I picked up the band's other two albums not long after seeing them, but I did wonder if cracks would start to show on album three. So far, though, I feel that Night Is Calling is as strong as the two albums that came before - and some of my favourite Dominum tracks so far are on this latest effort. The poppy, atmospheric, power metal sound previously cultivated remains here - but there is perhaps a bit more bombast this time, with the power metal sounds here more overt. There are some different roads taken, too, and the opening number The Circus Is in Town showcases a more vaudevillian approach - mixing crunchy mid-paced metal with traditional clown music and some of that bombast. Heldt opens the song, and album, with a whispered version of its chorus - before an industrial, mid-paced guitar riff takes over, over which the aforementioned clown music is laid. The clown melodies are very familiar, and have been used to represent the circus for years, but they work well here in small doses - whilst the verses feel heavier thanks to the somewhat industrial guitar tones and a slightly effects-heavy vocal from Heldt. There is a toughness to the verses, then, but the chorus feels brighter - with plenty of synths and a more typical vocal from Heldt. His voice is layered with effects to inject that industrial feel during the chorus - which feels poppier overall. The song's relatively heavier feel is later added to thanks to a breakdown section, which includes some harsh-adjacent vocals. Dominum rarely do things of this nature, but it works well here - and the whole song feels a little different for the band. As such, it might seem like a strange album opener - but the sounds work well together. Doctor Doctor, which follows, feels much more expected - with the core Dominum sound forged on the past two albums pushed to the fore here. Some juddering, hooky synths open the song up - before a big drum roll leads into the verse, with chugging guitar rhythms and an alluring Heldt vocal. He has a slight poppy, gothic approach to singing at times, with the verses here exemplifying such - before the chorus ramps up the overall power, injecting more of a traditional power metal sound. The vocals during the chorus are grittier at times, too, despite a call-and-response style utilised - whilst a later wordless vocal mid-section acts in place of a guitar solo or similar to create a late-stage hook. Dominum are not a band that show off musically all that often - with essentially everything on the album angled towards ensuring that all of the hooks crafted hit hard. Perhaps my favourite track here is Children of the Night, a much more overt power metal anthem - with strong gothic overtones. Like the opening song, this song opens with Heldt whispering part of the chorus - before a pretty tight guitar riff takes over. The guitars throughout the album are generally crunchy, with big riffs not the order of the day, but the riff here feels a little more involved - and this helps the song to feel a little heavier overall again. The bass largely comes to the fore during the verses, which are more mid-paced overall with strident vocals - whilst the chorus explodes with power metal bombast, jagged guitars, and smooth, stabbing synths. Heldt's ability to craft a huge chorus is on show here - and the melodies throughout this song really stick in the brain. This song stood out to me from the off, and it remains a real favourite - with a relatively rare guitar solo adding some extra juice to the track.
Nosferatu is another strong song, opening with some staccato, gothic synths - before a fairly heavy guitar rhythm takes over. There is a bit more for the guitarists here, with plenty of heavy and rhythmic guitar playing throughout - and there are even feature guitar leads thrown in. Musically, the band just feels a bit more fired up here. There are passages of double bass drumming, spicing things up, whilst the different guitar approaches keep things interesting. There is quite a lot going on here vocally, too. Heldt adopts a bit more of an unhinged approach this time, with quite a lot of variety in his delivery. There are screamier moments alongside gothic, crooned sections - whilst the chorus sees him return to his poppier approach. The chorus here is perhaps not as hooky as some of the album's best, but there are still plenty of strong vocal moments - and the guitar playing throughout helps to create further interest. Opening with piano melodies and some more reserved vocals, Dark Melodies has more of a melancholic feel at first. Shuffling guitars and drums soon join in, and the verses are characterised by this slightly off-kilter feel - whilst the piano and vocals continue to dominate. There is little proper heaviness early on, with ballad-esque vibes during parts of the verses - allowing for a more atmospheric feel. The song ramps up towards its chorus, though, which is much more band-orientated - and any ballad vibes drop away. The chorus is bombastic and tougher, despite a measured, mid-paced feel retained, whilst more guitar leads are thrown in for effect. Later verses feel a bit fuller thanks to a stronger bass presence - and this is another song which channels some vaudevillian vibes, although not as expressly as the opening song did. Piano is retained during the album's title track, although it feels more upbeat, Sparks-like, as the song gets going. Unlike the previous song, then, this is more of a proper rocker - with staccato verses backed