Candlemass
Encyclopedia
This article is about the band Candlemass, for the Christian feast day, see Candlemas.


Candlemass are an influential Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...

 band established in 1984 by Leif Edling
Leif Edling
Leif Edling is best known as the main songwriter and bass player of the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass.Edling started his musical career in the band Trilogy, then under the name of Toxic, as a singer together with Ian Haugland in 1979. He then played in a band named Witchcraft but left in...

 (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

), their leader and songwriter. The band is originally from Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

. After releasing five full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Candlemass disbanded in 1994, but decided to reform three years later. After breaking up again in 2002, Candlemass reformed in 2004 and have continued to record and perform since then. They plan to split up for a third time after they release their eleventh studio album in 2012.

Formation and early career (1984–1990)

After the breakup of his first band Nemesis, bassist Leif Edling
Leif Edling
Leif Edling is best known as the main songwriter and bass player of the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass.Edling started his musical career in the band Trilogy, then under the name of Toxic, as a singer together with Ian Haugland in 1979. He then played in a band named Witchcraft but left in...

 started his own band under the name Candlemass with vocalist Johan Längqvist, guitarist Mats Mappe Bjorkman, and drummer Matz Ekström. Their first release, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is the debut album of the Swedish Doom metal band Candlemass, released June 10, 1986 on Black Dragon Records. It was re-issued in 2003 with a bonus live CD...

(1986), immediately secured their standing, positioning the band within metal circles, setting a milestone in the doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...

 scene. Längqvist only recorded that one album with Candlemass, however. His successor as frontman, Messiah Marcolin
Messiah Marcolin
Messiah Marcolin , also known as 'Eddie Marcolin', is a vocalist best known for his work in the doom metal band Candlemass.-1984-1985:...

, joined the band for their second effort, Nightfall
Nightfall (album)
Nightfall is the second album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released in 1987. It was the first album to feature Messiah Marcolin on vocals....

, in 1987. Two other new members appeared on this album: lead guitarist Lars Johansson and drummer Jan Lindh.

Candlemass's next two albums were Ancient Dreams
Ancient Dreams
Ancient Dreams is the third album of Swedish doom metal band Candlemass and was released in 1988, and reissued in 2001 by Powerline Records with bonus CD...

(1988) and Tales of Creation
Tales of Creation
Tales of Creation is the fourth album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released in 1989 and reissued with bonus CD in 2001.Some of the material from this album were originally recorded in 1985 by one of the earliest incarnations of Candlemass...

(1989). In 1990, the band released a live album. Shortly afterward, a dispute between the band members resulted in Messiah Marcolin's departure.

New singer-era, hiatus and first reunion (1991–2003)

After Marcolin left, Candlemass recruited vocalist Thomas Vikström
Thomas Vikström
Thomas Vikström is a Swedish vocalist best known for working with hard rock and heavy metal bands including doom metal legends Candlemass and power metallers Stormwind. He is the son of opera singer Sven-Erik Vikström...

 and recorded Chapter VI (1992). The band then toured in support of that album. By 1994, Candlemass had called it quits, partly because Chapter VI was unsuccessful and partially because Edling had formed another project under the name of Abstrakt Algebra
Abstrakt Algebra
Abstrakt Algebra was a Swedish experimental metal band with influences from power metal and doom metal. It was founded by bassist Leif Edling in 1994, shortly after his main project Candlemass split up....

. With Abstrakt Algebra not doing well, Leif suddenly recruited a new line-up under the name of Candlemass and recorded the album Dactylis Glomerata
Dactylis Glomerata
Dactylis Glomerata is an album by doom metal band Candlemass, released in 1998. This was the first album they released since their split in 1994 and reunion in 1997. It is the only Candlemass album that features guitarist Michael Amott of Arch Enemy and Carcass notability on lead guitar.In 2006 it...

, which was a combination of songs for a new Abstrakt Algebra CD and some new material. A year later the album From the 13th Sun
From the 13th Sun
From the 13th Sun is an album by Candlemass released in 1999. The CD liner notes say it is "dedicated to the greatest band of all time: Black Sabbath".-Track listing:*All Songs Written By Leif Edling, except where noted...

was released.

