Release date: June 27, 2025

Iconic metal singer Johan Langquist (CANDLEMASS) is set to release his debut record on June 27^th, 2025, through I Hate Records on CD and vinyl. This was originally released in digital-only format and without a label in 2024. Johan Langquist The Castle – “Johan Langquist The Castle” is an homage to heavy metal, hard rock, and doom from the 1970’s and 1980’s. In short, it lives up to that mission.

The project features a wide range of prominent Swedish musicians and is meant to be seen as more than just a “studio project”. The line-up will continue to solidify with future plans looking for live shows and a second album to materialize. Musically, it calls forth the hallowed sounds of the Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio, Rainbow, and Savatage. Of course, there is an appropriate level of DOOM added to the mix for your listening pleasure.

TRACKLIST

1. Eye Of Death 

2. Castle Of My Dreams 

3. Where Are The Heroes 

4. Raw Energy 

5. Revolution 

6. Freedom 

7. Bird Of Sadness 

LINE-UP

Johan Langquist – Vocals

Erik Henriksson – Guitar / Keys (Session)

Fredrik Isaksson – Bass

Stafen Englin – Drums

Emelie Lindquist – Soprano / Backing Vocals

Review

The album opens with Eye of Death. It arrives with an epic flourish as a celestial voice soars over marching drums and heavy guitars weaving a doom-tinged web. Johan growls, “No one sees, except for me…” as he spins this epic metal tale. Out of the gate, this sets an air of grandeur for the rest of the record. Spiritually, this calls forth the sounds of Sabbath and Savatage and melds them together in a great way.

Castle of My Dreams shifts in tone, with a shimmering opening. Keyboards mingle with angelic voices that call to the heavens. This gives way to a grinding doom metal beat, but the radiant keyboards add a nice accent to the overall feel of the track. The tone and delivery of the lyrics are forlorn and yearning… it is relatable as many are searching for that proverbial castle of our dreams. The track features a soaring guitar solo that builds intensity and then is thrown back to the plodding grind.

Going slightly up-tempo, Where Are The Heroes is a sublime tune. The guitar heavily rages and takes center stage, while the vocals thunder and growl in contention for the coveted spot of focus. On this track, the guitar solo is of note: it stands bright and tall like a beacon to the heroes of the realm. It’s heavy, grandiose, and hits like a heroic strike.

Raw Energy gets out of the gate quickly and establishes dominance. This is a standout track! The opening guitar riff is pure molten metal. There’s a complete tone shift, going from the rumble of doom to the triumph of power metal. It culminates in a stunning solo that conjures light in the darkness. In the vocals, there is still a familiar growl, but a decidedly potent tone drives this one home.

Things get interesting with Revolution. The song opens with guitars and synths conjuring a futuristic tone. The vocals show Johan stretching his talents in a different direction than the other tracks. This is absolutely a power metal track with anthemic qualities, where a live crowd would be shouting “REVOLUTION” along with the band. This track is everything you want in metal… powerful and majestic.

Freedom weaves and epic tale of prisoners yearning for release. It begins with a gentle opening that erupts into a full-bore epic metal saga. The guitars help weave the tale by alternating between the driving tone and soaring riffs. It culminates in a solo that ushers in the return of the gentle tones of the opening. All throughout, the vocals convey the plight of those held captive and carries their emotions forward. The track is lush and cinematic with swirling tendrils that stir deep feelings.

Bird of Sadness closes the album with a moving ballad. While there are guitars present, the vocals are meant to be the main event here. There is an emotional solo that compliments the vocals and overall tone of the song. It is delicate, yet firm and emits a powerful aura. The influence of Savatage is most apparent here.

Conclusion

Johan Langquist The Castle – “Johan Langquist The Castle” is an incredible start to this solo project. The production value is great, and every song weaves a tangible tone. The entire record has a grand feeling to it, and a lot of effort was put into the craftsmanship of every note. It absolutely lives up to its mission to honor the heavy metal, hard rock, and doom of the 1970’s and 1980’s. With this planned as a recurring effort with future tours and releases in mind, there’s a great foundation to build on. If you crave epic metal with a sprinkling of doom, then you’re in the right place.

TheNwothm Score: 8/10

Links

Bandcamp:https://ihate.bandcamp.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ihaterecords

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/i_hate_recs

Label:https://ihate.se/