I viewed Gothminister with something of suspicion first time around. Surely it was all tongue-in-cheek, right? The more I listened, the less it seemed to be. But then, with an album called Gothic Electronic Anthems – and to actually have an album stuffed full of them – made such points moot.

Gothminister

Empire Of Dark Salvation
Label: Drakkar
Catalog#: e-wave 037
Buy from: Nuclear Blast

9/10

And so they are back with a second album. And they’ve done it again.

Opening track Dark Salvation sets the scene spectacularly, a swirl of electronic fog, and a monster of a riff with a stomping beat then appears like a thunderclap. And thats before a chorus from the gods sweeps in to take the rest who haven’t already given in. A quick break with Welcome, and straight into Monsters – and I’d swear that Rob Zombie had a hand in this – that is, if he was devil-obsessed rather than B-Movie obsessed. Think Superbeast, on steroids. Give it a few months, and this should slay a dancefloor.

The breakneck pace doesn’t really let up through The Calling and Forgotten, either – ironically though perhaps the only track lacking bite is Nachtzehrer… Leviathan and Swallowed By The Earth bring things back up, while We Die In Dreams is the token ballad, though would perhaps be better closing the album. Not that closer Happiness In Darkness is bad, by any stretch – in fact it’s great. Just an odd place to hide a song that good!

Everything on this album is much heavier than the first – the production is first-rate, the guitars crunch where they should, the beats are bigger, and the electronics have taken a little bit of a back seat. But who’s complaining? The entire album is fantastic – it gets it’s bony fingers gripping your neck, and it doesn’t let go. Thank the (dark) lord. Gothminister are back, and what a way to return. This lot should be fucking superstars – and here’s hoping they are soon.

Now if only they’d get on with playing in the UK again sometime…