In 2002, the members of a past Candlemass line-up reunited. They performed some well-received live shows and released another live album. Other albums released by the reformed band were remaster
Remaster
Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...

ed versions of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, Nightfall, Ancient Dreams, and Tales of Creation. A DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

 called Documents of Doom
Documents of Doom
Documents of Doom is a DVD release by Candlemass. It contains their historic Live at Fryshuset performance in 1990, as well as a bonus DVD of performances from 1991 to their 2002 reunion.-Track listing:# "The Well of Souls"...

was released as well. The band was working on a new album and recorded some new songs while searching for a record label when differences arose again, resulting in Candlemass disbanding a second time. In the meantime, Leif Edling started a new project, Krux
Krux
Krux is a Swedish doom metal band, created by Leif Edling after Candlemass fell apart for the second time preceding their reunion tour.-Members:* Leif Edling - bass guitar* Mats Levén - vocals* Peter Stjärnvind - drums* Jörgen Sandström - guitars...

, with former Abstrakt Algebra singer Mats Levén
Mats Levén
Mats Levén is a singer. His most notable recent collaborations have been with symphonic metallers Therion and doom metallers Krux.-Biography:...

 and two members of Entombed
Entombed (band)
Entombed is a Swedish death metal band which formed in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. Though Entombed began their career as an early pioneer of Scandinavian death metal which initially differed itself from its American counterpart with its distinct guitar tone, by the early 1990s their sound had...

.

Second reunion (2004–2006)

In November 2004, the band announced that they had re-united for the second time. They had recorded a new album, named simply Candlemass, with the same line-up. It was released in May 2005. They won a Swedish Grammy for it in 2005.

In 2006 the band announced that a new album was in preparation, to be released sometime in 2007. In October 2006, after much uncertainty regarding Messiah Marcolin's participation, it was settled that Messiah was out for good.

Robert Lowe-era and planned third split (2007–present)

Candlemass found a new vocalist, Robert Lowe
Robert Lowe (musician)
Robert Lowe is an American singer. He was brought into the band Solitude Aeturnus by his friend Lyle Steadham in 1988 replacing Kris Gabehardt. For the later albums he is also the main lyricist...

 (Solitude Aeturnus
Solitude Aeturnus
Solitude Aeturnus is an American doom metal band that was started in spring 1987 as Solitude, in Arlington, Texas. Their vocalist, Robert Lowe, is also the current singer for the influential doom metal band Candlemass...

), who recorded with the band's ninth album King of the Grey Islands
King of the Grey Islands
King of the Grey Islands is the ninth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released on June 22, 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...

, which was released on June 22, 2007.
The album is self-produced except for four songs produced by Andy Sneap
Andy Sneap
Andy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...

.

On March 31, 2007, Candlemass celebrated a slightly delayed twentieth anniversary. To commemorate the celebration, original singer Johan Längqvist appeared live with the band for the first time. The event was recorded and later released as a DVD.

Mats "Mappe" Bjorkman was sentenced to serve two years behind bars for grand theft in March 2008. He has been convicted of stealing over 35,000 CDs and DVDs priced at around 3 million Sek (Around $500,000).

Candlemass worked on a tenth studio album in 2008. It was intended to be titled Hammer of Doom, but they renamed it to Death Magic Doom
Death Magic Doom
Death Magic Doom is the 10th studio album by the Swedish epic doom metal band Candlemass.-History:The working title for this album was "Hammer of Doom", which is the name of the album's second track, but the idea was abandoned due to there being a German festival of the same name. The band recorded...

because the name coincided with a German festival. The album was scheduled to be released on March 27, 2009, but it was delayed until April the 3rd 2009.

