Ahh, Gothic rock; You can’t keep it down, but there’s no denying that everyone’s fave flour-covered genre has been lying a little low recently. Is it time for a gothic revival? Well, there are some pretty ghoulish, vampiric people running the show worldwide right now, so why not? Difficult times have a habit of breeding heroes, and, if you’re a black-clad creature of the shadows, then die Oberherren are here and they’d like to be yours…

Die By My Hand is a neatly packaged thirty six minute reminder of why this type of music is so utterly irresistible when it’s done well; From the chart-bound (if this was the eighties) Lords of the New Church blitzkrieg bop of The Blood Or The Wine, through the morose, world-weary Guns and Pills (The Divine Comedy draped in black anyone?) to the riotous mashup of The Damned and Billy Idol that is Black Nightshade, this is a band that clearly knows it’s rotting onions.

Marshalled by guitarist Joakim Knutsson, the rest of the shadowy collective brought together here give a series of tour de force performances throughout that display a knowledge of, and love for, dark rock that is so great Die By My Hand can’t help but reek of sincerity and integrity. The band hasn’t really tried to weave any modern musical sensibilities into the mix – they are far too sensible for those sort of shenanigans – which leaves the album sounding so authentic you could be forgiven for thinking at times that this is some sort of ‘time capsule’ artefact that’s been buried under a Primary School playground since 1986 waiting for future generations to uncover it – In a good way, obviously…

And after that, there’s not much to say about DBMH – it’s hard to see this album converting too many unbelievers to the cause, but for those who have kept the faith down the years this is going to be like manna from (blackened) heaven – thanks guys, and here’s to many more!

Die By My Hand releases on January 27th.