After releasing five full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Candlemass disbanded in 1994, but reunited three years later. After breaking up again in 2002, Candlemass reformed in 2004 and have continued to record and perform since then.
Formation and early career (1984–1990)
After the breakup of his first band Nemesis, bassist Leif Edling started his own band under the name Candlemass with (session) vocalist Johan Längqvist, drummer Matz Ekström, guitarist Mats "Mappe" Bjorkman and Klas Bergwall. Their first release, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986), immediately secured their standing, positioning the band within metal circles, setting a milestone in the doom metal scene. Following the band's debut album Längqvist was replaced by Messiah Marcolin. By the time the band entered the studio to record their second effort, Nightfall, in 1987, Bergwall and Ekström had left the band. Jan Lindh joined the band on drums, and Lars Johansson joined the band on guitars following the completion of the album.
Candlemass's next two albums were Ancient Dreams (1988) and Tales of Creation (1989). In 1990, the band released a live album Live. Shortly afterward, a dispute between the band members resulted in Messiah Marcolin's departure in 1991.
New singer-era, hiatus and first reunion (1991–2003)
After Marcolin left, Candlemass recruited vocalist Thomas 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. With Abstrakt Algebra not doing well, Leif suddenly recruited a new line-up under the name of Candlemass and recorded the album Dactylis Glomerata, 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 was released. Both albums featured singer Bjorn Flodqvist.
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 remastered versions of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, Nightfall, Ancient Dreams, and Tales of Creation. A DVD called Documents of Doom 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, with former Abstrakt Algebra singer Mats Levén and two members of Entombed.
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 (2007–2012)
Candlemass found a new vocalist, Robert Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus), who recorded with the band's ninth album King of the Grey Islands, which was released on 22 June 2007. The album is self-produced except for four songs produced by Andy Sneap. On 31 March 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" Björkman 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 because the name coincided with a German festival. The album was scheduled to be released on 27 March 2009, but it was delayed until 3 April 2009.
In 2009, bassist Leif Edling told Soundshock that work on the next Candlemass album would likely begin before 2011. However, this plan fell through, and Leif had stated that the album's release date was pushed back to 2012, in order for the band to concentrate on the 25th anniversary of their 1986 debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.
On 14 October 2011, it was announced that Candlemass were signed to the Austrian label Napalm Records, who released their eleventh studio album Psalms for the Dead in June 2012. Despite this, bassist Leif Edling stated that the band would not split up, but wanted to stop before they "get too old and start putting out half-lame albums."
Mats Levén as new singer (2012–2018)
On 2 June 2012, Candlemass announced via their website that Robert Lowe had left the band as vocalist, mainly due to the quality of the live performances and explained to be "a very difficult decision for the band", and was replaced for the band's upcoming shows by longtime friend and collaborator of Candlemass, Mats Levén (of Yngwie Malmsteen, Therion, Treat, and At Vance fame, among others). Levén had earlier worked with Leif Edling in Abstrakt Algebra and Krux and sang on demos from the Candlemass and King of the Grey Islands sessions, found on the box set Doomology. In addition, keyboardist Per Wiberg (ex-Opeth, Spiritual Beggars) also joined the band on stage for these live shows.
In January 2013, Candlemass was voted the greatest Swedish hard rock/metal band of all time by the writers of Sweden Rock Magazine, Scandinavia's biggest hard rock magazine as well as Sweden's biggest music magazine by circulation. They were featured in a list of the 100 greatest Swedish hard rock/metal bands of all time in a special jubilee edition, to celebrate the magazine's 100th issue. In connection with this, it was also revealed that Candlemass, along with death metal band Entombed (No. 2 on the list), were to perform jointly at a special jubilee concert in Stockholm arranged by the magazine. In July 2014, Candlemass headlined the Väsby Rock Festival in their hometown Upplands Väsby.
