CANDLEMASS Are Following KISS, MOTÖRHEAD And More Into Online Slots

Being a metal fan is about more than just music, it is a way of life. This is something that all of the genre’s bands understand and it could well be an argument as to why many try to also reach out to their followers in ways beyond simply making music and touring.

Probably the most obvious example of a rock or metal band looking to use their reputation in different areas is Kiss. The face-painted, larger-than-life band are famous for transforming their band into a ‘brand’, which has spawned weird and wonderful merchandise from coffins to cycling shorts as well as spin-offs including an animated adventure with Scooby Doo.

The band are also one of several groups to take a leap into the world of online gambling, an area where – rather surprisingly – metal has really gained a foothold in recent years.

Hugely competitive

To explain the rock world’s links to this area – which is also known as iGaming – it is worth starting at the beginning. The online gambling industry is a modern phenomenon, with the size of the global market expected to reach $59.79 billion dollars by 2020.

Considering how lucrative the area is, it is unsurprising that online casino sites do everything they can to attract customers. As bonus.ca demonstrates, this may be through offering a range of different introductory deals in order to attract new players. However, another route is to offer games which might draw new users in – the metal genre is already playing its part in this respect.

Online slots are a hugely popular part of this world and in recent years, Kiss and Motörhead have been used as the inspiration for new games. Such titles tend to not only use imagery associated with the groups, but also might feature video clips of the bands in action and a couple of their most famous hits too. The aim behind such slots is simple – to provide a new experience to existing players featuring a recognisable brand and also to encourage fans of such groups to try their hand at such games.

Entering the House of Doom

The latest band to enter the online slot world is, incredibly, legendary Swedish doom metal outfit Candlemass. The veteran rockers have partnered with Play’n Go to launch a new game called House of Doom which not only features gothic imagery but also exclusive new music from the band.

Play’n Go has stated that game merchandise and other marketing materials will be released in the coming months linked to House of Doom, while the game will initially only be available on select partners for three months before then going live to the wider world. According to Johan Tornqvist, chief executive officer of Play’n Go, the release of the game involved a collaboration “not seen before in the gaming industry”. He added that the partnership “paves the way for a new way of marketing slots in the future”.

A welcome move

While some may choose to take a cynical point of view regarding bands striking deals for their music and ‘brand’ to be used in areas like iGaming, others could easily argue that it is welcome to see rock and metal culture being embraced in different and surprising places.

Metal has often been a genre which has been marginalised, so the fact that Candlemass is bringing doom metal to the masses with House of Doom is a real turn-up for the books. Hopefully it is just the start of a trend that we will see more and more over the coming years.