CANDLEMASS Cover Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"

To celebrate 40 years of doom metal mastery and the release of their brand new four track EP, Black Star, Swedish epic doom metal pioneers Candlemass have unveiled a cover of Black Sabbath's legendary hymn "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." 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.

Candlemass mastermind Leif Edling comments, "'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?)"

Watch the official music video for "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" below:

Swedish godfathers of epic doom Candlemass present their four-track EP, Black Star. Packed with cavernous 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 deliver their rendition of Pentagram's classic "Forever My Queen," further cementing the bands remarkable contribution to shaping the genre into what it is today.

CANDLEMASS ARE:
Johan Länquist — Vocals
Lars Johansson — Lead Guitar
Mappe Björkman — Rhythm Guitar
Leif Edling — Bass
Janne Lind — Drums

Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward talk exclusively to Rock Candy Mag for a 50th anniversary celebration of the ‘Sabotage’ album.

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward have opened up to Rock Candy for the magazine’s latest expansive cover story marking 50 years since the release of the band’s seminal sixth studio album,‘Sabotage’, in 1975.

The three musicians recall the stresses and strains of going though litigation with their former manager, while at the same time trying to create new music that was designed to push the boundaries of what the Birmingham group had previously deemed possible.

“We were obviously immensely p*ssed off because we had hardly anything to show for five years of constantly touring, writing, and recording,” Butler explained to Rock Candy Mag editor Howard Johnson. “It was difficult dividing time between creating music and time spent in lawyers’ offices, with QCs, and in law courts. But with our backs against the wall I think some of the songs on ‘Sabotage’ were the angriest that we’d ever written.”

“It wasn’t easy, because as it turned out the court case happened smack bang in the middle of recording ‘Sabotage’,” says Iommi. “One minute you’d be worrying about whether a riff was right for a song, the next you’d be sat in court.”

Yet despite such immense outside stresses, Sabbath were absolutely determined to forge ahead on their musical journey.

“We were in an experimental phase at the time,” says Butler.“We’d introduced different instruments on the [previous] ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ album, and once again were looking for new directions. Synths were relatively new at that time, so we had a go at introducing them on some songs. It was fun playing around.”

With their backs against the wall, Sabbath dug deep to produce some of the most exciting rock music of the ’70s – or any other decade. 

“‘Hole In The Sky’ and ‘Symptom Of The Universe’ are two of my all-time favourite Black Sabbath songs,” confirms Geezer. “I still love playing them, and they really come alive when we perform them live.”

“I was really, really happy with the writing,” says Bill Ward. “I think we were expanding, allowing ourselves to expand. We’d come a really long way from the song ‘Black Sabbath’, as great as that song is. I thought the richness of what we were doing on ‘Sabotage’ was brilliant.”

You can read the exclusive Black Sabbath ‘Sabotage’ story in issue 49 of Rock Candy Mag, together with in-depth stories and interviews with Billy Squier, Angel, Machine Head, Don Airey, L.A. Guns, Jethro Tull, and more. For more details visit www.rockcandymag.com.

ABOUT ROCK CANDY MAG
Rock Candy Mag is a 100-page, full-colour bi-monthly rock mag, created in the UK. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock music, the ’70s and ’80s. The brainchild of: respected UK rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome – all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era.

https://www.facebook.com/rockcandymag/
https://m.facebook.com/groups/139634569939476/
https://x.com/RockCandyMag
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBjkpEXB53nRCs_yhEClGhg

BLACK SABBATH HEAVEN AND HELL AND MOB RULES DELUXE EDITIONS AVAILABLE MARCH 5

2-CD And 2-LP Versions Of First Black Sabbath Albums With
Ronnie James Dio On Vocals Feature Newly Remastered Audio
Along With Rare And Unreleased Music

Live Versions Of “Heaven And Hell” And “The Mob Rules”
Available Today As Digital Singles

Singer Ronnie James Dio joined Black Sabbath in 1979 which resulted in two back-to-back classic albums: Heaven And Hell and Mob Rules. On those memorable albums, Dio’s soaring tenor and gothic songwriting were the perfect foil for the band’s bone-crushing mix of razor-sharp riffs, intense grooves, and dark imagery.

Rhino salutes the long shadow cast by this short-lived lineup with newly remastered versions of both albums expanded with rare and unreleased music. HEAVEN AND HELL: DELUXE EDITION and MOB RULES: DELUXE EDITION will be released separately on March 5. Each album will be available on 2-CDs ($19.98), or a 2-LPs ($31.98). Due to space constraints, both vinyl editions include a selection of bonus material from the CDs. The music will also be available via digital download and streaming services the same day. A rare live version of “Heaven And Hell” and a previously unreleased live version of “The Mob Rules” are both available today as digital singles. Click HERE to listen now.

Dio joined Black Sabbath for the first time in 1979 and quickly found kindred spirits in guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. When Heaven And Hell was released in April 1980, the album was met with effusive reviews for the band’s return to form on metal masterpieces like “Neon Knights” and the title track. The album reached #9 in the U.K. and #28 in the U.S., where it was also certified platinum.

HEAVEN AND HELL: DELUXE EDITION adds several bonus tracks that have never been released in North America, including versions of “Children Of The Sea” and “Die Young” recorded live in 1980 in Hartford, CT. The set concludes with live rarities like “E5150” and “Neon Knights” that originally appeared in 2007 on the Rhino Handmade’s limited edition collection, Black Sabbath: Live At Hammersmith Odeon.

To follow-up Heaven And Hell, the group returned to the studio in 1981 to begin recording Mob Rules, with drummer Vinny Appice joining the band for the first time. Released in October 1981 and certified gold, the album was another Sabbath classic, including standouts like “The Sign Of The Southern Cross,” “Turn Up The Night” and the title track.

MOB RULES: DELUXE EDITION boasts an expansive selection of rare and unreleased recordings. Along with additional tracks from Live At Hammersmith Odeon, the collection also includes a newly mixed version of “The Mob Rules.” The cherry on top is an entire concert recorded in 1982 in Portland, OR. Highlights include stellar performances of “Neon Knights” “Heaven And Hell” and “Voodoo.”

The Dio-fronted lineup disbanded in 1982 but reunited a decade later to record Dehumanizer and tour before going on hiatus again. The group came together again in 2006 to record three new songs for Rhino’s era-spanning collection, Black Sabbath: The Dio Years. The collaboration led to a highly anticipated world tour in 2007 where the group was billed as Heaven And Hell. Their final album of new material, 2009’s The Devil You Know, again demonstrated the musical bond between the band members was unparalleled.