Swedish singer JOHAN LANGQUIST – a heavy metal and doom metal pioneer with Candlemass – has created his own solo-entity in form of JOHAN LANGQUIST The Castle. This is not to be seen as a “studio project”. On the contrary a full lineup will soon take shape, with both live shows and a second album being worked on.
But that is another story…
Musically the self-titled debut album “Johan Langquist The Castle” evokes the magic feeling of classic 70s / 80s heavy metal & hard rock in the vein of Black Sabbath (Tony Martin-era), Dio (solo and with Sabbath), Rainbow, and Savatage.
More than a homage to metal’s golden era, the songs here have their own identitiy, with some terrific arrangements, at places heavy guitar driven, at other with creepy keyboards creating atmosphere. Langquist’s vocals are dark and creepy during most of the tracks verses, exploding into a metal / hard rock intensity during the choruses. This is very good folks…
The project features a wide range of prominent Swedish musicians and is meant to be seen as more than just a “studio project”. Apart of assembling a band to perform these songs live, Langquist has already written the songs for Johan Langquist The Castle second album.
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 Johan, but a decidedly potent hard rock 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 in a moving ballad mode. 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.
“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 classic metal and vintage hard rock with a sprinkling of doom, then you’re in the right place.
Highly Recommended
01 – Eye of Death
02 – Castle of My Dreams
03 – Where Are the Heroes
04 – Raw Energy
05 – Revolution
06 – Freedom
07 – Bird of Sadness
Johan Langquist – Vocals
Erik Henriksson – Guitar / Keys
Fredrik Isaksson – Bass
Stafen Englin – Drums
Emelie Lindquist – Backing Vocals
Johan Langquist The Castle – Johan Langquist The Castle (2025)
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