by the aforementioned piano and a bigger overall sound. There is quite a bit of energy throughout, then, with the song moving towards a powerful, metallic chorus. Marina La Torraca (Phantom Elite; Exit Eden; Battle Beast) duets with Heldt here, singing during the second verse and later chorus renditions. Her powerful voice adds quite a lot to the song, but it is somewhat strange that she is included here given that she was not Battle Beast's singer when Dominum toured with them. This matters not, though, as the combination of her and Heldt's voices works well - with the urgency of the chorus sticking thanks to the pair of them. Another favourite song in the form of Jack the Ripper follows. It is another really old-school-sounding Dominum song - with a great mix of gothic melodrama and pop metal hooks. It starts slowly, with pulsing synths and Heldt's delicate vocals - as the band slowly move through the gears as the first verse proceeds. Powerful basslines and chunky guitar rhythms later add depth, whilst the drumming creates a fun groove, but it is the chorus where this song shines. It is another candidate for best chorus on the album - with Heldt going all-out with a big choral approach and plenty of grit. The faster pace of the chorus just helps the hooks to stick, too, whilst a riffy and somewhat symphonic mid-section later add some proper power metal vibes. The hooks are to die for here, though, and that is really what makes this song tick. Everything else just adds flavour and makes the song better - but those core chorus hooks are what drew me in from first listen.
All of the band's previous albums have included a cover, and this album is no different with Michael Jackson's Thriller getting the Dominum treatment. This is fitting, given the song's famous video - and Dominum's version works well - with crunchy guitars replacing the original's classic synth bassline, whilst the dramatic, gothic synths of the original are repurposed. Dominum's version feels slightly faster, which suits the album, but it is instantly recognisable as Thriller - even if Heldt will never be in the same league as Jackson as a singer. Heldt does a great job, though, especially when he adds some grit during the chorus - which just feels more metallic overall thanks to the faster pace and some double bass drumming. It is a shame that the narration from the original was not recreated somewhat - but overall the band's take on the classic song is fun. Devil's Son is probably the last great track here, and the pace is picked up to allow for a much more metallic approach. There is more of an urgency to Heldt's vocals this time, especially early on during the first verse - which takes a while to build up. Later verses are more hard-driving with double bass drumming and crunchy riffing - but there is a staccato, stabbing vibe to the first verse, which contrasts nicely with the fast-paced and energetic chorus. Heldt utilises his grittiest vocals during the snappy chorus, which also features some hooky, wordless vocal melodies, and this is another chorus that takes hold from the off. The song gets a little more majestic as it moves along, too, with a symphonic bridge section that slows the pace down somewhat. The final two songs are not up to the levels of quality generally shown here in my view - with I Don't Drink Wine feeling a bit bland compared to what came before. The song's chorus is quite good, and it has a quite epic feel that works well - but I do not think that the rest of the song really stands up to it. Some interesting riffing does join in later on, but I do not find that the song opens with a bang - and the verses are just a bit on the flat side. The chorus does get better which each listen, so it may be that, in time, the song moves further up in my estimations, but, as things stand, it is one of my least favourite efforts here. A big opening hook and some more interest during the verses would have really helped in my view. The album then comes to a close with Endzeit, a decent track overall, but, again, not one that feels as strong as much of the rest of the album. What is interesting about this one, though, is the return of the industrial sounds from the album's opening number. The riffing feels a bit more mechanical here, whilst colder synths and textures are generally utilised throughout. As such, there is quite a strong contrast between the heavier moments and the more poppy sections. The riffing is sharp, and Heldt splits his time between smoother and grittier vocals nicely - but something about the song does not hit as hard melodically. The chorus is pretty decent, but it does not pop like some of the others do - and there is perhaps less fun on show here overall. It is still a decent tune, though, especially as it showcases a bit of a different side of the band's songwriting approach - thanks to the more in-your-face riffing and industrial synths. Overall, though, Night Is Calling is another very strong album from Dominum that builds on what came before, whilst ensuring that a core sound is retained. The experimental moments here are fun, and the plentiful big choruses make the album a joy to listen to. I am somewhat surprised that this band is not bigger than they are already, but they are embarking on a proper headline tour later this year - and I am hoping to get to Bristol should it make financial sense to do so.
The album was released on 3rd July 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Doctor Doctor.
