Black Sabbath Classic Gets Reimagined Ahead of Final Show

2025-05-09

Candlemass metal band. A longstanding doom metal band out of Sweden has covered a Black Sabbath classic ahead of the band's final show.

A longstanding doom metal band out of Sweden has covered a Black Sabbath classic ahead of the band’s final show. – Author: Cat Badra, Photo via Linda Åkerberg

Black Sabbath is just a few months away from their farewell show, which is scheduled for July 5, billed as “Back to the Beginning,” at the band’s old stomping grounds of Villa Park in Birmingham. Ahead of the show, there’s lots of excitement, especially since the bill will not only feature Ozzy Osbroune and Black Sabbath in their final public performance but also a range of other metal bands, from Metallica to Tool to Slayer.

Ahead of the show, a Grammy-nominated doom metal band out of Sweden is paying tribute to Black Sabbath with a special cover of the band’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.” That band is Candlemass, known for their dark textures and brooding vibes.

Candlemass Cover Black Sabbath

While Candlemass aren’t quite as famous as Black Sabbath, they’ve been rocking it for 40 years, so they are certainly not newbies. The band formed in the mid-1980s and received their first U.S. Grammy nomination in 2020 for Best Metal Performance.

Now, Candlemass has released a cover of “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” in honor of their 40th anniversary of a band and the release of their new, four-song EP, “Black Star.”

“Swedish epic doom metal pioneers Candlemass have unveiled a cover of Black Sabbath’s legendary hymn ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,'” the band said in a statement. “Originally cut from the classic 1973 Sabbath album, Candlemass present their own version alongside an official music video. With solemn intensity and seismic presence, Candlemass transform the track into a funeral march worthy of doom’s highest pantheon. A majestic tribute that honors the past while shaking the crypt walls of the present.”

Regarding the song, Candlemass band leader Leif Edling stated, “‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ needs no introduction, one of the best songs ever recorded if you ask me. Maybe not the obvious choice, but it’s been a dream for me to do it one day and here it is. Our rendition of S.B.S. (Mass Bloody Mass?).'”

Candlemass Release ‘Black Star’ EP

The rest of Candlemass’ new four-song EP, which is available now, includes the tracks “Black Star,” which is the title track, as well as “Corridors of Chaos” and “Forever My Queen.”

“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,” the band said in a statement. “Adding to this tribute, Candlemass delivers their rendition of Pentagram’s classic ‘Forever My Queen,’ further cementing the bands remarkable contribution to shaping the genre into what it is today.”

It’s really cool and different to hear a legendary metal band such as Candlemass cover other metal greats, and it’s not too common, either. It’s much more common to see a newer band pay tribute to their influences by doing cover tracks, but here, Candlemass really pays tribute to their contemporaries in a beautiful way.

Candlemass features Johan Länquist on vocals, Lars Johansson on lead guitar, Mappe Björkman on rhythm guitar, Leif Edling on bass and Janne Lind on drums.

Cat Badra
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