Candlemass "King Of The Grey Islands (Digipak, Germany, Nuclear Blast, NB-1818-0)"

King of the Grey Islands is the ninth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released on 22 June 2007. This is the first album recorded following the departure of vocalist Messiah Marcolin, who left the band during the pre-production phase of the album. He was replaced by Robert Lowe, who would stay with the band until his departure in June 2012.

A digipak version contains two bonus studio session tracks with Robert Lowe. The album was also released as a double vinyl LP with the bonus track "Edgar Grey". A tin box set edition (limited to 500 copies) was also released, which included a bonus 3" CD with two bonus tracks: "Black Dwarf" and "Demonia 6 (early version)". "Black Dwarf" is a re-recording with Lowe on vocals. These songs also appear on the "Black Dwarf" 7".

Upon its release, the album was met with widespread acclaim from both critics and fans.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Leif Edling.

1. "Prologue" 0:56
2. "Emperor of the Void" 4:29
3. "Devil Seed" 5:44
4. "Of Stars and Smoke" 5:38
5. "Demonia 6" 6:23
6. "Destroyer" 7:52
7. "Man of Shadows" 6:17
8. "Clearsight" 6:52
9. "The Opal City" 1:13
10. "Embracing the Styx" 8:19

Total length: 53:55

Digipak edition bonus tracks

1. "Solitude" 5:58
2. "At the Gallows End" 5:22

Total length: 65:15

Candlemass had begun production on this album with Messiah Marcolin on vocals and Andy Sneap at the producer's chair, but canned these sessions' recordings when the former left the band.

Tracks 11 & 12 are both re-recordings, with Lowe on vocals. 

The back cover lists them in the wrong order.

Recording information:

Recorded at the new Polar Studios in Stockholm, May 2006.

Track 4 recorded in August 2006.

Vocals recorded in Nomad Studios, Dallas, February 07.

Mixed in the Abyss Studio, March 2007.

Mastered at Cosmos Stockholm.

Chris Laney – engineer, post-production fixes

Andreas Osslund – engineering on track 4

Peter Tägtgren – mixing at The Abyss in March 2007

Sören von Malmborg – mastering

Tomas Arfert – cover design and illustration