Candlemass Announce New Album Sweet Evil Sun
Doom legends Candlemass — announced just the other day as headliners for Desertfest Belgium 2022 in Ghent on Oct. 30 — will release a new full-length on Nov. 18 through Napalm Records. What do we know about it? Well, it’s got Leif Edling and Johan Längquist, so already that’s more than enough for me, but considering the Swedish outfit’s 2019 offering, The Door to Doom (review here), was nominated for a Grammy — it’s mentioned twice below; see if you can find it! — for the Tony Iommi-included “Astorolus: The Great Octopus,” the pressure is on Candlemass in a way it hasn’t been in a long time if it ever was before. Where does a band like this — who’ve gone everywhere, done everything, know their sound backwards and forwards, have decades-since worked to define epic doom and are driven by one of the best riff writers of all time in Edling — go after that? I guess we’ll find out.
Today, the band are streaming the new video “Scandinavian Gods” — because, what? they were going to have a song with that title and not use it as a lead single? — and it’s the first new music from Candlemass since 2020’s The Pendulum EP (discussed here), which was more a victory lap after the last album’s success than anything else. Still, the turnaround on Sweet Evil Sun speaks perhaps to Candlemass feeling creatively energized following the success of The Door to Doom, and I don’t care how dark the music ultimately is, if Candlemass are feeling good, that’s good news.
The PR wire has this:
US Grammy-nominated epic doom legends CANDLEMASS return to their roots with the supreme Sweet Evil Sun!
Clocking in almost four decades, it’s no stretch to say that Grammy-nominated Swedish epic doom legends CANDLEMASS are still one of the heaviest metal bands on earth. As the godfathers of epic doom metal, the band defined the genre with releases such as Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986) and Nightfall (1987). Through their evil riffs, crushing rhythmic attack and dramatic vocals, they changed the landscape of metal worldwide. Reunited with outstanding original vocalist Johan Langquist, the band around founding member Leif Edling finds its way back to its roots and finally delivers the long awaited, earth-shaking new full-length album, Sweet Evil Sun, out November 18, 2022 via Napalm Records.
Pre-Order your copy of Sweet Evil Sun NOW!
After working on this massive piece of art for 18 months in total, with Sweet Evil Sun, CANDLEMASS brings back all the grandness of their early years, exploring themes of ambition and strife, hope and failure. Opening track “Wizard Of The Vortex” instantly casts a spell with a riff so powerful, the listener is immediately ensnared. Title track “Sweet Evil Sun” kicks in with warning guitar feedback before sludging a heavy-as-hell riff as Johan Langquist deftly warbles through melancholic, beckoning passages and a hooky chorus. His imposing vocals fit each riff and tone perfectly, emerging as an instrument in itself. The dark, classic rock-tinged Nordic metal anthem “Scandinavian Gods” reveals a perfect musical interaction between slow and heavy drums, droning guitars and majestic vocals as they convey mysterious tales of Scandinavian mythology to the next generation of doom lovers.
Jennie-Ann Smith (Avatarium) lends her beautiful voice to the theatrical, grim “When Death Sighs”, creating a shimmering, intermingled chorus duet eventually backed by rising organs and a marching rhythm. The haunting atmosphere is highlighted by an amazing guitar solo that reads like a story as it bends and descends, marking the sign of death on the listener’s door. It comes as no surprise that, alongside the band, renowned producer Marcus Jidell captured the band’s massive, smoky guitar tones, powerful drums and larger-than-life vocals, offering a truly unique, high quality sonic experience. The artwork for Sweet Evil Sun was illustrated with the skilled hand of Erik Rovanperä, the architect behind CANDLEMASS’ visual style since Psalms for the Dead (2012).
Leif Edling on the new album:
“Sweet Evil Sun is about hope, striving, adoration and failure. It’s about all the personal battles that you have, but also the never-ending decay of humanity.
The record took over a year to make and there’s not a bad track on it! We had a fantastic time recording it and are really looking forward to the release. It’s Doom, It’s Metal! It is the essence of CANDLEMASS put into one album!”
Recorded at NOX studio in Stockholm, Sweden, Sweet Evil Sun impressively showcases that, after almost 40 years in the game, the creativity of these Swedish doom masters sees no bounds. Through the power of wall-shaking riffs, incredible vocal performances and the blood and spirit of classic heavy metal, Sweet Evil Sun shines as a masterpiece of impending legend that truly honors the epic doom metal cult of CANDLEMASS.
Sweet Evil Sun Tracklist:
1. Wizard Of The Vortex
2. Sweet Evil Sun
3. Angel Battle
4. Black Butterfly
5. When Death Sighs
6. Scandinavian Gods
7. Devil Voodoo
8. Crucified
9. Goddess
10. A Cup Of Coffin (Outro)
Sweet Evil Sun will be available in the following formats:
Ltd. Die Hard Vinyl Box (Napalm Shop only)
2LP Gatefold Sun Yellow (Napalm Shop only)
2LP Gatefold Black
2LP Gatefold Purple
1CD 6pp Digisleeve
CD Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle
Digital Album
Experience CANDLEMASS live in 2022:
19.08.22 DK – Næstved / Næstved Metalfest
20.08.22 NL – Eindhoven / Ijssportcentrum
22.10.22 SE – Sundsvall / Nordfest
30.10.22 BE – Gent / Desertfest Ghent
19.11.22 DE – Würzburg, Hammer of Doom
Candlemass are:
Leif Edling – Bass
Mats “Mappe” Björkman – Guitars (rhythm)
Jan Lindh – Drums
Lars Johansson – Guitars (lead)
Johan Längquist – Vocals
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http://www.candlemass.se/
https://www.facebook.com/napalmrecords
http://label.napalmrecords.com/
