Four decades after Candlemass helped shape the foundations of epic doom metal, Australian audiences are finally about to experience that monumental sound live.
This September and October, the Swedish legends will make their long awaited Australian debut with two nights in Melbourne, followed by Sydney and a headline appearance at Armageddoom 8 in Perth.
At the centre of this historic chapter is Johan Länquist, the vocalist whose unmistakable voice carried Candlemass’ 1986 debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Johan did not remain with the band following that album, but his performance became inseparable from its growing legacy.
More than three decades later, he returned as Candlemass’ permanent vocalist, bringing one of doom metal’s most fascinating stories full circle.
I recently had the absolute honour of catching up with Johan for Crannk to explore his earliest musical foundations, the making of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, the life he lived outside Candlemass, his return to the band and the Australian tour that fans have waited decades to witness.
Before Epic Doom Had Its Voice
Johan’s journey began well before Candlemass.
As a child, he was initially drawn towards the energy of punk before discovering artists including Alice Cooper, David Bowie and KISS. The moment that truly set his musical direction arrived when a friend introduced him to Judas Priest’s Sad Wings of Destiny.
That album helped Johan realise that music was something he wanted to pursue himself.
The distorted guitars, powerful rhythm sections and commanding vocals of heavy metal took hold. Van Halen’s debut also left a lasting impression, particularly through Eddie Van Halen’s guitar work, even if the band’s party driven approach was lighter than the music Johan naturally gravitated towards.
Before entering the Candlemass story, Johan spent several years fronting Jonah Quizz. Those early foundations allowed him to develop his voice while exploring the connection between punk’s raw energy and the increasingly sophisticated guitar work of heavy metal.
Riffs remained central to everything.
Johan may not consider himself an electric guitarist, but he has continued writing on acoustic guitar and carries a deep appreciation for the weight created when heavy guitars, bass and drums move together.
That instinct would become crucial when he encountered Leif Edling’s music.
Hearing Epicus Doomicus Metallicus for the First Time
The songs that became Epicus Doomicus Metallicus sounded unlike anything Johan had previously heard.
“I’ve never heard anything like that before in my life.”
These were not conventional songs built around short verses, quick choruses and radio friendly structures. They were long, dramatic compositions with repeated sections, immense riffs and enough room for atmosphere to build slowly.
Johan initially did not know what to make of them. It did not take long, however, for him to recognise the vocal possibilities within Leif’s writing.
The scale of the music allowed him to do more than simply deliver lyrics. His voice could bring the songs to life, reinforce their darkness and add another emotional dimension to the sense of impending doom already present in the instrumentation.
At the time, nobody involved could have fully understood what the album would eventually represent. Johan was a young vocalist enjoying the opportunity to record ambitious music, not somebody consciously attempting to create a template that generations of doom bands would follow.
That youthful energy remains something he still tries to reconnect with when recording today. Experience brings control, but Johan also understands the importance of finding the hunger and fury that existed when everything still felt new.
Why Johan Chose a Different Path
Johan recorded Epicus Doomicus Metallicus as a session vocalist and was honest from the beginning that he was not planning to become a permanent member of Candlemass.
His commitment remained with Jonah Quizz.
“That’s where my heart was in 1986, with my own music and my own band.”
Rather than pretending otherwise, Johan made his position clear. Candlemass still wanted him to complete the album, an opportunity he recognised as both flattering and significant. Recording an album in 1986 was a major achievement for any young musician.
That decision meant Johan would watch the Candlemass story unfold from outside the band. While Epicus Doomicus Metallicus grew into one of the most celebrated albums in doom metal history, his own life moved in another direction.
Johan became a father at a young age. He had two children in 1986 and four only a few years later, bringing responsibilities far removed from the relentless cycle of albums and touring that Candlemass were entering.
For a period, Johan described himself as living within a bubble. He was raising a family and creating music in his home studio, remaining active even when much of that work was happening outside the public eye.
The distance from Candlemass was never the same as abandoning music.
A Musician Beyond Doom
Johan continued exploring different sounds throughout the years between Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and his permanent Candlemass return.
