Watch: CANDLEMASS Recruits Guest Singer FELIPE PLAZA KUTZBACH For Australian Tour

Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS recruited Chilean vocalist Felipe Plaza Kutzbach (PROCESSION, DESTRÖYER 666, SCALD) to handle lead vocals during the band's four-date Australian tour, which kicked off on September 29 in Melbourne and concluded on October 3 in Perth.

Felipe, who currently lives in Sweden, was filling in for CANDLEMASS's longtime singer Johan Längqvist (a.k.a. Johan Langquist),who was hospitalized in his hometown of Stockholm last month after facing "a medical emergency".

Fan-filmed video of CANDLEMASS's Australian shows with Felipe Plaza Kutzbach on vocals can be seen below.

Felipe previously sang for CANDLEMASS on September 12 at the London Metalfest at the Electric Ballroom in London, England. Also assisting on lead vocals for the final two songs of the set were Aaron Stainthorpe (MY DYING BRIDE) and Tony Dolan (VENOM INC.).

CANDLEMASS's latest EP, "Black Star", came out in May 2025 via Napalm Records.

Johan's solo project JOHAN LANGQUIST THE CASTLE released its self-titled debut album on CD and vinyl in June 2025 via I Hate Records. The record was initially made available digitally without a label in 2024.

In September 2025, CANDLEMASS reunited with its former vocalist Messiah Marcolin at the 2025 edition of the Rock Hard Festival Greece in Athens, Greece. It marked Marcolin's first performance with the band in nearly 20 years.

As the godfathers of epic doom metal, CANDLEMASS defined the genre with releases such as "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986) and "Nightfall" (1987). Through their evil riffs, crushing rhythmic attack and dramatic vocals, they changed the landscape of metal worldwide. Led by bassist Leif Edling, CANDLEMASS reunited with Längqvist in 2018, 32 years after the singer performed on "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus".

Längqvist originally exited CANDLEMASS after "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" and was replaced by Marcolin.

Marcolin left CANDLEMASS for the presumably final time in 2006, one year after the release of the band's self-titled album. He was later replaced by Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS),who sang on the band's "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007),"Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012) LPs. CANDLEMASS's frontman between 2012 and 2018 was Mats Levén, who previously recorded and toured with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and THERION. Eight years ago, CANDLEMASS fired Levén and rehired Längqvist.