I'm not a huge fan of the doom metal genre. For the most part I prefer music that is more melodic and upbeat. Still, there are times when only something unrelentingly heavy will do, and that's where a band like Candlemass fits the bill perfectly.
Candlemass's 1989 album Tales of Creation is the band's fourth studio album, and was the final album to feature titanic vocalist Messiah Marcolin - at least until their short-lived reunion and self-titled release a couple years ago. Tales of Creation is an album that carries on in the same lumbering mammoth doom metal vein as previous albums Ancient Dreams and Nightfall, but the band's sound is a bit more refined. Musically, vocally, and production-wise, Candlemass is in top form here. There aren't any instantly memorable songs like "Bearer of Pain" or "Bewitched", but the album as a whole tends to work quite well. The album also seems somewhat more fast-paced than previous efforts, with some almost thrashing riffs and a very flashy instrumental track called "Into the Unfathomed Tower" that, title aside, probably leans more toward power metal than doom.
Tales of Creation is arguably the last truly great Candlemass album, and remains a must-have for doom metal aficionados.
The 2002 reissue of Tales of Creation features digitally remastered sound, expanded liner notes with lots of pictures and other info, and a second disc full of bonus demos and interview tracks. The bonus material is interesting enough; though it's doubtful you'll find yourself spinning the bonus disc more than once. The real reason to buy the reissue is the much improved sound quality, which takes the already high-quality album to a whole new level.