Lets settle this one and for all !

No Johan Lanquist?

I chose Johan Lanquist, because he was a part of the album that has been the most important Candlemass-album for me.
But, tough question for sure...

Johan Lanquist because Epicus brings me a lot of past memories… and his voice is, of course, amazing.

I voted Messiah, because he's featured on most of what I consider my favorite Candlemass recordings. He does great on live recordings of both the songs from the classic Messiah albums, but also the Epicus Doomicus songs too, without simply trying to emulate Johan's original performances on them.

I haven't seen Lowe live, but I've heard the newest live album featuring him, and he does a great job of doing the same thing with the older Candlemass songs. But I can't seem to get into the newer Candlemass material with him on it. I believe I have a re-recorded studio version of Demon's Gate with him on it though, from an EP I believe (or maybe a bonus disc- I forget) which fucking blew me away!

In short, I picked Messiah because he not only does good live renditions of older stuff, but also I love the albums with his material on it. I know there are a bunch of people who really hold something against Messiah though, and I just don't get it.

also as a last word, had Johan Lanquist been featured on a few more albums, I think he would indisputably hold the throne.

I still don't 'get' Lowe... was ok on King of the Grey... but I just don't think he is doomy enough, not compared to Messiah and especially not compared to Johan. Lowe just hasn't got that epic feeling of messiah or the mournful wailing of Johan.

There is only one guy who can perform solitude the right way! As if the guy to be hanged is mourning! Listen to Epicus...

I said Lowe just because he can do everything live that he can in the studio. Messiah will always be the quintessential voice of Candlemass because he recorded their two best classic albums. Rob is a worthy replacement in my opinion.

I voted for Lowe too. While he doesn't appear on any of Candlemass's best albums, he's my favorite vocalist of the bunch. For any who have not seen him live with Candlemass, do what you can to rectify that, as like most of the others have said, he is amazing on the older Candlemass material. When I saw them in '08 with Daylight Dies, they played Solitude, Crystal Ball, Samarithan, Mirror Mirror, Gallow's End, Well of Souls, among others, all of which sounded incredible.

I voted for Messiah , the more complete I think; when playing live he was also very charimastic, something that I didn't felt at the same point with Lowe both times I saw them with him on vocals...
it's hard not to mention Johan L. I'm very impatient to see him live for the first time at next Roadburn, from what I saw on youtube from the recent gig in Sweden, he (still) seems quite impressive

I agree that the past two albums do not contain the best of the band's songs. Those albums don't come close to Epicus or Nightfall.

In my opinion, Robert is the best Candlemass vocalist - and the best vocalist in all of doom.

His covers of the earlier Candlemass songs are indeed spot on.

Johan 2d and Messiah 3d.

For me its Messiah, regardless of the fact that Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is my favorite Candlemass album, he was just the best all around, he had extreme operatic talent, and had the look, and the attitude.