CANDLEMASS
INTERVIEW
A CURA DI R&MIMB
30/03/2016
Here we are with a new interview! This time, Rock & Metal In My Blood has had the pleasure to chat with two of the members of Candlemass, Lars Johansson and Mats Bjorkman. C-mass are recognized as one of the most influential bands of Doom Metal since 1986. Various internal problems, which have led to instability in the formation, jeopardised the Swedish band several times. We had left them in 2012 with their last album but now they return more excited than ever with a new frontman and some good news for fans.. Come with us in order to discover what they are preparing for you!
R&MIMB: What inspired Candlemass' dark, heavy, doomy sound?
CANDLEMASS : At the time when there was almost only wimpy metal or thrash metal, we felt that true slow and heavy is the only right thing!
R&MIMB: Let's talk about themes in Candlemass. These are very different. Why can we find epic themes of dark fantasy, good and evil, as opposed to politics, love, romance and war stuff?
CANDLEMASS : Leif is writing all the music and lyrics, and we have all our faith in what he comes up with.. And many times his lyrics have other meanings than what´s obvious, it works with the music perfectly..
R&MIMB: What's the thing that's kept bringing you back together again after three disbandments? All the current members have been a part of Candlemass basically since it started except Mats Levén, who just joined up as the new vocalist. Mats however has sung on two of Leif's other projects, "Abstrakt Algebra" and "Krux", plus was singing for you guys in 2012. Lars, Mats Bjorkman, and Jan have been there throughout basically the whole history of Candlemass but there is a five year period that Leif was the only one out of the current members who was Candlemass. Why the five year absence on the others part?
CANDLEMASS : If we begin with the fact that the guitars, the drums and the bass together makes the sound that will change if someone is replaced then add the fact that we´re good friends then you´ll know what kept bringing us together after different mishaps with vocalists.. The 5 years of absence might have been in a period of life when people had other things to do such as beeing with our families, Having time for solo projects and so on. Mats Levén also sings in "FAT.MO.MAC" (a blues project from Lars).
R&MIMB: Why do you think Candlemass has remained "underground" even though you were signed onto labels like Nuclear Blast, and have played with many well-known bands?
CANDLEMASS : Maybe because we didn´t tour ourselves to death, and we never actually have done any "radio-hits".
R&MIMB: In the beginning Candlemass was a heavy, faster band, inspired by Anvil, Accept, and Venom. You wanted to be even heavier so you took out the faster stuff in "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus"(1986), the first Candlemass studio album. What made you think to yourselves "Hey, we want to make our music heavier!". What inspired the change in the sound of your music to what it is now?
CANDLEMASS : Candlemass has never change the sound except in the production and mix. It has always been a walk between heavy, slow and shifty riffs..
R&MIMB: "Psalms for the Dead" (2012) was supposed to be the last studio album for Candlemass. We quote Leif in a 2012 statement to Terrorizer magazine "We want to stop before we get too old and start putting out half-lame albums" Now you guys are putting out an anniversary EP with four new songs that are reportedly "very heavy and very metal" (this is coming from your own website.) Doesn't sound lame to me. Why did you decide to put out this new EP?
CANDLEMASS : We have our 30 years anniversary.. And we wanted to make our fans happy.
Also since Mats came along and our live gigs became better we wanted his voice "on print".
R&MIMB: You go back a long way having played on a five week tour in the United States with Venom, Trouble, Liege Lord, and Stone back in 1989. Besides that tour, have you played any more in the States since then? How has your experience been playing in the States?
CANDLEMASS : We did a 6 weeks tour in 2007, and in August we will do a festival in Las Vegas. We also did the Maryland Death Festival a year ago. I think that one showed that C-mass have a great fanbase in the States. The tour 2007 wasn't good, but the Maryland festival was a blast.
R&MIMB: What has been the most memorable tour/show/festival for Candlemass?
CANDLEMASS : Dynamo Festival '88 was the most memorable and important gig for the C-mass career.
R&MIMB: Do you think you do better live or in the studio?
CANDLEMASS : We were a much better band in the studio when Robert was in the band. Right now when Mats is in the band, we are a better live band than ever.
R&MIMB: You've supported a lot of bands. What are some bands that have supported Candlemass?
CANDLEMASS : Not easy to remember, because there use to be local bands.
R&MIMB: Who comes up with the album artwork?
CANDLEMASS : Leif use to come up with the ideas, then we work it out together.with some good graphic designer.
R&MIMB: Let's talk about Candlemass 2016 and beyond.. What will you be doing this year? Mats Levén just joined up as the new, permanent vocalist.. Also you are working on a four song EP slated for a 2016 release which fans are very eagerly waiting for Mats' new position as vocalist and the EP. Any new tours or festivals lined up?
CANDLEMASS : The EP will be released in July and we will do some festivals. South America in April, and we will have some more 30 year anniversary gigs in 2016.
R&MIMB: Candlemass trivia time! We need to hear some other things about you besides the fact you play awesome music. Can we get some interesting facts about the others that we are sure fans would find interesting? Any hobbies? Other interests such as sports or books?
CANDLEMASS : Leif is actually a very good football player and I (Mappe) am a totally diehard fan of "Laurel and Hardy"!!
R&MIMB: Fans can find you on candlemass.se. There is lots of interesting stuff on the site about past albums, classic old photos from the very beginnings of the band as well as current ones, and cool stuff from Candlemass past and present. Do you guys have any other places the fans can go to check you guys out?
