Candlemass Soundtrack brings Doom Rock to Video Slot

Swedish heavy metal band Candlemass released their first album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus way back in 1986, inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath. Since then, they have been at the forefront of the doom metal scene. In fact, the entire genre was named after their debut album. More than 30 years and two reunions later, they are still pounding the eardrums of fans at gigs and festivals around the world.

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A new concept for the dark metal merchants

In a slight deviation from their usual path, Candlemass have brought their distinctive brand of ruinous rock to the online gaming world with the slot title ‘House of Doom’ complete with an accompanying soundtrack released via EP.

Fans of melancholy metal and frenzied riffing may experience a moment of joy when they discover there is now a slot title aimed directly at them. In the game, players follow the band as they enter a castle that is conveniently located between heaven and hell. There is a selection of doors and behind each one something evil lurks. This game of doom and despair is played out to an epic metal soundtrack written by Candlemass bass player Leif Edling and performed by the latest incarnation of the band.

To ensure that the game accurately represents the gloomy vibe of the band’s work, the members were directly involved in the development of the title. The darkness of the material on the ‘‘House of Doom’ EP perfectly complements the atmosphere of impending doom that defines the game. The game is full of pounding guitar riffs and creepy visuals that leave you in no doubt that evil is not too far away. Never before has a slot game produced such a sense of dread.

Impending doom

The game itself is a five-reel slot with ten fixed paylines. It is a volatile slot which means high returns and high payout. This should also make it appeal to regular slot players looking for this level of volatility. When the game begins, players are greeted by a tolling bell. To win, they must spin and match a range of symbols that includes human and animal skulls, pentagrams, burning roses and crosses. This is about as far away from the cheerful fruit-based symbols of old as you can get. Winning lines are signalled by lightning strikes and dread-filled guitar riffs that are designed to send tingles down the spine. Even when you win big, the mood never changes. Remember, this is the House of Doom.

As is the case in many popular slots games, there are wild symbols, free spins and bonus scatter symbols. The Skull of Abyss bonus game, where a host of secret prizes are waiting to be won, can be triggered by landing three skulls at just the right time.

Video slots continue to embrace pop culture

The game is the latest in a long line of video slot titles that have embraced elements of popular culture, as discussed by Betway Casino, with developers picking up on established brands, like The Dark Night and Game of Thrones to provide a backdrop to their work. Candlemass are not the first musical artists to have their name linked to a slot game and they will not be the last.

In their attempt to appeal to an ever-growing audience base, online slot developers have drawn inspiration from movies, comic book titles and TV shows. These themed games combined with the trend for progressive jackpots have propelled the industry to a new level.

Many of these pop culture-inspired games have proved to be more popular than the online versions of traditional casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Players are drawn to familiar characters such as Marvel’s Hulk and Wonder Woman or bands such as Candlemass, Kiss and Guns N’ Roses.

In fact, whatever your interest, you can probably find a slot game with a theme to match.

By M0d3M [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
A sombre soundtrack

But what about the EP itself? Does it live up to the band’s usual high standards?

Despite the slightly bizarre concept and the nature of the product (I mean, who would have imagined a Candlemass slot game 30 years ago?), the band seem to have taken this project very seriously. As a result, the music follows on seamlessly from their 2016 release ‘Death thy Lover,’ and will not seem at all out of place amongst their discography. The game may be a new concept but the music is as classic and pure as ever. The trademark epic doom is still present but there are also elements of psychedelia and hard rock. The EP even finds room for an acoustic ballad entitled ‘Fortuneteller.’ Although, as you would expect from Scandinavia’s purveyors of the finest doom metal, this is not your usual ballad. The EP is signed off in typically sombre style by the instrumental song ‘Dolls on a Wall.’ There is still talk of another full-length album, but nothing has been decided yet. One things is sure, the world of video slot gaming just got a whole lot darker.

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