As of June 2012, Rob Lowe is no longer a member of Candlemas.
Formed in the spring of 1987, the lineup began as John Perez; quit his former seminal thrash metal band Rotting Corpse in early 1987. Perez, already a veteran of the metal scene, had begun to tire of the limitations of thrash and sought a new sound. Already a long time follower of the early 1980s classic doom groups like Witchfinder General, St. Vitus, Black Hole, Nemesis and the like, Perez decided to adopt a doom metal sound. Perez assembled a group of musicians over the next year namely; Brad Kane - Drums (another member of the early 1980s thrash scene), Kris Gebhardt - vocals (previously with over the top Satanic death metal band Death Tripper), Tom Martinez - guitar and Chris Hardin - bass. After writing songs and rehearsing up until December 1987, the band entered the studio in Jan 1988 to record their legendary 5-song demo entitled “Justice for all.” It should be noted that this title and demo preceded the Metallica album of the same name by some 7 months. Also of interest is that the band's name at this time was Solitude. It would not be until two years later that the band would be forced to change the name to Solitude Aeturnus.
After the release of the demo, various gigs around the local area followed. The response was lukewarm at best since no one around the area knew what to think of the band. In late '88 changes started to occur within the band and without going into too many details the members of the band all changed finally settling on a lineup that consisted of Perez - guitars, Edgar Rivera - guitars, Robert Lowe - vocals, Lyle Steadham - bass and John "Wolf" Covington on drums. This lineup would last for the next 7 years taking the band all the way to 1996. Of special interest is that Lyle Steadham actually joined the band on drums while Chris Hardin was still on bass. This particular line-up recorded the second official demo of the band containing two classic tracks, "Mirror of Sorrow" and "Opaque Divinity.” Lyle would shortly move over to bass duties as Hardin left the band and Covington joined.
This two-song tape caught the attention of the independent label King Classic. The band entered the prestigious Dallas Sound Lab in January 1990 to record their classic debut album, "Into the Depths of Sorrow.” After a disastrous first mix, the band went back to Sound Logic Studios (where the two demos were done) for a remix. It was a nightmare to try to fix but the band managed to capture a great, albeit raw sound nonetheless. The whole album was recorded for a paltry sum of $3000 and done in 7 days including the remix. Shortly after the album was delivered, the album suffered a delay due to King Classic not having the money to put it out. After some shopping around the album eventually caught the attention of Roadrunner Records and a licensed deal followed by Solitude Aeturnus signing directly to Roadrunner followed, after numerous other delays, the album finally saw the light of day in July 1991 a full year and a half after the album was recorded. No tours followed although by this time the band had already written enough songs for a second album. In March 1992, the band entered Sound Logic recording studios to begin the sessions for the second album, "Beyond the Crimson Horizon"
The budget for "Beyond" was much greater and as a result, the sound was improved, the album was released in July 1992 and eventually a US tour was set up in late November with Paul Di'Anno's Killers. The tour lasted six weeks and was a great success for the band. Shortly after in February 1993 the band was dropped from Roadrunner. This came as a sigh of relief for the band as the proper support from Roadrunner never came their way. It would not be until December that the band would finally sign a new recording contract with up and coming label, Pavement Records.
The band decided to get away from their familiar surroundings and took off for England to record their third album, Through the Darkest Hour. Recorded in late March 1994 at Rhythm Studios, this was to be among the band's best work to date, showing a simpler and heavier direction. The production was also at its best and the band was moving their way up the metal ladder.
"Darkest Hour" received critical acclaim all across the globe upon its release in August 1994. After a few months of negotiating, the band went on the road with metal legends Mercyful Fate for an extensive US tour. The tour lasted six weeks and shortly after the band embarked on their first tour of Europe with fellow doom band Revelation. After this tour, the band went through a long break that would last until the April of 1996 when recording for the next album commenced. During this time, Perez started his own Brainticket Records label as well as recording a solo album under the name of The Liquid Sound Company. The next album, "Downfall" was recorded in Dallas TX and despite receiving praise once again for their efforts, the band was extremely dissatisfied with the product. The songs were top notch but the production quality of the album was poor. After years of hard knocks and never-ending struggles, the band underwent their first (and only) major lineup change.
Lyle Steadham left the band shortly after the recording of Downfall. Primary because he was tired of the group's sound and eventually formed the punk band the Kill keeps. The band continued on enlisting the services of Teri Pritchard in as temporary bassist. This line-up toured Europe in April 1996 with Swedish power metal band Morgana Lafey. Another unintentional break followed and a split from Pavement Records eventually occurred. During this time new bass player, Steve Mosley was added to the band. A long time friend and fan of the band, Steve was the perfect replacement for Lyle. The band then signed on to German label Massacre Records in December 1997 and recorded what was to become their masterpiece, "Adagio.” This time going back to Rhythm Studios in England the album was recorded in March 1998 and released in June of the same year. The band toured Europe in September 1998 with Savior Machine in support of the record. Adagio finally saw a U.S. release in January 1999 through Olympic Records. Being distributed through PolyGram, the Olympic deal gave the band even greater exposure in the native country.