Despite earlier claims that Psalms for the Dead would be their final album, bassist Leif Edling had stated that he was open to recording new music with Candlemass again. To coincide with the 30th anniversary of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, Candlemass released the EP Death Thy Lover on 3 June 2016. Additionally, on 29 April 2016, the band released a career-spanning coffee-table book. The book also featured two CDs containing the top picks by Leif Edling and Messiah Marcolin respectively, a CD with rare tracks from their early career (including the Witchcraft demo), and two DVDs with three live performances.
Return of Johan Langquist (2018–present)
On 3 September 2018, Candlemass announced the return of Johan Langquist to the band after a 32-year hiatus. The band stated, "We wanted to find our way back to the roots of Candlemass, back to the soul and essence of the band. Johan Langquist is back and we hope this will give us some new energy and kickstart the heart of doom again. We don't know if it will last 10 more years or even 5, but if it will give us just another year of having fun and playing the music that we love so much, it will be a blast! The circle is closed, Johan is back!" The band also announced that they were recording a new album for a 2019 release, making it not only the first Candlemass studio album since 2012's Psalms for the Dead, but their first with Langquist since 1986's Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.
On 6 December 2018, Candlemass announced that their twelfth album was titled The Door to Doom and would be released on 22 February 2019. It was also revealed that the album would include a guest appearance by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, who contributes to a guitar solo to one of the album's tracks "Astorolus - The Great Octopus". The band released an EP The Pendulum on 27 March 2020. According to bassist Leif Edling, Candlemass will likely not release their new studio album until 2022 or 2023.
On 18 August 2022, the band announced their thirteenth studio album, Sweet Evil Sun, would be released on 18 November.
Influences
Candlemass' musical style is markedly influenced by early Black Sabbath. Edling, the band's main songwriter and sole constant member, has been influenced by Black Sabbath, as well as bands like Blue Öyster Cult, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Rush, Nazareth, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Judas Priest, Motörhead and Venom.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlemass_(band)
Studio albums
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)
Nightfall (1987)
Ancient Dreams (1988)
Tales of Creation (1989)
Chapter VI (1992)
Dactylis Glomerata (1998)
From the 13th Sun (1999)
Candlemass (2005)
King of the Grey Islands (2007)
Death Magic Doom (2009)
Psalms for the Dead (2012)
The Door to Doom (2019)
Sweet Evil Sun (2022)
A Sorcerer's Pledge
Candlemass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only the castle itself can tell what it keeps
Dark are the secrets between these walls
Hidden in shadows of death, while the sorcerer sleeps
Where is the morning
Where is the sun
Thousand years of midnight
An old man marked by a life so long
Is sleeping so sweet while his magic is growing so strong
Waiting still for new times to come
A thousands years to see if he has won
Where is the morning
Where is the sun
A thousand years of midnight
The sunrise is gone
What has he done ?
Why is he sleeping so long ?
He wants to live for evermore
Soon is he young
And will he open his eyes ?
When he is strong enough to rule
Back in our time goes the legend
Of a sorcerer so old
He drank the blood of the virgin to be reborn
Soon a tyrant will conquer
So spoke the wise
Of the day when the sorcerer will rise
Blood is his wine
The sorcerer is cheating on time
And he'll be stronger than before
Cursed be the sun
The women will weep for his fun
In the name of his magic so strong
A thousand years have gone
Armageddon hasn't come
Only the cry of a child echoes in the dark
Wards goes time
As the stars are passing by
And nothing remains of this foolish man except his fate
The lyrics of Candlemass's song "A Sorcerer's Pledge" describe an old sorcerer who has been alive for centuries, seeking eternal life through dark magic. The song paints a bleak picture of the sorcerer's castle, a place where time stands still and secrets are hidden in the shadows. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, suggesting a place of mystery and foreboding.
The sorcerer himself is described as an old man, marked by a life so long that he sleeps peacefully while his magic grows stronger. His pursuit of immortality seems to have blinded him to the beauty of the world around him, as evidenced by the repeated question, "Where is the morning? Where is the sun?"
