In the world of hard and heavy sounds and impressive theatrical live stage shows, Gothminister have earned themselves a reputation of being “one of the most iconic gothic/industrial metal acts”. Not only has their power-laden gothic/industrial metal with its remarkable atmospheric density inspired their audiences since 1999, its eloquent fantasy stories have also transported them to uncharted territories. Now the band surrounding mastermind Bjørn Alexander Brem has announced its latest coup: Pandemonium II: The Battle Of The Underworlds. The brand-new album release by the four-piece from Norway, is set to be unleashed on May 3rd 2024, taking up where its 2022 predecessor ‘Pandemonium’ left off. That recording – like the single This Is Your Darkness – made it to number one on the German Alternative Charts and was voted Album Of The Year 2022 at the Dark Music Awards. And if that was not enough – Gothminister´s music videos for "Pandemonium" and "Demons" won stunning 19 film awards worldwide.
To ease the wait for their fans, Gothminister released the first single/video clip "I Am The Devil" on August 4th, 2023, followed by the second single "Battle Of The Underworlds" on October 27th. The arrival of the third single, "We Come
Alive" January 6th received massive international attention because the single got chosen to compete in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) to represent Norway at Eurovision Song Contest 2024. In the grand final of MGP, Gothminister achieved a great fourth place and won the hearts of many new fans. The next singles "One Dark Happy Nation" and "Tonight" will follow on March 15th and May 3rd respectively.
Singer and creator of Gothminister, Brem, recalls the initial inspiration for the new record: "It all started in autumn 2022 after a festival in Helsinki. On our flight back to Norway, I suddenly came up with the chorus of 'Battle Of The Underworlds': 'They sent a witch, we brought a monster.' With that, the Pandemonium successor was a done deal for me. An end to the story would have been just too easy."
In the subsequent weeks and months, Brem wrote the sequel to his Pandemonium story and continued to develop the band’s music: "The new material is faster and catchier than that of the predecessor album, but at the same time it sounds even more complex and modern, with more sophisticated vocal melodies and challenging breaks," he explains, adding, "at the same time the driving beats for the dancefloor and the concept of ultra-low-sounding, tough guitar riffs are still present and link both recordings."
All songs were composed and written by Bjørn Alexander Brem, who also produced the new release. The mix is courtesy of Henning Verlage (Unheilig, Eisbrecher) and Norwegian sound engineer Morten Lund, who has worked with Morten Harket (A-ha), among others, was in charge of mastering the material. The album´s final track, ‘In The End’, is an exciting collaboration between Brem and Jesper Borgen (Alan Walker, Coldplay). Brem says: "We had a lot of fun challenging each other and pushing each other to find the perfect hybrid between Jesper´s dance and pop influences and my industrial gothic metal influences. Pandemonium I helped me gain lots of valuable experience as a producer, which I was able to put to good use on The Battle Of The Underworlds. That’s also why our overall sound is heavier than ever before."
The narrative of The Battle Of The Underworlds takes place both before and after the death of the evil King Gothminister in Pandemonium I. During his time as emperor, his kingdom was attacked by an enemy underworld. During this battle between the two underworlds, we learn things which will put King Gothminister´s death in a new perspective. What did really happen?
King Gothminister has risen from the dead and returns to put things back in their rightful place.
Brem comments: "Pandemonium I left some important questions open, which we now answer on Pandemonium II!"
Tracklist:
"Battle Of The Underworlds"
"We Live Another Day"
"Creepy Shadows"
"One Dark Happy Nation"
"I Am The Devil"
"The Procession"
"I Will Drink Your Blood"
"Aftermath"
"Tonight"
"We Are The Heroes"
"Monostereo Creature"
"We Come Alive"
Check out the official video for "We Come Alive" below.
