Dommin have taken a considerable step forward and a marked step up in class.

It's album number two for U.S.-based Dommin, as this band 'Rise' from being hopefuls with obvious heroes into a band capable of setting their own agenda. The debut, (which arrived some five years ago) 'Love Is Gone', set about slamming HIM, Type O Negative, The 69 Eyes and Danzig into each other at high speed and watching what happened; the result being a solid punch of Goth-tinged Metal that impressed and hinted at more to come.

'Rise' seriously ups the ante, a stronger sense of individuality still employing the same influences to offer up a sound showing more maturity, more live long in the memory moments and more resistance to being removed from your play-list rotation.

Singer Kristofer Dommin eases up on the Elvisisms that so characterised his earlier work and while there's no denying that his deep, resonating tones still remind of an upbeat Peter Steele (R.I.P.), the strength of the songs themselves make the vocals less of an obvious stand out.

Instead it's the intricate arrangements and use of occasional synths which add atmosphere as they craft a set of songs which range from the thumpingly eerie 'The Quiet Man', almost Poppy 'Falling Into Ashes', shout along until your voice gives out 'Manipulator Girl' and TON homage of 'Damsel In Distress'. 'Manipulator...' in particular shows that Dommin may just have the hooks and reined in quirk to break into a wider audience; big choruses draped around crafted Rock which thumps and grinds in all the right places, while still eliciting silly grins and mass sing-alongs.

'The Girls' may take this ethos a little too far, the clanging bells in the intro almost reminding of a Christmas advert for Boots or John Lewis, although the song itself could definitely be the sort of thing you'd hear in some fang-infested teen movie – and if it did I'm sure Dommin wouldn't complain. Add in the almost Pop Rock jaunt of 'Next Day Apologies' or heart tugging but still heartily reverberating 'There You Are' and there's a real suggestion that Dommin could suddenly break big with this album, taking their existing audience with them.

With the '...Gone' album making such a strong introduction to this band, I had expected to be impressed by this follow up. However with 'Rise', Dommin have taken a considerable step forward and a marked step up in class. If they can get themselves the right exposure, 2015* could be their year.

Steven Reid

(* this review was published in Fireworks Magazine #70)