Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS have confirmed they are working on a new album following 2022's 'Sweet Evil Sun', according to vocalist Johan Längqvist in an interview with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation.
Längqvist stated, 'I've done a couple of demos for the moment.
[Bassist and main songwriter] Leif Edling is writing on a new album for the moment, so there will be a new album.
I haven't got [a possible release date for the LP], but we're working on it for the moment, and I've been singing demos with — I don't know, maybe half of an album so far.' When asked if the new LP might arrive in 2027, Längqvist responded, 'Maybe next year.
Yeah.
But I'm not the boss of all the things with the studios and things like that, so I can't give you [an exact date].
But maybe next year.
Something is coming out next year.' The band has long been defined by its songwriting process, with Leif Edling serving as the primary composer of both music and lyrics.
Längqvist explained, 'Leif is the main writer of both the music and the lyrics.
And if I've been doing a demo with Leif, then I'm back the very next day to finish it all, [and] then sometimes he has changed the lyrics… He's the main man behind the lyrics as well, so that's the way it is.
And he's working a lot with the lyrics, I can tell… And he always has got an idea of how it should sound… When we're working right now, we're trying out maybe six melodies in a chorus or something.
And I'm very open-minded to try a lot of things.
And sometimes he said, "Oh, Johan, we save this one.
I liked what you did there." So, we have a good connection when it comes to the recording, so I can sing out, and sometimes he said, "Oh, we can't keep this, Johan.
It's too wild," or, "I don't like it." But we have a good time.' CANDLEMASS's latest EP, 'Black Star', was released in May 2025 via Napalm Records.
In a separate development, Johan Längqvist's solo project JOHAN LANGQUIST THE CASTLE released its self-titled debut album on CD and vinyl in June 2025 via I Hate Records.
The record was initially made available digitally without a label in 2024.
Last September, CANDLEMASS reunited with former vocalist Messiah Marcolin at the 2025 Rock Hard Festival Greece in Athens, Greece — marking Marcolin's first performance with the band in nearly 20 years.
The band, regarded as the godfathers of epic doom metal, has been shaped by releases such as 'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' (1986) and 'Nightfall' (1987).
After Längqvist's initial departure following 'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus', the band was led by Marcolin until 2006, when he left for the final time.
He was later replaced by Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS), who sang on 'King Of The Grey Islands' (2007), 'Death Magic Doom' (2009) and 'Psalms For The Dead' (2012).
Mats Levén, who previously toured with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and THERION, was CANDLEMASS's frontman from 2012 to 2018 before being replaced by Längqvist in a 2018 reunion."