Candlemass fans were treated to a world-exclusive reunion in Athens on September 13, when the Swedish doom legends took the stage at Rock Hard Festival Greece with their iconic former vocalist Messiah Marcolin. It was Marcolin’s first appearance with the band in nearly two decades — and it did not disappoint.
Speaking to Rock Hard Greece editor Sakis Fragos after the show, Marcolin was effusive: “That was some fantastic show with Candlemass at the Rock Hard Festival Greece. I wanna thank all the fans from all around the world who traveled from 40 different countries — big, big thanks from the heart. And also all the Greek fans, who traveled all across Greece to come there. It was, like — I don’t know — 4,500 people [going] crazy and everyone was singing and it was so much fun — singing, screaming, doom dancing, just the way it should be. So I’m very happy about it. And a big thank you.”
Asked how it felt to be back on stage with Candlemass after almost 20 years, Marcolin said: “It felt like it was yesterday [that we had last played together]. It was 20 years [earlier], but it felt like yesterday. It was the same thing when we did… I was with Candlemass from 1987 till 1991. Then I quit the band the first time. And then we did a reunion again in 2002, and I quit again in 2006. So in total I’ve been with them for eight years, but those, I think, I guess 12 years in between, it felt like time hadn’t passed. When we start playing, it’s just, like — I don’t know — it’s magic. Some bands, they have that when they play together; there’s something special that comes with it. And Candlemass always had that.”
The singer recalled their very first gig together in Jönköping back in 1987: “It was our very first concert, and we start the show with ‘Crystal Ball’ and all of a sudden punk rockers and everyone starts jumping on the stage, getting crazy. There’s something special about when the five of us play together. So that’s very cool. It’s always been like that. It just works. I don’t know how to describe it. It just works. It works really well. Off stage is another thing.”
Marcolin laughed off any suggestion of nerves before his return to the Candlemass stage. “No, I don’t get nervous. Of course, you get a little excited before the show, but I don’t get nervous. I’m more excited. I want to kill. [Laughs] I don’t want to kill, but I feel like I wanna kill. You want to do the best. Then, of course, your body doesn’t act the same way as 20 years ago. I fell on my ass. What are you gonna do? The balance is not the same. All I can do is practice tai chi or something and try to get a better balance.”
He compared the reunion with Candlemass to a macabre family reunion straight out of a gothic sitcom: “With me and Candlemass, it’s like the family Addams. If Uncle Fester goes away for 20 years and then he comes back and he’s all weird — that’s what it was like.”
The frontman revealed he spent months preparing for the show: “People would say to me, ‘Oh, good luck in Athens, good luck.’ And I said, ‘No, there’s no luck. It’s hard work.’ I’d been practicing singing for almost every day for five months. So it all comes down to determination and hard work, ’cause you need that.
“‘Cause when you fall on the stage, like I did, or some technical thing, you can’t hear yourself or whatever, then you need the muscle memory. So you must be prepared. And also I’m lazy. I don’t sing all the time. I only sing when I have to. But I really got in shape for this one gig — five months, that’s a lot of work. But it was all worth it in the end because the fans got a great show. And it was really fun.”
And while the Athens show was billed as a one-off, Marcolin hinted there could be more: “I never said this is the only one show we’re gonna do — Leif [Edling, Candlemass bassist and main songwriter] said that.
“But I would tell all the promoters of the world, get in contact with Candlemass‘s manager, Mr. Olé Bang, and try to book Candlemass featuring Messiah Marcolin, because I just think it’s such a shame for all the Candlemass fans in the world not to be able to see [us play], the ones who couldn’t be there [in Greece]. That’s how I feel. I don’t know how they feel. They’re probably tired of me already, but I just think it would be great.”
He added: “If they can treat us as well, these promoters and the big festivals in Europe and all around the world, in Japan — I don’t know — everywhere, if they can treat us as well as Rock Hard Festival Greece did, I see no problem with playing any more shows. ‘Cause we’re all getting old, and I’m the youngest — I’m 57. I’ll always be the youngest. But anyway, what I’m saying is I don’t see a reason for it not to happen again. For me, it’s kind of like the vintage Candlemass.”
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