As the song progresses, we learn that the sorcerer has cheated death by drinking the blood of a virgin, and that he plans to conquer the world once he is strong enough. The lyrics suggest that this pursuit of power has come at a great cost, as the women will weep for his fun and the sun is cursed. In the end, the sorcerer's fate is sealed, with "nothing remains of this foolish man except his fate."
Overall, "A Sorcerer's Pledge" is a powerful and haunting song that explores themes of mortality, power, and the darkness that can consume those who seek eternal life through forbidden means.
Line by Line Meaning
Time stands still in these ancient halls
These old halls exist in a state of timelessness, unchanging throughout the years.
Only the castle itself can tell what it keeps
The castle holds secrets that only it itself is privy to, remaining a mystery to outsiders.
Dark are the secrets between these walls
The secrets within the castle are sinister and ominous in nature, shrouded in darkness.
Hidden in shadows of death, while the sorcerer sleeps
The secrets remain concealed in deathly shadows, untouched and undiscovered while the sorcerer slumbers.
Where is the morning
The light of day is absent and missed, leaving only darkness in its wake.
Where is the sun
The sun has not risen, leaving the world in perpetual darkness.
Thousand years of midnight
The world has been plunged into night for a millennium, with no end in sight.
An old man marked by a life so long
The sorcerer is ancient, bearing the physical and mental burdens of an impossibly long life.
Is sleeping so sweet while his magic is growing so strong
The sorcerer sleeps soundly while his magic grows ever stronger, undisturbed and uninterrupted.
Waiting still for new times to come
The sorcerer is biding his time for when it is opportune to act upon his plans.
A thousands years to see if he has won
The sorcerer must wait another thousand years to witness the outcome of his efforts.
What has he done ?
What actions has the sorcerer taken to reach this point?
Why is he sleeping so long ?
Why does the sorcerer remain asleep for such a prolonged period?
He wants to live for evermore
The sorcerer seeks to live indefinitely, extending his life beyond its natural limits.
Soon is he young
The sorcerer will soon be rejuvenated, feeling youthful and vigorous once again.
And will he open his eyes ?
Will the sorcerer awaken from his slumber and set his plans into motion?
When he is strong enough to rule
The sorcerer requires a certain level of power to enact his ambitions, waiting until he is strong enough to do so.
Back in our time goes the legend
The tale of the sorcerer is recounted through the ages, becoming a distant legend over time.
Of a sorcerer so old
The sorcerer is an incredibly old and formidable figure, revered and feared in equal measure.
He drank the blood of the virgin to be reborn
The sorcerer resorted to dark, sacrificial means to extend his lifespan and gain new power.
Soon a tyrant will conquer
A tyrant will soon rise to power, possibly the sorcerer himself.
So spoke the wise
The words of the wise carry significant weight and should be heeded.
Of the day when the sorcerer will rise
The day is coming when the sorcerer will rise to power and execute his plans.
Blood is his wine
The sorcerer is sustained by the power he gains from dark, sacrificial rituals involving blood.
The sorcerer is cheating on time
The sorcerer seeks to extend his life beyond its natural limits, refusing to accept the inevitability of death.
And he'll be stronger than before
Through his dark rituals, the sorcerer will gain new strength and power beyond his previous limits.
Cursed be the sun
The sun is cursed for denying the sorcerer eternal life and perpetuating his suffering in a world where he does not belong.
The women will weep for his fun
The sorcerer's actions will result in the pain and suffering of innocent women, who will mourn their fates.
In the name of his magic so strong
The sorcerer's dark magic is the source of his power and of much strife and destruction.
Armageddon hasn't come
Despite the potential calamity brewing, the end of the world has not yet arrived.
Only the cry of a child echoes in the dark
Amidst the darkness and chaos, the sound of a child's cry is the only prevalent noise that can be heard.
Wards goes time
Time moves forward and progresses despite the sorcerer's desires to the contrary.
As the stars are passing by
The passage of time can be measured by the movement of the stars.
And nothing remains of this foolish man except his fate
In the end, the sorcerer's fate will be sealed, and nothing lasting will remain of him but his story.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEIF EDLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind