Candlemass (band)

Lore & Background

After the breakup of his first band, Nemesis, bassist Leif Edling formed Candlemass, recruiting session vocalist Johan Längqvist, drummer Matz Ekström, guitarist Mats 'Mappe' Björkman, and Klas Bergwall. Their debut release, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986), quickly established their reputation, securing their place within metal circles and marking a milestone in the doom metal scene. After the release of their debut album, Längqvist was replaced by Messiah Marcolin. By the time the band entered the studio to record their second album, Nightfall, in 1987, Bergwall and Ekström had left the group. Jan Lindh joined as the new drummer, and Lars Johansson was added on guitars before the recording of Nightfall—he is credited on that album. Candlemass followed up with Ancient Dreams (1988) and Tales of Creation (1989). In 1

Reader's Guide

Candlemass is widely regarded as a foundational band in the doom metal genre, particularly for defining the epic doom subgenre with their 1986 debut album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Their music, characterized by slow, heavy riffs and dramatic vocals, influenced countless bands and helped establish doom metal as a distinct movement. Alongside Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and Trouble, they are recognized as one of the 'big four' of doom metal, a testament to their enduring impact. Despite multiple breakups and lineup changes—including the departures and returns of vocalists Johan Längqvist and Messiah Marcolin—the band has maintained a consistent presence, releasing thirteen studio albums and earning a Swedish Grammy in 2005. Their legacy is further cemented by being voted the greatest Swedish hard rock/metal band of all time by Sweden Rock Magazine in 2013. The band's ability to reunite and continue producing new material, including a 2019 album featuring Tony Iommi, underscores their lasting relevance in the metal scene.

Did You Know?

• The epic doom metal genre takes its name from Candlemass's 1986 debut album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.
• Candlemass was voted the greatest Swedish hard rock/metal band of all time by the writers of Sweden Rock Magazine in 2013.
• Guitarist Mats 'Mappe' Björkman was sentenced to two years in prison in 2008 for stealing over 35,000 CDs and DVDs worth approximately 3 million SEK.
• The band's 2019 album The Door to Doom features a guest guitar solo by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi.

Genre Architects of Doom

Candlemass emerged from the Stockholm suburb of Upplands Väsby in 1984, when bassist and songwriter Leif Edling, fresh from the dissolution of his earlier group Nemesis, gathered a lineup that included session singer Johan Längqvist, drummer Matz Ekström, guitarist Mats "Mappe" Björkman, and Klas Bergwall. Their 1986 debut, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, accomplished something far beyond simply introducing a new band to the metal world—it effectively gave a name to an entire subgenre. The very term "epic doom" was lifted directly from that album title, cementing Candlemass as the architects of a sound that would go on to shape heavy music for decades to come. Alongside Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and Trouble, the group has been widely recognized as one of the "big four" of doom metal, a distinction that underscores just how foundational their early recordings were to the genre's overall identity and direction.

A Band That Kept Coming Back

Candlemass's career is defined by an unusual pattern of dissolution and resurrection. After five studio albums and years of touring through the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band broke up in 1993, a split attributed partly to the poor commercial reception of Chapter VI and partly to Edling's decision to pursue a new project called Abstrakt Algebra. When that side venture failed to gain momentum, Edling returned to the Candlemass name in 1997, recruiting vocalist Björn Flodqvist and releasing Dactylis Glomerata the following year. A second breakup followed in 2002, though not before the original lineup reunited for well-received live shows, a Wacken Open Air appearance, and a run of remastered reissues. In November 2004, the band announced yet another reunion, which produced the self-titled album Candlemass in 2005. Since that reformation, the group has continued to record and perform without further permanent splits.

A Chorus of Voices

No single singer has ever been synonymous with Candlemass the way a frontman might be with another metal act. The band cycled through an extraordinary succession of vocalists over its history. Johan Längqvist, a session singer, handled the debut before Messiah Marcolin took the helm for Nightfall, Ancient Dreams, and Tales of Creation. After Marcolin's 1991 departure amid internal disputes, Thomas Vikström recorded Chapter VI in 1992. The 1997 reunion brought Björn Flodqvist, while the 2004 lineup briefly reunited with Marcolin before his final exit in October 2006. Robert Lowe, known from Solitude Aeturnus, then recorded King of the Grey Islands in 2007, but departed in June 2012 over concerns about live performance quality. Longtime collaborator Mats Levén, who had sung with Edling in Abstrakt Algebra and Krux and contributed to Candlemass demos, stepped in to replace Lowe. This revolving door of voices has been as central to the band's identity as its music itself.

Recognition and the Long Tail of Legacy

Candlemass's influence extends well beyond the doom metal niche. In 2005, their self-titled album earned a Swedish Grammy, a formal acknowledgment of their standing in the country's broader music scene. In January 2013, the writers of Sweden Rock Magazine voted Candlemass the greatest Swedish hard rock or metal band of all time, placing them above death metal veterans Entombed, who ranked second on the same list. The two bands were even brought together for a special jubilee concert in Stockholm to mark the magazine's 100th issue. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their landmark debut in 2016, the band released the EP Death Thy Lover alongside a career-spanning coffee-table book accompanied by two CDs of rare material. Their appearances at Wacken Open Air in both 2002 and 2010, along with a 2011 signing with Austrian label Napalm Records, demonstrate that Candlemass remained a vital touring and recording force well into the 2010s.