Doom Legends CANDLEMASS Reveal Heavy Title Track From New EP, “Black Star”!

Grammy-nominated doom pioneers CANDLEMASS have unveiled the title track of their upcoming EP, Black Star, out May 9, 2025 via Napalm Records! The EP impressively marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary band.
 
“Black Star” seamlessly merges haunting melodies with deeply introspective lyrics, brought to life by the inimitable voice of Johan Längqvist. Written by genre-defying mastermind Leif Edling, it delves into themes of existential struggle, temptation, and the allure of darkness – an intense atmosphere imbued with CANDLEMASS’ signature sound. The single arrives with a dark, atmospheric music video. Place your pre-orders on the new EP now and check out the video below!
 
CANDLEMASS comments:
“‘Black Star‘ is the big heavy track. Contains a bit of everything, Melodic verse, monolithic riff, up-tempo Sabbathy mid part, grand ending a ‘la Rainbow!.”
Watch the Official Music Video for “Black Star” HERE:

Swedish godfathers of epic doom CANDLEMASS honor their 40th anniversary of pioneering the genre with a four-track EP, Black Star. Packed with canyon-deep riffs, the genre-defying band unveils two brand-new songs alongside two cover versions of timeless classics.

Following the title track, the second original song, “Corridors Of Chaos”, marks a true old school instrumental containing both classic metal riffing and stunning guitar playing by Lars Johansson, showcasing the band’s mastery of dynamics. Adding to this tribute, CANDLEMASS delivers a cover of Black Sabbath’s iconic “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, taking listeners back to 1973. This is followed by their rendition of Pentagram’s classic “Forever My Queen”, further cementing CANDLEMASS’ remarkable contribution to shaping the genre into what it is today.

Black Star tracklist:
1. Black Star
2. Corridors Of Chaos
3. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4. Forever My Queen

Listenable Records – King Witch Returns with III !

KING WITCH are releasing their much awaited brand new full length album ‘III’ on June 27,2025. The album displays a phenomenal leap forward in terms of songwriting and a massive production.    

Formed in late 2015 on the streets of old Edinburgh, King Witch play a lead-heavy brew of rock and doom that draws comparisons ranging from Black Sabbath and Candlemass to Soundgraden and Alice In Chains. The band quickly earned themselves a reputation as a formidable live act and have toured the UK and Europe extensively with the likes of Green Lung as well as playing festivals such as Sweden Rock, Desertfest and Bloodstock.. 

After self releasing their extremely well received “Shoulder of Giants” ep, the band were picked up by Listenable Records through which they released their debut album “Under The Mountain” in 2018 followed by “Body Of Light” in 2020.

2025 sees the band return with their third and most accomplished full length album, ‘III’, featuring Andrew Scott on drums. Produced and mixed by guitarist Jamie Gilchrist in his own studio, Nameless City Sound, ‘III’ retains the doom and heavy rock elements that characterise their earlier releases while ramping up the energy and focusing on more concise songwriting. The album focuses on where the human race is right now, our apparent desire to destroy ourselves, and the mental struggle to deal with it and carry on living a positive life..

Debut single ‘Swarming Flies’ is scheduled on Friday the 2nd of May, 2025, don’t miss out on this crushing new track!

Produced and mixed by Jamie Gilchrist at Nameless City Sound 
Mastered by Grant Berry at Fader Mastering 
Cover art by Blasted Heathen 
Graphic design by Laura Donnelly 
Band photo by Simon Anger 
 
Tracklisting:
1. Suffer In Life 4:14
2. Deal With The Devil 5:49
3. Swarming Flies 4:49
4. Sea Of Lies 6:48
5. Behind The Veil 6:03
6. Diggin In The Dirt 4:25
7. Little Witch 3:24
8. Last Great Wilderness 8:00
 
King Witch are:
Laura Donnelly – Vocals
Jamie Gilchrist – Guitar
Rory Lee – Bass
Drums performed by Andrew Scott

Canada’s PRISONER Announces “Kill The King Tour” (BC/AB) In Support of New EP “House of Cards” Out Now!

High-energy Canadian rock band Prisoner announces it will be hitting the road across British Columbia and Alberta (dates listed below) this coming May and June. Entitled “Kill The King Tour”, the show dates will be in support of their follow-up album to be released in June 2025 to their 2024 EP “House of Cards”. Album details will revealed at later date.

“We can not wait to share what we have been working on this past year. Getting out on the road and sharing experiences with the music community is a privilege we are lucky to have. Expect to hear most of our new record set to release in June and keep an ear out for more dates being added for later this summer! Every artist says this, but this album is our best work to date, and it will prove we are here to stay,” adds Murray Emery (guitar/vocals).

Bringing you hard-hitting riffs and unmistakably tight grooves, Prisoner‘s latest EP is a conglomeration of music with multiple elements from varying sub-genres. It bridges the gap between emotion and life experience to truly connect music to the individual. With its anthemic themes, fast riffs, and glassy acoustic guitar, each song offers something different for your casual rock fan to die-hard thrash headbanger.

Prisoner‘s dedication to their craft is evident in their unparalleled stage presence and their commitment to engaging with their audience. The band thrives on crowd interaction and creating an electric atmosphere at their shows. Off stage, they value connecting with fans and being part of the rock community. They are recommended for fans of AC/DC, Judas Priest, Godsmack, and Metallica.

Prisoner – Kill The King Tour w/ Passing Pluto:
May 27 – Kelowna, BC – Jack Knife Brewery
May 29 – Vancouver, BC – The Cobalt
May 30 – Kamloops, BC – Skyview Theatre
May 31 – Penticton, BC – Clancy’s Pub
June 5 – Cranbrook, BC – Shotties
June 6 – Lethbridge, AB – The Owl
June 7 – Calgary, AB – Festival Hall
June 13 – Red Deer, AB – The Vat
June 14 – Edmonton, AB – Dive Bar

“House Of Cards” was released on August 21, 2024, on all digital platforms