Projects such as Impulsia’s Expressions revealed his melodic rock and AOR influences, as well as another side of his musicianship through piano and keyboards. Moving between different forms of music gave Johan a way to clear his mind creatively.
He still loved the weight of distorted guitars, but constantly surrounding himself with that sound could become exhausting. Writing and listening beyond metal allowed him to reset before returning to heavier music with fresh ears.
That broader creative life is important to understanding Johan’s eventual return. He was not frozen in 1986 while the Candlemass catalogue grew around him. He had continued writing, experimenting and developing his instincts as a musician, even without the same international visibility.
Stepping Back into Candlemass
Johan made several guest appearances with Candlemass before becoming a permanent member, including anniversary celebrations and special performances of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.
Those appearances helped reconnect him with the material, but officially returning in 2018 brought another level of pressure.
There were decades of history to absorb, long lyrics to relearn and an audience that already understood the importance of his voice. Johan was understandably nervous before that first show as a returning member.
The nerves did not last long.
“Just a couple of minutes into the first show we did, I felt that, wow. I’m ready.”
That realisation was built upon everything Johan had done during the years away. Although some may have assumed he had disappeared from music after Epicus, he had continued creating, learning and preparing himself without knowing where that experience would eventually lead.
Once he returned, Candlemass moved quickly.
Straight into The Door to Doom
Johan’s first studio album with Candlemass since Epicus Doomicus Metallicus became The Door to Doom, released in 2019.
Before committing, Johan needed to hear the material. Enjoying and believing in the music he performs remains essential to him. Once he heard the songs, there was little hesitation.
Johan went into the studio on a Sunday and asked if they could begin recording immediately. The album needed to be completed within only a few weeks before the band headed out on tour.
In an instant, he went from his ordinary daily life into recording a major Candlemass album and returning to the road.
That sudden acceleration could have been overwhelming, but Johan embraced it. The Door to Doom captured the historic significance of his return without trying to reproduce Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. It opened another chapter that continued through Sweet Evil Sun and Candlemass’ fortieth anniversary celebrations.
The Castle and Music Under His Own Name
Johan’s creative identity also continues beyond Candlemass.
In 2025, he released the self titled debut from Johan Langquist The Castle, drawing upon classic heavy metal, hard rock and doom. The album gave him an opportunity to bring his own writing into the world and reveal influences that might not naturally fit within Candlemass.
The timing carried a sense of urgency.
“I’m not growing younger, so if I should get some of my own music out there, it has to be done now.”
Rather than allowing those songs to remain inside his home studio, Johan recognised that the moment had arrived to finish and release them. It was another reminder that the decades between his Candlemass chapters were never creatively empty.
Australia Finally Feels the Weight
Candlemass have spent four decades performing around the world, but Australia has remained one of the missing pieces in their touring history.
The distance and difficulty of assembling a workable run of shows kept the band away. With dates now locked in across Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, that wait is finally coming to an end.
For an audience experiencing Candlemass on Australian soil for the first time, the band are preparing a set built around the classic material. Johan confirmed that the shows will reach beyond the albums featuring his own vocals, with songs from Nightfall and Ancient Dreams joining music from across the Candlemass legacy.
That means Johan is not approaching the Australian tour purely as the returning voice of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. He is now carrying the broader Candlemass catalogue and honouring every era while delivering those songs through his own voice.
Away from the stage, Johan is also fascinated by Australian wildlife. He has spent plenty of time watching Australian animal videos online and hopes there might be an opportunity to encounter some of that wildlife during the tour.
Whether or not somebody manages to get him in front of a kangaroo or koala, Johan made one thing clear before we finished our conversation.
“We all are really looking forward to this, I can tell.”
Australian doom fans have waited long enough. Candlemass are finally coming, Johan Länquist is at the helm, and four decades of crushing, majestic darkness are about to descend upon us.
Candlemass Australian Tour 2026
- Tuesday 29 September: Corner Hotel, Melbourne
- Wednesday 30 September: Corner Hotel, Melbourne
- Thursday 1 October: Liberty Hall, Sydney
- Saturday 3 October: Armageddoom 8 at The Rosemount, Perth
Presented by Fuzz Factory Touring, Your Mate Bookings and Armageddoom Festival.
Tickets: Your Mate Bookings
