I don’t think I’ve ever been more jealous of people in Greece than I am right now with this news, and I’ve got several reasons to be jealous. Outside of living in a fuckin paradise, Greek metalheads will get to experience something I likely will never get to in my life—seeing Candlemass perform with one of their OG vocalists Messiah Marcolin. They’re reuniting for a special one-off performance at the Rock Hard Festival Greece.
Marcolin joined longtime Candlemass guitarist Mats “Mappe” Björkman and Canadian band Anvil to perform their track “Metal on Metal” for a show in Sweden back in October 2022, marking the first time Marcolin and Björkman performed together in 16 years. It seems like those fools just couldn’t get enough of being back together again, and I’m so happy about that. Marcolin left the band for a “final time” in 2006.
After that, he was replaced by Robert Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus) from 2007 to 2012, by Mats Levén from 2012 to 2018, and finally, bringing back Johan Längqvist who sang on their official 1986 debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Marcolin took the reins after this, opening the floodgates for many bands to go on and be influenced by Candlemass, and understandably so. They fuckin rule. Years ago, Marcolin said this of the band’s sound:
“Candlemass made its own style — we don’t sound exactly the same, but the heaviness is the same, but the music is different. We created our own style, doom metal stuff and all the other bands which have taken it after, it is a great honor.”
They do have their own style and sound, and goddamn those who will get to see this reunion in person! Rock Hard Festival Greece is slated for September 12-13, 2025 in Athens.