Seeds of the Desolate
Solitude Aeturnus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
of seething thoughts abroad
Amuck in shallow graves
not of solid Earth
Silhouette charades
of cascading shattered walls
Confusing conscience craves
but we must not fall...
At the first sign of light
We approached the once closed door
A gaping hole to that beyond
Where men should go no more
Descending stairs of icy stone
Carved by man himself
We built these frigid cavern halls
Where limbonic lives have crept
The seeds of the desolate
Sown in the blood of ourselves
The seeds of the desolate
Have we forever failed?
We stepped into that swallowing void
Exchanging life for death
Descending downward ever intent
Taking life from our fellow man
I speak to fragile forms in moving mass
To men with intent awry
To solid forms of Earthen mind
Whose burden equals mine
In the song "Seeds of the Desolate" by Solitude Aeturnus, the lyrics describe a sense of despair and confusion within the human mind. The shifting shades of thoughts and silhouette charades represent the turmoil and lack of clarity we experience in our thoughts. The second verse speaks to the consequences of human greed and desire for exploration beyond our limits, as we descend into icy caverns where limbonic lives have crept. The seeds of the desolate refer to the negative things we sow within ourselves, such as greed and selfishness, which lead to failure and ultimately death. The chorus questions whether our failure is eternal and irreversible.
The use of vivid imagery in the lyrics paints a picture of a bleak and foreboding world. The icy stone stairs, frigid cavern halls, and swallowing void all contribute to a sense of danger and unease. The lyrics caution against the consequences of pursuing our desires without considering the impact on others and the world around us. Overall, the song serves as a warning against the dangers of selfishness and greed.
Line by Line Meaning
Shifting silent shades of seething thoughts abroad
Anxiety and confusion spread widely within our minds, with no clear direction or understanding.
Amuck in shallow graves not of solid Earth
We feel lost and aimless, buried in a place that offers no solid ground or comfort.
Silhouette charades of cascading shattered walls
We are lost in a maze of illusions and broken dreams, with no clear path to follow.
Confusing conscience craves but we must not fall...
Despite the confusion and uncertainty, we must not give up and succumb to despair.
At the first sign of light we approached the once closed door
We are drawn to the possibility of enlightenment or escape, even if it may be risky or uncertain.
A gaping hole to that beyond where men should go no more
Despite the allure of the unknown, there are dangers that we may not be able to handle or comprehend.
Descending stairs of icy stone carved by man himself
We have created our own path to this place, through our actions and choices.
We built these frigid cavern halls where limbonic lives have crept
Our actions have created a place of emptiness and despair, where nothing can thrive or grow.
The seeds of the desolate sown in the blood of ourselves
Our own actions have led to our downfall and despair, as we have harmed ourselves and others.
The seeds of the desolate have we forever failed?
Despite our efforts, have we doomed ourselves to a life of misery and destruction?
We stepped into that swallowing void exchanging life for death
Our pursuit of enlightenment or escape may have led us to sacrifice our own lives or values.
Descending downward ever intent taking life from our fellow man
Our actions may have also caused harm to others, as we have pursued our own desires and goals.
I speak to fragile forms in moving mass to men with intent awry
I address those who are lost and searching, those who may have lost sight of their true purpose or values.
To solid forms of Earthen mind whose burden equals mine
I speak to those who are grounded and focused, who share the same struggles and difficulties as I do.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDGAR RIVERA, JOHN COVINGTON, JOHN PEREZ, LYLE STEADHAM, ROBERT LOWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christopherklingel2153
I had this cassette once and I'm gonna buy it again if I can find it. This is an incredible metal album. Kind of reminds me of St. Vitus and Black Sabbath.
@seangriego4892
This is beyond sublime.
@ronniemetal3088
Que voz muy impresionante
@caveiramortal12
A melhor banda de Metal do mundo, na minha opinião.
@TheAnticapella
Passei a amar o Doom por causa deles...
@kaustovbabylonbhuyan4383
One of the best 🤘🏿
@ELLAS1234
masterpiece of metal music \m/ ,an epitome of heavy metal \M/
@christopherkliagel8556
One example of why I love doom metal so much. S.A is the fucking best;)
@kaustovbabylonbhuyan4383
Great Song 🤘🏿🖤🤘🏿
@alex-hi2gv
Masters of Doom.