Swedish godfathers of epic doom, Candlemass, have updated their 40th Anniversary live itinerary with the addition of new shows in Brazil and Spain. Dates are marked “NEW” below.
Candlemass Live 2025:
May
10 – Caracas, Venezuela – Gillmanfest
June
20 – Daun Rengen, Germany – Der Detze Rockt
25 – Oslo, Norway – Tons of Rock
July
4 – Istanbul, Turkey – Headbangers Weekend
20 – Cremona, Italy – Luppolo In Rock Festival
August
1 – Bergen, Norway – Beyond the Gates Festival
8 – Helsinki, Finland – Helsinki Metal Festival
9 – Kortrijk, Belgium – Alcatraz
17 – Carhaix, France – Motocultor Festival
September
7 – São Paulo, Brazil – Setembro Negro (NEW)
13 – Athens, Greece – Rock Hard Festival (with Messiah Marcolin)
28 – Barcelona, Spain – Okkult Session (NEW)
November
1 – Stockholm, Sweden – Berns
22 – Warszaw, Poland – Progresja Club
December
6 – Wolverhampton, UK – Bloodstock Winter Gathering
Candlemass recently unveiled the title track of their upcoming EP, Black Star, out May 9 via Napalm Records. The EP impressively marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary band.
“Black Star” seamlessly merges haunting melodies with deeply introspective lyrics, brought to life by the inimitable voice of Johan Längqvist. Written by genre-defying mastermind Leif Edling, it delves into themes of existential struggle, temptation, and the allure of darkness – an intense atmosphere imbued with Candlemass’ signature sound. The single arrives with a dark, atmospheric music video.
Candlemass comments: “‘Black Star‘ is the big heavy track. Contains a bit of everything, melodic verse, monolithic riff, up-tempo Sabbathy mid part, grand ending a ‘la Rainbow!.”
Watch the “Black Star” video below:
Candlemass honour their 40th anniversary of pioneering the genre with a four-track EP, Black Star. Packed with canyon-deep riffs, the genre-defying band unveils two brand-new songs alongside two cover versions of timeless classics.
Following the title track, the second original song, “Corridors Of Chaos”, marks a true old school instrumental containing both classic metal riffing and stunning guitar playing by Lars Johansson, showcasing the band’s mastery of dynamics. Adding to this tribute, Candlemass delivers a cover of Black Sabbath’s iconic “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, taking listeners back to 1973. This is followed by their rendition of Pentagram’s classic “Forever My Queen”, further cementing Candlemss’ remarkable contribution to shaping the genre into what it is today.
Black Star will be available in the following formats:
– 1LP Gatefold Black Orange Splatter (incl. vinyl booklet (12pp), A3 poster, tote bag) – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive, strictly limited to 400 copies
– 1LP Gatefold Black
– 1CD Digisleeve
– Digital Album
Pre-order here.
Black Star tracklisting:
“Black Star”
“Corridors Of Chaos”
“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
“Forever My Queen”
Candlemass are:
Johan Länquist – Vocals
Lars Johansson – Lead Guitar
Mappe Björkman – Rhythm Guitar
Leif Edling – Bass
Janne Lind – Drums
(Photo – Linda Åkerberg)
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