Review: Candlemass – Black Star
Candlemass! The Swedish titans of epic doom are back! Well, kinda—2 years since their most recent LP. As a means to celebrate their 40th anniversary the band have decided to release a commemorative EP with 2 new songs and 2 covers. So for this review I’ll go over the songs as pairs, mainly because I tend to be wary of covers, but that’s neither here nor there.
This EP opens with the title track, and despite going on for 4 decades, Candlemass still knows how to make pummeling and grandiose doom metal with beefy riffs, epic solos and headbang-inducing drumming. Frontman Johan Länquist, despite sounding weathered with age, is still a powerful vocalist, switching from attitude-filled growls to soaring high yells. On the instrumental side, the band is also completely honed in; despite their various lineup changes and 2 separate breakups, their chemistry and mastery of pace is unparalleled, especially on track 2, “Corridors of Chaos,” a menacing instrumental dirge where Leif Edling, Mappe Björkman, Lars Johansson and Jan Lindh really get to flex their muscles.
Side B or the second half of the EP are 2 covers, “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” by the granddaddies of heavy metal, doom and everything in-between, Black Sabbath. Now, while the band do a good job at covering this song with equal parts reverence and injecting their own style, a doom metal band covering Black Sabbath is such a cliche that it has its own dedicated Wikipedia page. I’ll give the band the benefit of the doubt since they’re celebrating their anniversary, and again, they do a good job at it, but beyond that, the world doesn’t need yet another cover of “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” by a doom band.
The band’s cover of Pentagram’s “Forever My Queen” on the other hand is a highlight; they just slightly up the tempo and obviously keep their doomy, downtuned riffs and tones and the end result with Johan’s gruff vocals makes it a perfect closing track.
All in all, the band sounds both lively and gritty, and while this EP might not appeal to many people that aren’t already massive Candlemass turbonerds, or hardcore doom enthusiasts, it’s still a good time. If you want to headbang or have some nice background music to play DnD to, Candlemass continues to be a reliable source of classic epic doom.
3/5 Flaming Toilets ov Hell
Black Star releases May 9 through Napalm Records.
