Metal Wani's Editor In Chief Owais 'Vitek' Nabi had a chat with Candlemass guitarist Lars Johanssen. 

Lars discusses new EP Death Thy Lover, celebrating three decades of Candlemass and why they planned to write music despite calling it quits after Psalms For The Dead album.

Lars also talks about new singer Mats Leven, his vocal style and stage presence in comparison with Messiah Marcolin and Robert Lowe, his favorite among them and what stands out among each one of them.

Lars throws light on what would it take Candlemass to continue writing new music in future, possible new music, state of doom metal, Swedish metal scene and how Candlemass' signature sound is replicated by various bands.

Candlemass are back to celebrate 30 years of doom with a brand new EP. The special anniversary release named Death Thy Lover features four studio tracks with Mats Levén on vocals. The band has announced that Mats Levén, who’s a longtime friend of the band, is now the permanent singer for the Swedish doom metal squad. A lyric video for “Death Thy Lover” can be found below.
 
Leif Edling on “Death Thy Lover”:

"We said we wouldn't record an album, but we had to release something for the 30th anniversary of Candlemass, so it became this EP. “Death Thy Lover” is in a way a typical C-mass song and in a way not typical for us. The chorus is pretty poppy if I can use that word (I would never have imagined I would use a term like that to describe anything C-mass!) but the main riff is very metal and the opening is us going classic Anvil :-)

“Our old friend and now singer Mats Levén is doing a great job on the song! He's also exactly what we needed live, and the band has became even better with him in the camp.

“I’m still battling this fatigue syndrome thing so unfortunately I can't be out there with the band on the road or in South America where they are now, but I hope our fans still enjoy the shows and dig the Death Thy Lover EP as much as we do ourselves in Candlemass!”

Get your anniversary copy of the Death Thy Lover EP at this location.

Candlemass tour dates:

April
30 - Kopervik, Norway - Karmøygeddon Festival        

June
24 - Goleniow, Poland - Rock Hard Ride Free             

July
16 - Gavle, Sweden - Gefle Metal Festival    
17 - Barcelona, Spain - Barcelona Rock Fest             

August
13 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival            
28 - Las Vegas, NV - Psycho Las Vegas        

October
2 - Sheffield, UK - Doom and Stoner Sheffield Trip