Candlemass - Bewitched

What this video is

Released in 1988, 'Bewitched' emerges from the Swedish doom metal underground at a moment when Candlemass were codifying the epic doom subgenre. The Nightfall album (1987) was critically foundational — Candlemass, along with Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and Trouble, has been recognized as one of the 'big four of doom metal.' The music video reflects the era's low-budget European metal production culture, where gothic…

Why it matters

A founding artifact of the epic doom metal visual language, establishing iconography — gothic crypts, zombie resurrection, operatic vocalist as supernatural figure — that would influence the broader doom and gothic metal video aesthetic for decades. Equally significant as the debut of director…

The director

Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish filmmaker and musician. A former drummer for Swedish black metal band Bathory (1983–1984), he pivoted to music video direction beginning with this video. He became the primary director for Roxette…