Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Nemesis > The Day of Retribution > Reviews
Nemesis - The Day of Retribution

From tiny acorns great oaks will grow - 75%

Mercian Doomster, July 4th, 2023

Nemesis would eventually evolve into the band that would become Candlemass, featuring Leif Edling as well as original Candlemass drummer Mats Ekström and guitarist Christian Weberyd. Four of the five tracks, all except closer Goodbye which is an Angel Witch cover, were written by Edling and he handles vocals as well as his usual duties on bass. I think it's safe to say that this ep shows why Leif didn't perform vocals for Candlemass, his range being far too limited to handle the epic nature of Candlemass' songs and in truth he struggles even here. While this is as much heavy metal as traditional doom, there is certainly enough on show to see where Edling was going with his songwriting and is a recognisable early step on his road to almost single-handedly establishing the epic doom genre. There are some terrific Sabbathian riffs, check out the one on opener Black Messiah - it's a real killer and the whole track is amazing, eventually being reworked as Incarnation of Evil on the 1988's Ancient Dreams album with Messiah on vocals. I would really liked to have heard Messiah have a crack at the vocals on this rawer, less well-produced version though, because even with Edling struggling it's still a brilliant song and sounds a bit more immediate than the Incarnation of Evil version.

In God We Trust finds Edling in speed metal mode with a track that could have been penned by Venom, except for the doomy middle section maybe. Theme of the Guardians has simple, but effective main riff that sounds like a staple of the then nascent trad doom genre and one that has been reworked and reinvented a hundred times since. The King Is Dead is arguably the most noticably a Leif Edling-written track, probably sounding the most like Candlemass with a great riff and sterling leadwork throughout from both Weberyd and Anders Wallin (who's contribution here seems to be the sum total of his recorded output). The Angel Witch cover is interesting I think in that it illustrates how Edling's songwriting was influenced by Kevin Heybourne.

In conclusion I found this to be an interesting release, particularly with its importance in the early history of one of doom metal's most influential figures and even despite its shortcomings, ie the poor production and weak vocals, it still contains some great tracks and should interest any adherent of early doom metal. As a footnote the 1990 release features a couple of 1984 Candlemass demos, Black Stone Wielder and Demon's Gate which show how quickly Edling and Candlemass were developing from the Nemesis tracks.

Preamble to greatness - 80%

Gutterscream, June 13th, 2005
Written based on this version: 1984, 12" vinyl, Fingerprint Records

...please don't break the circle...

Well, if I’m gonna start on a Candlemass kick, I may as well begin when the clock started ticking. A slender few sources say The Day of Retribution was released in ’82, while most others claim ’84. Two years in the music industry isn’t a drop in the bucket, but isn’t anything to get your underwear twisted over unless you’re a stickler like me. In ’84, Leif and the gang would’ve been right on target with Trouble, St. Vitus, and even Death S.S.. In ’82, they would’ve jumped a few calendars to climb aboard with Witchfinder General and countrymates Mercy. Does it really matter? With all the threads centering on who did what when and who did it before whom, I’d say sure. It also helps accurately measure the hiatus between this ep and Candlemass’ debut.

There’s something about an outdated, raw production that can throw a smile on my face, especially when it’s a foundation to a well-known oldie such as “Black Messiah”. It’s hard to imagine those reverberating high notes Messiah Marcolin hits in the converted “Incarnation of Evil” could sound so devolved coming from someone else’s mouth, even if it is band mainman Leif Edling’s. Edling, in all his untrained elegance, planned or not, can be effective in his despondent delivery, and when at times laced with a fiendish edge, amplify the natural affliction imparted by the music. Honestly though, with his endearing distortion of the English language and sometimes off-key moments, the job does seem a tad over his head in instances.

For the most part, less dejected “In God We Trust” begins and ends with a quick, bustling riff that is three parts traditional and one part semi-speed, meanwhile the midsection transforms into a shambling, melancholic dirge for an effective contrast. “Theme of the Guardian”’s fairly simplistic, yet haunting main riff combined with a structured, yet slightly urgent gait seeps an almost mystical air, circulating around woeful vocals and some well-played solos via Anders Wallin. The slow-burning fireball that is “The King is Dead” entwines more accomplished soloing with courageous rhythms, the tandem most memorable at the song’s start, and as a whole comes across in a strange pre-future veteran fashion. Distorted and echoed acoustics are a mainstay in “Goodnight”, swirling beneath fumes of doom-laden riffs and that aforementioned eccentric vocal tonality.

While much of this doesn’t compare to some of the other stuff written by Edling and Candlemass, it is a formidable, albeit scarce effort most will probably not find in its original format. It has been reissued by Metal Blade and Active Records on other formats and comes with bonus tracks, like the great pair of Candlemass demo tunes “Blackstone Wielder” and “Demons Gate”, and both of which will be featured in grander glory on Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Still, I wouldn’t have minded hearing some of these tracks refurbished like “Black Messiah”.

Total darkness! - 85%

natrix, March 26th, 2004

I've listened to a lot of death metal, black metal, and doom metal, but I have to say that the track "Black Messiah" is the darkest song I have ever heard, right up there with early Mercyful Fate. Lief sings on here, and he sounds somewhat like an evil Gregorian monk.

"In God We Trust" is a lot faster than most Candlemass stuff, but it's good to listen to. "Theme of the Guardians" is mid-paced, not far off from Mercyful Fate, but with Lief's trademark vocals and some strange guitar melodies popping up here and there. "Goodnight" starts with a nice acoustic part, which is a nice way of keeping the album interesting. The final two tracks are Candlemass demos and they're a bit heavier than the stuff off of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.

The raw production on here really works to the album's advantage. There aren't any technical parts and most of it is low end, so there's no need for a really polished recording. This was THE release that got me into Candlemass, Trouble, and doom metal in general. Totally essential for anyone who wants to feel real darkness (but this just might not be evil...).