Candlemass – Sweet Evil Sun Review

Candlemass can rightly be called legends. Their debut was released in 1986 but they had been going in a different guise since 1982. Here they are forty years later...

Doom Metal

Napalm Records

Release Date – November 18th 2022

 

Line Up:

Johan Langquist – Vocals

Lars Johansson – Lead Guitar

Mappe Bjorkman – Rhythm Guitar

Leif Edling – Bass

Jan Lindh – Drums

 

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)

 

Candlemass can rightly be called legends. Their debut was released in 1986 but they had been going in a different guise since 1982. Here they are forty years later with the original line-up back together, throughout the years the one constant has been bass player Leif Edling. 

Photo Credit: LindaAkerberg

Opening with the huge riffage – what else did you expect? – of ‘Wizard Of The Vortex’ the masculine voice of Johan Landquist is above the crushing guitars. towards the end, it comes down to just Landquist crooning and Edling noodling. The title track gets you banging your head on some evil riffage courtesy of Lars Johansson and Mappe Bjorkman before the slower ‘Angel Battle’ which is a slow/quick/slow doom classic with a superb choppy solo from Johansson and the obligatory sound of heavy rain, an ominous tolling bell. ‘Black Butterfly’ is classic doom then ‘When Death Sighs’ sees Jennie-Ann Smith of Avatarium sharing the vocals making it doomy, theatrical, and darkly melodic. ‘Scandinavian Gods’ is simple, effective, lead-heavy, and bound to be a live favorite then ‘Devil Voodoo’ brings out the acoustics for a spooky intro before it goes off again on another mighty riff. ‘Crucified’ starts with a heavy dose of melancholy before the massive chugging machine starts again all driven along by Jan Lindh smashing his snare to pieces and another that will go down well live. ‘Goddess’ is an epic in waiting with a stunning middle section that everyone will look forward to then final outro ‘A Cup Of Coffin’ is 75 seconds of pure doom.

Black Sabbath have not influenced many, many bands have influenced several whole genres of heavy music but very few of those bands have made the sound their own. Nobody sounds like Candlemass and here they have created another classy slab of doom metal – it’s not all slow and soupy – it’s heavy and melodic but, in the way only the Swedes can do. This is right up there with their debut. An excellent release by a band who do what they do best.

 

Score: 8/10

Reviewed by: Smudge

 

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Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun
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Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun
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