In 2009, bassist Leif Edling
Leif Edling
Leif Edling is best known as the main songwriter and bass player of the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass.Edling started his musical career in the band Trilogy, then under the name of Toxic, as a singer together with Ian Haugland in 1979. He then played in a band named Witchcraft but left in...

 told Soundshock that work on the next Candlemass album would likely begin before 2011. However, this plan fell through, and Leif has stated that the album's release date will be pushed back to 2012, in order for the band concentrate on the 25th anniversary of their 1986 debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is the debut album of the Swedish Doom metal band Candlemass, released June 10, 1986 on Black Dragon Records. It was re-issued in 2003 with a bonus live CD...

.

On October 14, 2011, it was announced that Candlemass were signed to the Austrian label Napalm Records
Napalm Records
Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock.Originally, Napalm Records focused mainly on black metal acts such as Abigor and Summoning and folk metal bands such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg....

, who will release their new album in the spring of 2012. The band is planning to split up for a third time after this.

Current

  • Robert Lowe
    Robert Lowe (musician)
    Robert Lowe is an American singer. He was brought into the band Solitude Aeturnus by his friend Lyle Steadham in 1988 replacing Kris Gabehardt. For the later albums he is also the main lyricist...

     – lead vocals (2006–present)
  • Lars Johansson – lead guitars (1987–1994, 2002, 2004–present)
  • Mats "Mappe" Björkman – rhythm guitars (1984–1994, 2002, 2004–present)
  • Leif Edling
    Leif Edling
    Leif Edling is best known as the main songwriter and bass player of the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass.Edling started his musical career in the band Trilogy, then under the name of Toxic, as a singer together with Ian Haugland in 1979. He then played in a band named Witchcraft but left in...

     – bass (1984–1994, 1997–2002, 2004–present)
  • Jan Lindh
    Jan Lindh
    Jan Lindh is a Swedish musician, drummer of doom metal band Candlemass. He has left and rejoined Candlemass three times: he joined the band in 1987 and stayed with them until their first breakup in 1994, then briefly rejoined in 2002 and again in 2004....

     – drums, percussion (1987–1994, 2002, 2004–present)

Former

  • Johan Längqvist – lead vocals (1984–1986)
  • Matz Ekström – drums, percussion (1984–1986)
  • Thomas Vikström
    Thomas Vikström
    Thomas Vikström is a Swedish vocalist best known for working with hard rock and heavy metal bands including doom metal legends Candlemass and power metallers Stormwind. He is the son of opera singer Sven-Erik Vikström...

     – lead vocals (1991–1994)
  • Messiah Marcolin
    Messiah Marcolin
    Messiah Marcolin , also known as 'Eddie Marcolin', is a vocalist best known for his work in the doom metal band Candlemass.-1984-1985:...

     – lead vocals (1987–1991, 2002, 2004–2006)
  • Björn Flodkvist – lead vocals (1997–2001)
  • Jejo Perkovic – drums, percussion (1997–2001)
  • Mats Ståhl – rhythm guitars (1999–2001)

Session

  • Klas Bergwall – lead guitars (1986)
  • Mike Wead
    Mike Wead
    Mike Wead is a Swedish guitarist who lives in Stockholm. Wead contributed to heavy metal bands such as Hexenhaus, Memento Mori, Abstrakt Algebra, The Haunted, Edge of Sanity, Witch, Firegod, Candlemass, The Project Hate. Currently Wead is the guitarist of Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, and bibleblack...

     – lead guitars (1987)
  • Ian Haugland
    Ian Haugland
    Håkan Jan "Ian" Haugland is the drummer in the Swedish rock band Europe. When he was eight months old, he and his family moved to the Swedish suburb Märsta. He joined Europe in the summer of 1984, replacing Tony Reno. Previously Haugland had played in a number of bands, including Trilogy, where...

     – drums, percussion (1997)
  • Ulf Edelund – lead guitars (1997)
  • Patrik Instedt – lead guitars (1997)
  • Carl Westholm – keyboards (1997–1998, 1999)
  • Michael Amott
    Michael Amott
    Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...

     – lead guitars (1997–1998)

Studio albums

  • Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
    Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
    Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is the debut album of the Swedish Doom metal band Candlemass, released June 10, 1986 on Black Dragon Records. It was re-issued in 2003 with a bonus live CD...

    (1986)
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall (album)
    Nightfall is the second album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released in 1987. It was the first album to feature Messiah Marcolin on vocals....

    (1987)
  • Ancient Dreams
    Ancient Dreams
    Ancient Dreams is the third album of Swedish doom metal band Candlemass and was released in 1988, and reissued in 2001 by Powerline Records with bonus CD...

    (1988)
  • Tales of Creation
    Tales of Creation
    Tales of Creation is the fourth album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released in 1989 and reissued with bonus CD in 2001.Some of the material from this album were originally recorded in 1985 by one of the earliest incarnations of Candlemass...

    (1989)
  • Chapter VI (1992)
  • Dactylis Glomerata
    Dactylis Glomerata
    Dactylis Glomerata is an album by doom metal band Candlemass, released in 1998. This was the first album they released since their split in 1994 and reunion in 1997. It is the only Candlemass album that features guitarist Michael Amott of Arch Enemy and Carcass notability on lead guitar.In 2006 it...

    (1998)
  • From the 13th Sun
    From the 13th Sun
    From the 13th Sun is an album by Candlemass released in 1999. The CD liner notes say it is "dedicated to the greatest band of all time: Black Sabbath".-Track listing:*All Songs Written By Leif Edling, except where noted...

    (1999)
  • Candlemass
    Candlemass (album)
    Candlemass is the eighth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released in 2005. This was the first album to feature Messiah Marcolin on vocalist since 1989's Tales of Creation....

    (2005)
  • King of the Grey Islands
    King of the Grey Islands
    King of the Grey Islands is the ninth studio album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released on June 22, 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...

    (2007)
  • Death Magic Doom
    Death Magic Doom
    Death Magic Doom is the 10th studio album by the Swedish epic doom metal band Candlemass.-History:The working title for this album was "Hammer of Doom", which is the name of the album's second track, but the idea was abandoned due to there being a German festival of the same name. The band recorded...

    (2009)
  • TBA (2012)

Live albums

  • Live
    Live (Candlemass album)
    Live is the first live album by Swedish doom metal band Candlemass released in 1990.- Track listing :# "The Well of Souls"# "Dark are the Veils of Death"# "Bewitched"# "Solitude"# "Dark Reflections"# "Under the Oak"# "Demons Gate"...

    (1990)
  • Doomed for Live – Reunion 2002 (2002)
  • No Sleep 'til Athens (2010)
  • Ashes to Ashes (2010)

Compilation albums

  • As It Is, As It Was
    As It Is, As It Was
    As It Is, As It Was is a compilation album by Candlemass. It consists of tracks from the first five albums, a live album and a couple of EPs...

    (1994)
  • Black Heart of Candlemass (2002)
  • Diamonds of Doom (2003) (limited vinyl record)
  • Essential Doom (2004)
  • Dactylis Glomerata & Abstrakt Algebra II (previously unreleased album) (2008)

EPs and singles

  • Samarithan (1988)
  • At the Gallows End (1988)
  • Sjunger Sigge Fürst (1993)
  • Nimis (2001)
  • At the Gallows End/Samarithan (2005)
  • Dark Reflections/Into The Unfathomed Tower (2005)
  • Mirror Mirror/The Bells Of Acheron (2005)
  • Solitude/Crystal Ball (2005)
  • Assassin of the Light (2005)
  • Black Dwarf (with Robert Lowe on vocals) (2007)
  • Lucifer Rising (2008)
  • Don't Fear the Reaper (2010)

Demos

  • Witchcraft (1984)
  • Second demo (1984)
  • Tales of Creation (1985)
  • Demo with Marcolin (1987)

DVDs

  • Documents of Doom
    Documents of Doom
    Documents of Doom is a DVD release by Candlemass. It contains their historic Live at Fryshuset performance in 1990, as well as a bonus DVD of performances from 1991 to their 2002 reunion.-Track listing:# "The Well of Souls"...

    (2002)
  • The Curse of Candlemass (2005)
  • Candlemass 20 Year Anniversary (2007)
  • Ashes to Ashes Live (2010)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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