Leif Edling confirms Candlemass reunion with Messiah Marcolin will be one night only

Candlemass founder Leif Edling has made it clear that the upcoming reunion with former vocalist Messiah Marcolin will be strictly limited to a single performance, with no plans for additional collaborations.

As previously announced, Marcolin will rejoin Candlemass for a special appearance at Rock Hard Festival Greece, scheduled for September 12-13, 2025 in Athens. This performance will mark the first time Marcolin has shared the stage with the doom metal pioneers in nearly two decades. In a video statement released today, Edling emphasized the exclusive nature of this reunion:

“Hello, everybody. This is Leif Edling from Candlemass. We are celebrating 40 years as a band this year, and there will be a lot of happenings. And one of those will be a live gig with Messiah Marcolin in Athens at the Rock Hard Festival on September 13. So that will be a blast, definitely. There will be one show and one show only. No recordings, no tours, nothing more, just one show. And I’m sure it will be a fantastic event. And don’t forget our new EP, the ‘Black Star’ EP. So check it out. Good stuff. And take care. And see you soon on the road somewhere.”

Current Candlemass vocalist Johan Längqvist addressed the situation in a recent interview with Chaoszine, confirming he won’t be participating in the Athens show.

“No, I’m not a part of that performance, because the Greeks, they loved Candlemass from the very beginning, and we are very popular in Greece. And I think the reason is because [Messiah] has a part of their history, the music listeners in Greece. So I do respect they wanted us to do a gig with Messiah.”

Längqvist added: “What can I say? I wish him the best. And he was a character in the band and we’ve actually met two nights together, partying together. And I wish him the best. I hope they’re gonna make a great show down there. Yeah, that’s it.”

The Athens show is part of Candlemass’s 40th anniversary celebrations, making it a particularly significant milestone for the legendary Swedish doom metal band and their dedicated Greek fanbase.