 

‘Dactylis Glomerata’ was a come-back album of sorts, originally released in 1998, after the band had temporarily been laid to rest after the ‘Chapter VI’ album. It was an album of more stripped down dirty doom rock, with solid songwriting on display, evoking what some described as a strong stoner vibe, along with some hard rock elements. This was in contrast to the more epic heavy metal inspired compositions from previous albums, which the band were more known for. Having stood the test of time incredibly well, ’Dactylis Glomerata’ is a gem in the band’s rich history spanning four decades.

 

The album notably also features guitars by Michael Amott of Arch Enemy (ex-Carcass), and also a guest appearance by Ian Haugland from Europe.