Review By Darren McIntyre photos Barry Douglas
Gothminister is a gothic/industrial metal outfit from Oslo, Norway originally formed in 1999, the boys have given us 7 studio records Gothic Electronic Anthems 2003, Empire Of Dark Salvation 2005, Happiness In Darkness 2008, Anima Inferna 2011, Utopia 2013, The Other Side 2017 & Pandemonium 2022. The band have released a colossal 19 singles and tonight they bring their exhilarating live shock fest to Ivory Black’s in Glasgow on their Pandemonium Tour, the place has a reasonable crowd for these boys who last graced our shores in 2004. We are ready to be entertained as the lights dim the booming intro music kicks in and off we go –
In a spectacle of darkness and sonic grandeur, Gothminister graced the stage at Ivory Black’s, transforming the night into a macabre carnival of gothic delight.
The Norwegian maestro of the macabre, Gothminister, didn’t merely perform; he orchestrated a grand narrative through his music. The stage was a darkened theatre, and the audience willingly ensnared in his symphony of shadowy tales, was taken on a journey that transcended mere musical performance.
The set design was an artful reflection of the band’s ethos – a mix of eerie visuals and haunting stage effects that only intensified the gloomy atmosphere. As each song reverberated through the venue, it felt like a ghostly presence had descended upon the stage.
Gothminister’s vocals, a blend of haunting melodies and robust darkness, echoed through the hall, accompanied by a musical ensemble that was as tight as it was atmospheric. The fusion of industrial, metal, and gothic elements crafted an otherworldly experience that enraptured the audience.
We opened with the title track from their epic new offering “Pandemonium” as it brought Ivory Black’s to life with a thundering groove and a phenomenal sound that had us in the palm of their hands.
What set this performance apart was Gothminister’s theatricality. His stage persona was a mix of ominous charm and gothic theatrics, captivating the audience and weaving a tale that was as visually stunning as it was sonically arresting.
In quick succession we were handed “Sinister”, “Someone Is After Me” and the darkly melodic “Ich Will Alles” which had the crowd chanting along and really giving back to these boys as they brought the energy, drive & attitude to Glasgow tonight, throughout the performance we witnessed The Grim Reaper standing at the side of the stage looking rather menacing and moody.
We caught our breath momentarily as Bjorn had some words of wisdom for us about being back in Scotland and how they always receive a warm reception when they are here, we launched straight into classics “Stonehenge”, “Demons”, “Monsters” which brought out the dark and disturbing “Wolfman” & baby which really caught our attention, to say the least, we hurtled towards the last two tracks of this trilogy and we were handed the epic “Beauty After Midnight” & “Star” which gave us time to reflect on this haunting, macabre night of industrial groove-laden music that shook Ivory Black’s to its very foundations.
The second instalment came like the first, a real hurricane of emotions and melodic tones that were equally matched by the stage make-up and presence, we had a rather disturbing ghoul walking amongst the crowd as we were completely taken by surprise with the stage get-up and I can tell you it took me by surprise as I shit myself when I looked up and was faced with the horrendous sight that lay before me.
We were handed in quick succession “Utopia” which whipped the crowd into a frenzy before “Taking Over” rocked the house, the place was a wash with goths with make-up and leather boots with their horns raised as we rocked out with the masters of the macabre, the tempo was slowed as the guys brought us the spellbinding epic “We Are The Ones That Rule The World” that just had us standing still as the boys really delivered a masterful set tonight.
In quick time we handed the colossal “I Am The Devil”, “The Sun” & “This Is Your Darkness” that led us swiftly onto the third instalment of this high energy dark, melodic, industrial night of madness that then gave us lasers of many colours that were lighting up the darkness of Ivory Black’s as the band were hitting full speed and ready to take us home with a killer 5 song salvo that hit us with thundering drums from the back of the room that handed us “Angel”, “Darkside”, “Dusk Till Dawn” and led us into “Liar” as a burning bible was front and centre, as the place was lit with a bright orange flame glowing in the shadow of the skeleton mic, stand with the bright red lit eyes that just added to the madness of this fantastic night.
We finished with the incredible “The Battle Of The Underworlds” that really told us that Gothminister came, saw & handed us our arses tonight in a full on power drenched setlist that took us through their impressive back catalogue of industrial gothness that was a sight-to-behold, till next time.
Gothminister –
Bjorn Alexander Brem – Lead Vocals / Programming
Glenn Nilsen – Guitars
Ketil Eggum – Guitars
Christian Svendsen – Drums
Setlist –
Pandemonium
Sinister
Someone Is After Me
Ich Will Alles
Stonehenge
Demons
Monsters
Beauty After Midnight
Star
Utopia
Taking Over
We Are The Ones That Rule The World
I Am The Devil
The Sun
This Is Your Darkness
Angel
Darkside
Dusk Till Dawn
Liar
The Battle Of The Underworlds
The performance hypnotised the crowd, a congregation of dedicated followers. Every soul in attendance became part of the show, willingly succumbing to the allure of Gothminister’s dark symphony.
In conclusion, Gothminister’s performance at Ivory Black’s was a hauntingly beautiful display of gothic mastery. For fans of the macabre and those seeking a theatrical, immersive experience, witnessing Gothminister live is an absolute must. His ability to fuse music and theatrics in a cohesive, enchanting display cements his position as a maestro of the gothic realm.
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