Candlemass (band)

Candlemass
Candlemass live at Wacken Open Air 2010
Background information
Origin	, Sweden
Genres	Doom metal
Years active	1984–1994 1997–2002 2004–present
Labels	Capitol Metal Blade Restless Nuclear Blast Napalm Records
Associated acts	Solitude Aeturnus Krux Abstrakt Algebra Therion Memento Mori
Website	Candlemass.se
Members	Leif Edling Mats Björkman Jan Lindh Lars Johansson Mats Levén
Past members	Klas Bergwall Mats Ekström Johan Längqvist Messiah Marcolin Thomas Vikström Bjorn Flödkvist Jejo Perkovic Michael Amott Carl Westholm Mats Ståhl Robert Lowe

Candlemass is an influential Swedish doom metal band established in 1984 by bassist, songwriter and bandleader Leif Edling and drummer Matz Ekström. 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. Candlemass is also the seventh best selling artist coming out from Sweden selling as of 2010 more than 15 million albums worldwide.

After the breakup of his first band Nemesis, bassist Leif Edling started his own band under the name Candlemass with 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.

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.