CANDLEMASS : Only Facebook, but the homepage have more old stuff. Facebook is more of what's gonna happen.
Rock & Metal In My Blood thanks Candlemass for the interview. We wish you all the best in your career! See you soon guys!
Interview realised by Heather Williams, edited by Zuleika Cirio
R&MIMB: What inspired Candlemass' dark, heavy, doomy sound?
CANDLEMASS : At the time when there was almost only wimpy metal or thrash metal, we felt that true slow and heavy is the only right thing!
R&MIMB: Let's talk about themes in Candlemass. These are very different. Why can we find epic themes of dark fantasy, good and evil, as opposed to politics, love, romance and war stuff?
CANDLEMASS : Leif is writing all the music and lyrics, and we have all our faith in what he comes up with.. And many times his lyrics have other meanings than what´s obvious, it works with the music perfectly..
R&MIMB: What's the thing that's kept bringing you back together again after three disbandments? All the current members have been a part of Candlemass basically since it started except Mats Levén, who just joined up as the new vocalist. Mats however has sung on two of Leif's other projects, "Abstrakt Algebra" and "Krux", plus was singing for you guys in 2012. Lars, Mats Bjorkman, and Jan have been there throughout basically the whole history of Candlemass but there is a five year period that Leif was the only one out of the current members who was Candlemass. Why the five year absence on the others part?
CANDLEMASS : If we begin with the fact that the guitars, the drums and the bass together makes the sound that will change if someone is replaced then add the fact that we´re good friends then you´ll know what kept bringing us together after different mishaps with vocalists.. The 5 years of absence might have been in a period of life when people had other things to do such as beeing with our families, Having time for solo projects and so on. Mats Levén also sings in "FAT.MO.MAC" (a blues project from Lars).
R&MIMB: Why do you think Candlemass has remained "underground" even though you were signed onto labels like Nuclear Blast, and have played with many well-known bands?
CANDLEMASS : Maybe because we didn´t tour ourselves to death, and we never actually have done any "radio-hits".
R&MIMB: In the beginning Candlemass was a heavy, faster band, inspired by Anvil, Accept, and Venom. You wanted to be even heavier so you took out the faster stuff in "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus"(1986), the first Candlemass studio album. What made you think to yourselves "Hey, we want to make our music heavier!". What inspired the change in the sound of your music to what it is now?
CANDLEMASS : Candlemass has never change the sound except in the production and mix. It has always been a walk between heavy, slow and shifty riffs..
R&MIMB: "Psalms for the Dead" (2012) was supposed to be the last studio album for Candlemass. We quote Leif in a 2012 statement to Terrorizer magazine "We want to stop before we get too old and start putting out half-lame albums" Now you guys are putting out an anniversary EP with four new songs that are reportedly "very heavy and very metal" (this is coming from your own website.) Doesn't sound lame to me. Why did you decide to put out this new EP?
CANDLEMASS : We have our 30 years anniversary.. And we wanted to make our fans happy.
Also since Mats came along and our live gigs became better we wanted his voice "on print".
R&MIMB: You go back a long way having played on a five week tour in the United States with Venom, Trouble, Liege Lord, and Stone back in 1989. Besides that tour, have you played any more in the States since then? How has your experience been playing in the States?
CANDLEMASS : We did a 6 weeks tour in 2007, and in August we will do a festival in Las Vegas. We also did the Maryland Death Festival a year ago. I think that one showed that C-mass have a great fanbase in the States. The tour 2007 wasn't good, but the Maryland festival was a blast.
R&MIMB: What has been the most memorable tour/show/festival for Candlemass?
CANDLEMASS : Dynamo Festival '88 was the most memorable and important gig for the C-mass career.
R&MIMB: Do you think you do better live or in the studio?
CANDLEMASS : We were a much better band in the studio when Robert was in the band. Right now when Mats is in the band, we are a better live band than ever.
R&MIMB: You've supported a lot of bands. What are some bands that have supported Candlemass?
CANDLEMASS : Not easy to remember, because there use to be local bands.
R&MIMB: Who comes up with the album artwork?
CANDLEMASS : Leif use to come up with the ideas, then we work it out together.with some good graphic designer.
R&MIMB: Let's talk about Candlemass 2016 and beyond.. What will you be doing this year? Mats Levén just joined up as the new, permanent vocalist.. Also you are working on a four song EP slated for a 2016 release which fans are very eagerly waiting for Mats' new position as vocalist and the EP. Any new tours or festivals lined up?
CANDLEMASS : The EP will be released in July and we will do some festivals. South America in April, and we will have some more 30 year anniversary gigs in 2016.
R&MIMB: Candlemass trivia time! We need to hear some other things about you besides the fact you play awesome music. Can we get some interesting facts about the others that we are sure fans would find interesting? Any hobbies? Other interests such as sports or books?
CANDLEMASS : Leif is actually a very good football player and I (Mappe) am a totally diehard fan of "Laurel and Hardy"!!
R&MIMB: Fans can find you on candlemass.se. There is lots of interesting stuff on the site about past albums, classic old photos from the very beginnings of the band as well as current ones, and cool stuff from Candlemass past and present. Do you guys have any other places the fans can go to check you guys out?
CANDLEMASS : Only Facebook, but the homepage have more old stuff. Facebook is more of what's gonna happen.
Rock & Metal In My Blood thanks Candlemass for the interview. We wish you all the best in your career! See you soon guys!
Interview realised by Heather Williams, edited by Zuleika Cirio
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