Norwegian Gothminister has embarked on a European tour that started last week on Thursday the 2nd of November at De Boerderij in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands. With Italian Psycholies and Finnish King Satan as support I honestly can say we were looking massively forward to this one!
De Boerderij is a well-known venue for live shows of any genre and today it was Gothminister’s turn to set foot in this cosy venue! As headlining act it is well over a decade ago that Gothminister visited The Netherlands so I was anxious to see what these Norwegians could bring to the stage. The last time I saw them live was back in 2013 at Dark Storm Festival in Chemnitz, Germany. What really stood out to me back then, was the combination of an impressive live show when it came to the music itself, but even more the entire stage presence, extra’s, special effects and show they presented to the audience. Hopes are high this evening!
After restocking our merchandise (witch was really reasonably prised!) and a couple of drinks, time came for the opening show. Psycholies originates from Italy and is a 3-man band as there is no drummer in the band. Technique now-a-days is luckily that good, that it wasn’t a real hindrance as the drums were pre-recorded. An impressive live show is what followed. Vigos Von Lies is the charismatic and good-looking frontman for Psycholies. With a deep voice and smooth moves, he is a captivating figure just to look at on stage. As Psycholies brings a Gothic Electro sound with Industrial influences the music is distinctive for its genre, but not necessarily distinctive for Psycholies. They give it their own mark as they bring a somewhat slow but intriguing energy to the stage. Although it’s clear they thoroughly enjoy themselves on stage, they don’t jump and run around. It’s more a feeling that they aim to take you on a musical journey with them. And that worked out big time. At least for me! A big shout out to the light technician at De Boerderij for doing an impressive light show “on the fly”!
After a short stage change over, and a beer for my misses and myself, time came for the second show of the night. King Satan hails from Finland, founded in 2015, and is perhaps best described as an extreme industrial metal band. Five band members, with a male and female voice present, makes for an energetic and lively show! And did they deliver! From the get-go the throttle was pushed down, and that energy resonated in the entire venue. As I knew some songs of King Satan before this show, I knew kind of what to expect, but seeing any band for the first time always creates some expectations. Are they “as good as on the album”.. you know the drill. Well, I can say they are not as good as on the album. In many ways it’s even better on stage! The energy and tempo that are felt across the music of King Satan is even better displayed on stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd! Of course they played their well-known songs such as The Killing Of God, but to top it all off King Satan played my favourite song Left Hand Path Symphony as well! A fantastic energy to take with us towards Gothminister!
After yet another (alcohol free) beer and a stage change over, time has come for the headlining act of this evening. After all it is Gothminister who brings The Pandemonium Tour to De Boerderij! The tour got its name from Gothminister’s most recent album release, Pandemonium. To make things even better, Gothminister released a brand new track with videoclip Battle of the Underworlds just before the tour started, so we were really looking forward to this one!
What better way to open the show, and the whole tour for that matter, than with the name giver of the tour. Pandemonium is the opening song and it sets the tone for what is to come. As always King Gothminister is present and enters the stage. With his deep and very distinctive voice he truly knows how to captivate his audience.
The set Gothminister plays tonight is one that is right up my alley. Songs such as Darkside and Dusk Till Dawn are played, but also more recent songs such as Star and This Is Your Darkness. The pace throughout the concert is pleasant. Faster songs are followed by shows on stage that resonate with video clip’s that Gothminister released over the years. The burning book, the monsters, they are all there. Combine that with the unbelievable energy of frontman and founder Bjorn Alexander Brem and all ingredients have been put together perfectly well, in order to deliver a show I never saw before from Gothminister.
Another aspect worth noticing is the time on stage. Where normally bands talk (a lot) in-between songs, Gothminister uses this time (if you want to call it that) to give the audience something that is not seen much anymore on stages these days. “Monsters and darkness” are a big influence in the music and general presentation of Gothminister so it is really nice to see so much effort put in this show. It’s never too much, gore, or otherwise improper. Ofcourse there always will be people who can find objections to the things done on stage, but in general I honestly can say I enjoyed the show very much. Music wise the entire show was of an incredibly high standard, but that’s kind of the standard for Gothminister. I can’t recall ever seeing or hearing a live set that wasn’t up to the high standard they ask of themselves. The lighting was well thought-out and the placement of the (characteristic) higher platforms on stage, adds to the ominous feeling. A lot of interaction with the crowd in terms of hands shaking, high fives and fist bumps accompanied by ”King Gothminister” who comes down and sings at “crowd height” makes sure the you feel as close as you can come to the world of Gothminister.
Conclusion:
To say we had a pleasant evening is an understatement. Both Psycholies and King Satan are fantastic live acts that surely will blossom into well known and established names in the shortest time! The difference in energy was a perfect build up towards the headliner of the evening!
Gothminister delivered in every way. The show itself was impressive and a welcome break from all live shows that have become the norm today. The monsters and special effects were well placed throughout the show and well performed. Notably was also the energy that was resonating from above all Bjorn Alexander Brem. The way he keeps going on stage, his enthusiasm and dedication towards his presentation and performing are a class act to say the least! For fans of the Gothic metal genre this is a MUST see. As Gothminister is nearly 25 years in the running, they have become a forerunner of the genre as well as an inspiration for countless new comers. The Pandemonium Tour gives a perfect representation of what this genre, but more importantly, what Gothminister is all about! A spooky night filled with monsters and impressive metal music!
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