Candlemass' 'Sweet Evil Sun' - Album Review

Doom is a genre that until recently I really was not all that familiar with. I am not sure why I avoided it for so long, but I think part of the reason why was likely the fact that I do not tend to like listening to albums that focus on slow rhythms throughout - and I am also not generally a fan of the fuzzy, stoner-type sounds that permeate certain subgenres within doom. What I have learnt recently, though, is that doom is a broad church. This is often the case with most subgenres of metal, but there might be more variety within doom than there is in any other type of metal - ranging from some of the slowest, heaviest, and most oppressive music ever made to a relatively upbeat sound that channels the classic acts of the 1970s and the 1980s to create something melodic and epic-sounding. Considering that I have been a Paradise Lost fan for a number of years, it turns out that I had actually been listening to at least a type of doom without truly appreciating it - but it was the Finnish gloom-mongers Swallow the Sun that made me take a deeper dive into the genre. I came across the band in 2019, but it was last year's excellent Moonflowers (which I reviewed here) that convinced me that doom was something that I needed to explore further. Naturally in doing so I started to check out many of the genre's landmark acts that I had previously overlooked - and finally started listening to the legendary Swedish band Candlemass. If doom has a posterchild, then Candlemass is probably it - but in truth they are much closer in sound to many 1970s and 1980s hard rock and heavy metal bands than many of the other bands that they share a genre tag with. Black Sabbath is easily the band's biggest influence, and they pull elements from all eras of the genre-defining British band to form an epic-sounding brand of traditional metal that is just doomy enough to create something of an oppressive atmosphere whilst still containing plenty of soaring melodies - from both the vocals and the guitars. Prior to last month, though, the only Candlemass albums that I had heard were their first two: 1986's Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and 1987's Nightfall. Both albums are genuine classics in the doom genre, but there is still so much for me to explore. I often find that the release of a new album can really help me to gel with a band that I am largely unfamiliar with, so it is perhaps fortuitous that last month Candlemass released their thirteenth studio album Sweet Evil Sun - their first in three years. Sweet Evil Sun is the band's second album with the current line-up, although everyone involved in the album has long been associated with Candlemass. The core foursome of guitarists Lars Johansson and Mats Björkman, bassist and principal songwriter Leif Edling, and drummer Jan Lindh have been the engine room on the majority of the band's albums; and they are joined again by vocalist Johan Längqvist, who has been the band's official singer since 2018 - although he also sang on Epicus Doomicus Metallicus on a session basis. It could be argued, then, that the current Candlemass line-up is the definitive representation of the band - and Sweet Evil Sun seems very much in-keeping with their long-established sound.

I am certainly no Candlemass expert, but Sweet Evil Sun is exactly what I expected from the Swedish band. There is a slowness and a heaviness to the material here, but there are plenty of melodies, too - as well as lots of great, old-school heavy metal tropes. Wizard of the Vortex opens things up with some spooky sounds, but the first of the album's many big riffs soon crashes in - with Johansson and Björkman teaming up nicely with the muscular mid-paced pattern whilst Lindh lays down a punchy drum groove. Considering that Längqvist spent many years away from the metal scene following his performance on Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, his voice is still in fine shape. He reintroduced himself to the fans on 2019's The Door to Doom, and here he delivers a suitably gritty performance - full of gravitas and fire. He particularly shines here during the slower-paced choruses, which rumble thanks to Edling's bass and a booming double bass drum pattern - before the pace speeds up again and Johansson lays down a classy guitar solo. Much of the rest of the album follows the pattern that Wizard of the Vortex establishes, which helps to give Sweet Evil Sun a consistency - although the song's short, atmospheric outro provides a brief change of pace. The album's title track follows, and following some screaming feedback another big riff kicks in - which is full of Tony Iommi-esque energy. If the album's opening cut channelled early Black Sabbath, then for me its title track borrows quite a bit from the Tony Martin era of the band. There are some prominent keyboards throughout, courtesy of former band member and regular collaborator Carl Westholm, with Hammond organ rumbling throughout the choruses - which are very catchy and bring the epic, 1980s vibes of that era of Black Sabbath to mind. Despite his gruffer voice, Längqvist can still belt out a hook when he needs to and the chorus here is probably the album's first true ear worm. There is another great Johansson guitar solo included, too, which adds some speed and energy into the mid-paced, epic doom metal track. Those wanting the band to really slow down and embrace true doom sounds will certainly find a lot to love in Angel Battle. The song opens with one of the album's slowest, nastiest riffs - which dominates for the first minute or so, with Längqvist singing over the top of it in a very Ozzy Osbourne-esque manner. Whilst the song does speed up following the intro section, this heaviness is returned to throughout - with the verses generally being sluggish and crawling, whilst the pre-chorus and chorus see the pace raised and a more epic approach taken. The chorus here is another memorable one, with faster double bass drums and a strong vocal hook, whilst there are a handful of shredded guitar solos throughout for added excitement. The song then comes to an end with some narration courtesy of American experimental filmmaker Kenneth Anger - which adds a haunting vibe to its closing moments.

