Supporting Battle Beast: Horror Metallers Dominum Take Sweden
German metal outfit Dominum rolled into Gothenburg as part of their European run with Finnish heavyweights Battle Beast and Swedish openers Majestica.
The tour brought two Swedish dates—Trädgår’n in Gothenburg on the 7th of November, and Fryshuset in Stockholm the following night—giving local fans a rare chance to see one of Europe’s more theatrical new acts up close.
Meet Felix Heldt and His Crew of Undead
For me, the band was a brand-new acquaintance, and even their name took some getting used to. “Dominum”—not Dominion, not Domination, and nothing to do with Domino—is Latin for “lord” or “master”. And the “lord” in question is frontman Felix Heldt, also known as Dr. Dead, the sole unmasked member of the group. His cohorts—guitarist Tommy Kemp, bassist Patient Zero, and drummer Victor Hiltop—appear as full-blown zombies.
Melodic Muscle Wrapped in Horror Aesthetics
With their twisted masks and macabre aesthetic, my first thought was of nu-metal bands like Slipknot or Mudvayne. Yet musically, Dominum lean far more towards melodic, accessible power metal, albeit in a heavier and darker form. Heldt has mentioned that he aimed for a blend of Ghost and Sabaton, and the result is surprisingly accurate. Others have described Dominum as “Ghost meets Powerwolf”, which might be even more fitting.
They avoid many of the power-metal tropes—breakneck tempos, falsetto shrieks, fantasy lyrics—in favour of something weightier, more theatrical, and vocally centred around clean singing with the occasional growl. In the truest sense of the term “power metal”, Dominum’s sound is undeniably powerful.
Live, the rhythm section stood out in particular. Hiltop’s drumming gave the set an imposing drive, with punchy kick drums and precise fills that elevated even their mid-tempo tracks. Kemp, as the lone guitarist, impressively filled out the band’s sound, switching between beefy riffs and agile lead work without leaving any noticeable gaps.
From Dracula to The Walking Dead: A Stage Full of References
Dominum go all-in on their horror concept. The stage recalled classic vampire and zombie cinema, with gothic props and shadowy lighting that added to the spectacle. Though the band’s intention is clearly a zombie theme, I often found the frontman’s appearance closer to Bram Stoker’s Dracula than an undead creature. In truth, he is meant to be a mad scientist commanding a horde of zombies—a nod to Dr. Frankenstein, whose name appears in one of their songs.
Heldt’s fascination with The Walking Dead and games like The Last of Us underpins much of the band’s imagery. As an old-school gamer, I couldn’t help thinking of the classic Castlevania series when taking in the capes, coats, and gothic flourishes. Fully committed to his character, Heldt delivered all his between-song banter in English with an intentionally stiff, exaggerated German accent, heightening the theatricality.
Highlights from the Set: Style Met Substance
Dominum have released two albums so far, and the night’s setlist drew from both. Among the standouts was “The Dead Don’t Die”, a song that initially drove me mildly mad as I tried to place its familiar-sounding melody. It turns out that the track is written in the style of a traditional lullaby rather than based on any specific one—a clever trick that makes it instantly memorable while adding a twisted contrast between innocence and horror.
Singles “We Are Forlorn”, “Don’t Get Bitten by the Wrong Ones”, “We All Taste the Same” and “Immortalis Dominum” all landed well. Before launching into “Don’t Get Bitten…”, Heldt delivered a short speech about love prevailing over negativity in an increasingly hostile world—a surprisingly heartfelt moment from a band wrapped in theatrical gore. “We All Taste the Same” continued on a similar theme, touching on human equality beneath surface-level differences. For all the theatrics, Dominum have meaningful messages woven into their horror metal fabric.
Their rendition of Scorpions’ “Rock You Like a Hurricane” was heavier and more muscular than the original, and the crowd reacted accordingly.
For the finale, the band released large black balloons that drifted around the venue—an effective, playful end to an otherwise ominous show, even if a few balloons burst prematurely.
Dominum Steal the Show
As the set drew to a close, Dominum had clearly won over the Gothenburg crowd. Frontman Felix Heldt revelled in the audience chanting “DO-MI-NUM” again and again, grinning with genuine delight before responding, “I could listen to this all day.” It was a telling moment: behind the horror masks, theatrical posturing and gothic grandeur lies a band that thrives on connection and knows how to work a room.
Their performance at Trädgår’n proved that Dominum are more than just another visually driven metal act — they have the songs, the presence and the charisma to leave a lasting impression. If this tour is any indication, we’ll be seeing much more of them in the years to come.
Check out the full setlist from the show below!
- Danger Danger
- Killed by Life
- The Dead Don’t Die
- Frankenstein
- We Are Forlorn
- Don’t Get Bitten by the Wrong Ones
- Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions Cover)
- We All Taste the Same
- The Chosen Ones
- Immortalis Dominum
Photographing the Show: Horror Metal Through the Lens
Photographing Dominum proved more challenging than expected. The lighting was sparse and atmospheric, often shining from behind the performers and creating silhouettes rather than clear shots.
To make matters worse, I left the pit far too early after noticing that the other photographers had already walked out and assuming our allotted time was over—when in fact I had only spent about seven minutes inside, capturing barely one and a half songs instead of the full three. A mid-pit lens switch cost me even more time. Still, a handful of usable shots survived the ordeal.
Even so, it was genuinely fun to photograph Dominum. They are an undeniably visually captivating band to shoot, and the resulting images ended up being quite unlike the usual fare in concert photography. Despite the hurdles, it was still a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
In any case, a big thanks to the bands and to the organiser, FKP Scorpio, for providing the photo pass for the show. Our photos from Battle Beast are already up, and Majestica will be added as well.
This show was shot with
Camera Bodies
- Sony a7 IIIMidrange shots
- Sony a7R IIWideangle, telephoto shots
Camera Lenses
- Viltrox 20mm f2.8Wideangle Prime
- Tamron 28-75mm f2.8Midrange Zoom
- Tamron 70-180mm f2.8Telephoto Zoom
Concert Photo Gallery
