Grammy-nominated doom pioneers CANDLEMASS have unveiled the title track of their upcoming EP, Black Star, out May 9, 2025 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. Place your pre-orders on the new EP now and check out the video below!
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!.”
Swedish godfathers of epic doom CANDLEMASS honor 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.
Title track, “Black Star”, blends haunting melodies with deeply introspective lyrics, brought to life by the dark, romantic voice of vocalist Johan Länquist. Songwriter Leif Edling’s lyrics delve into themes of existential struggle, temptation, and the allure of darkness — creating an intense atmosphere imbued with CANDLEMASS’ signature sound. The second new track, “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 CANDLEMASS’ remarkable contribution to shaping the genre into what it is today.
Black Star track listing:
1. Black Star
2. Corridors Of Chaos
3. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4. Forever My Queen
Source: metaladdicts.com