Black Butterfly then returns to the epic nature of the album's title track. A sluggish mid-paced riff dominates throughout, whilst rumbling Hammond organ adds a melodic halo to the track during the chorus - in a similar manner to how the instrument was used previously. In many ways, the structures of the two songs are similar - with Headless Cross-era Black Sabbath certainly being channelled here, particularly when the pace is somewhat picked up and Johansson lays down some blistering leads. As good as Längqvist's performances are throughout the album, I think the section that shines brightest throughout Black Butterfly for me is the instrumental mid-section, which is a cluster of great interlocking riffs - as well as some strange sound effects. It is a great example of what doom can do with some relatively simple ingredients, although the chorus is still great thanks to the organic organ stabs and the vocal hooks of Längqvist. When Death Sighs opens with another slow-paced, heavy riff, similar to the opening of Angel Battle, but the song then takes a more atmospheric approach at times. There is still plenty of heaviness here, but this is a song that revels more in atmosphere and melody. After the first big riff the opening verse is quite low key, with gentle guitar chugs and an exposed Längqvist vocal, whilst the chorus makes use of subtle synths and some harmony vocals courtesy of Jennie-Ann Smith (Avatarium). Her voice mixes well with that of Längqvist here to create some haunting sounds, and when the big opening riff kicks in again it feels all the heavier thanks to the fact that the song is not as heavy throughout as many of the others here. This dynamic arrangement works wonders, and the song is one of the most interesting pieces here from a compositional perspective in my opinion. It helps that the chorus is a real ear worm, too, and the inclusion of another excellent Johansson guitar solo which opens with lots of effects-heavy bends and noises before morphing into another melodic feast. Lead single Scandinavian Gods very much returns to the album's core sound. It is perhaps less interesting than the more dynamic piece that preceded it, but as a pure slab of old-school doom it works well - with a very hypnotic Lindh drum groove running throughout, which acts as a great bed for the big guitar chords that float atop it. The verses here generally not as riff-based, with chords ringing out and the drums doing most of the work - whilst the chorus is heavier, with more Iommi-like playing and the addition of a precise double bass drum pattern to inject some additional energy. The chorus here also has some strange backing vocals, which I did not notice at first - but on repeated listens the unhinged vocals, which are mixed into the background, add a lot to the overall vibe of the piece. They are much higher-pitched than Längqvist's general approach, which makes them stand out, and they add to the chorus' overall urgency - which is enhanced by the aforementioned double bass drum pattern.

Devil Voodoo opens slowly, with some acoustic guitar chords and Längqvist's mournful vocals - but this vibe does not last for too long as soon another big riff kicks in and the pace is upped quite significantly. Not much on this album can really be called fast, but Devil Voodoo is probably the album's fastest and most urgent piece. There is little of the creeping atmosphere that generally runs throughout the album, apart from during the acoustic-based intro, with the track instead being an energetic, 1980s-inspired rocker with subtle keyboards throughout and plenty of hooky riffs. The guitar playing throughout the song is a bit more melodic than usual, too, with even the riffs being pretty hooky - and the use of a soaring guitar lead throughout parts of the track which Längqvist sings alongside of is particularly effective. There are brief returns to the album's core heaviness, though, such as when the song slows down for its guitar solo. This section has a big keyboard backing, too, which allows Johansson's howling solo to really stand out, but the pace soon picks up again for another reprise of the lead-filled chorus before a drawn out double bass filled closing section reinjects some atmosphere as the song comes to an end. Crucified also opens fairly slowly, with some acoustic guitars and slow-burning vocals - and in fact the overall arrangement of the song is quite similar to that of Devil Voodoo, although it is not quite as fast and there is a stronger emphasis on heaviness rather than hooky melodies. The guitar riffing here is much chuggier, which allows the song to feel much heavier, whilst the guitar leads are much bluesier and effects-drenched to allow for an old-school 1970s sound to be established. The song is still memorable, though, and the simple chorus is one of the moments that stood out to me from the off when I first heard the album a month or so ago. There are more inventive moments here, but it sticks in the brain thanks to its simplicity - and the later guitar solo is another memorable moment thanks to Johansson's tortured choice of leads. The final proper song here is Goddess, which slows the pace down again following the two somewhat faster tracks and returns to the album's core sound. Lumbering riffs are back in a big way here, and the pace never really picks up - with an epic, slow-burning approach taken throughout. Keyboards once again embellish the chorus, whilst the the rest of the track revels in the power of its riffs - with Längqvist again delivering a great, gritty vocal performance. The pace does pick up again towards the end somewhat, for a final verse and shredded solo, but this energy is short-lived as the status quo is soon returned to for a final chorus and a slow-burning guitar solo to see the song to a heavy close. The short instrumental piece A Cup of Coffin then closes the album proper, opening with a sluggish bassline - which then morphs into a sultry twin guitar riff which lasts for around a minute before the album fades to a close. It is a fitting way to end things given the plethora of excellent riffs throughout the album, and the songs here shine due to them and the excellent vocals of Längqvist. Whilst this album is likely more of the same from the Swedish band, it is clear that Candlemass still have a lot to offer the metal world and I will certainly be going back and completing my collection of their albums in due course having enjoyed this one quite a lot over the past month or so.

The album was released on 18th November 2022 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Scandinavian Gods.