I was never a fan of Candlebox during their 1990s heyday. Their hit single “Far Behind” is overplayed on my local rock radio station to this day. Based on that, then, Into the Sun, their first album in a decade, is one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had recently.

Like many other bands from their era, Candlebox has been unfairly linked to the grunge scene simply because they are a rock outfit that happened to emerge when Nirvana and Pearl Jam ruled the world. (It certainly didn’t help that they, too, came out of Seattle .) On Into the Sun at least (because, admittedly, I didn’t pay close enough attention to their earlier output), there is a strong undercurrent of blues-inspired classic rock. Most critics are writing that Candlebox is stuck in the ‘90s, but on superb blues-based tracks like “Bitches Brewin’” and “Underneath It All,” I don’t hear it—these songs are timeless. “Breathe Me In,” which tops eight minutes when taken with its intro, is an epic piece of Pink Floyd proportions. And is it just me or is there a hint of “Ace of Spades” in the main riff of “How Does It Feel?”

The time away has been good for Candlebox, whose lineup now includes three of the four original members (Adam Kury has replaced bassist Bardi Martin). Into the Sun is a mature, relatively adventurous effort that should put them on the map for a whole new generation of fans.