乍一听很像一支德国的哥特电子乐队,其实他们是一支来自挪威的奥斯陆的哥特电子工业乐队。初听他们的音乐,条顿化的节奏、泛滥的电子声效配合猛烈的吉他和怪异的唱腔,其中流露出来的阴森病态情绪挥之不去。由一个叫Bjorn Alexander Brem的家伙创立于1999年。
Bjorn Alexander Brem出生于1974年,他从8岁开始就着迷于恐怖电影和小说,在成立Gothminister之前,他曾加入过不同风格的乐队,如鞭击乐队Conceptor和工业金属乐队Disco Judas。1999年Gothminister作为Bjorn个人乐队成立,同年参加挪威的地下音乐节Volapük Festival,获得了乐迷一致好评,音乐节举办人甚至用&the new gothic wave of the 2nd millennium&和 &The Gothminister will become the greatest gothstar in the world!&等词句进行吹捧。随后经过一系列火爆的演出后,Gothminister扩大在乐迷中的影响,同时签约独立厂牌Angel Productions.2001,出版首张EP &Angel& ,初版300张很快销售一空。
不久,Bjorn觉得他的演出需要更多人参与演奏,Halfface, Angel Productions的一个经理,作为现场键盘手于2001年加入Gothminister。随后他们录制了一张小样ep,并在挪威和德国的巡演中派发给乐迷。同时在巡演中,他们被著名极端金属厂牌moonfog的Ann Frestad相中,她帮Gothminister联系 Tatra Records.Tatra Records旗下曾经有Apoptygma Berzerk和Icon of Coil(这两个乐队我都没听说过)这样的电子乐队。起先他们对Gothminister重金属融入阴暗电子节拍的风格表示怀疑。这时候,Gothminister作为一个个人乐队,已经不能适应现场表演的需要,所以Rico Darum和Ted Skogmann作为吉他手和鼓手加入乐队,在没有找到合适的贝司手的情况下,Bjorn决定以以双吉他的阵容代替,他招来乐以前呆过的Conceptor和Disco Judas乐队的吉他手Machine,从此Gothminister成给五人阵容(还包括键盘手Halfface)。
2002年4月,Gothminister发行了他们在Tatra Records第一张单曲,也叫“Angel”.当然,里面的曲子都是重新录制和修改过的。这张单曲非常的成功,进入排行榜(这个排行榜叫DAC,但我不知道他是怎样的排行榜)的前十位,他们也像Rammstein, Moby ,Oasis一样被乐迷们所熟知。同名曲“Angel”更是成为德国各大俱乐部滚动播放的热门单曲。同年10月,第二张单曲“Devil”(寒,天使和魔鬼)推出,Devil有着比Angel更加重型的吉他。它上到排行榜第十五位。连续两张成功的单曲推出后,Gothminister进行第一张专辑的创作和录音,以满足乐迷的热切期待。可惜这个时候,吉他手Rico和鼓手Ted却离开了乐队。但这并没有阻挡Gothminister在2003年3月推出第一张专辑“Gothic Electronic Anthems”。这张专辑在德国,受到评论家和乐迷的普遍好评,各大音乐杂志和网站都给以满分,并给予“&The face of goth 2003&, &the electro gothic highlight of the year&等赞誉。在英国,Gothminister为其歌特乐界带来一股新风。在美国,在澳大利亚,Gothminister歌迷遍及全世界各地。
在录音室里,Gothminister还是Bjorn的单人乐队,他一人完成所有的歌曲创作,编程以及部分吉他和制作,而Machine完成吉他演奏和制作。于London Of Midnight等歌特乐队一样,Gothminister现场演出善于运用灯光和烟雾,同时配合恐怖电影片断,以营造歌特氛围。而Bjorn更是一副加长黑上衣,高帽,狰狞的化妆,如鬼魅般在这光怪陆离的舞台中,在暴烈而阴森的音乐中。
GOTHMINISTER was formed by Bjorn Alexander Brem in 1999. GOTHMINISTER released the debutalbum; „Gothic Electronic Anthems& in 2003 and got fantastic critics in both national and international press. The album reached top 3 on the Dutch clublists. Metal Hammer UK headlines read &the undead are reborn&. GOTHMINISTER has had several successful clubsingles in the top 15 in Germany, like &Angel& and &Devil&. GOTHMINISTER played all the big German Festivals like WGT, Dark Storm Festival, three years in a row invited to the M..Era Luna Festival, and performing for more than 10.000 people at the Schattenreich Festival at ARENA in Oberhausen together with bands like Oomph! , In Extremo and Within Temptation.
The second album, „Empire of Dark Salvation& took Gothminister to a totally new level. In Norway Gothminister became historic by being the very first gothic industrial band to be sponsored by Rikskonsertene to do a nightliner tour in the biggest cities, supported by Tristania. Even Bylarm (&Norwegian Popcomm&) organized a gothic event in connection with the release. In Europe, Gothminister did more than 100 shows in over 20 countries to promote Empire of Dark Salvation, touring with Lacuna Coil, Theatre of Tragedy and Mortiis. The smash hit &Monsters& reached no.11 on the German Alternative Charts, and big success also overseas lead to GOTHMINISTERs first US headliner tour, taking on New York to Hollywood.
In 2008 the time has come for the long awaited third album „Happiness In Darkness& to be released on Drakkar/SonyBMG November 14th. Packed with greater and catchier songs than ever, GOTHMINISTER is with his third album on the peak of performance!!! The new club single & Dusk Till Dawn& will be released in autumn 2008 together with a fantastic and unique music video with real live footage from Norway..s highest rock concert on &Romsdalshorn& on 1550 m(!) above Trollveggen in the beautiful Norwegian mountains.