Musical Style: Gothic Metal	Produced By: John McGovern
Record Label: Soundmass	Country Of Origin: USA
Year Released: 2025	Artist Website:
Tracks: 8	Rating: 85%
Running Time: 40:49

Minneapolis, Minnesota based Himmelschor is on an ambitious mission to amalgamate Gothic metal with worship rock affinities.  With its name meaning ‘Heavens Choir’ in German, Himmelschor punctuates chanted Gregorian choirs, baritone male vocals, operatic and soprano female vocals and the occasional extreme growl alongside a swarthy backdrop that speaks of the atmospheric and melancholic.  Yet, a heavier angle to the group realizes in form of the symphonic, doom and power metal influences it draws upon to see it place emphasis on ‘heavy guitar riffs, deep bass lines and pounding drums’ (quoting its press material).  Lyrically, the Himmelschor calling card revolves around reimagining timeless hymns within a Gothic metal context to ‘create music that not only entertains but also inspires and uplifts the soul’ (again, the groups press material).

Himmelschor got its start in August of 2024 with its independent debut EP Glory To God, which includes covers to “Glory To God In The Highest”, “All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name” and two others.  The group returns in June of 2025 on Soundmass Records with its self-titled sophomore full length album made up of eight additional re-imagined hymns.

Details about Himmelschor otherwise remain obscure in that similar to metal praise contemporaries Scandinavian Metal Praise, individual Himmelschor members shroud themselves in a cloak of obscurity.  According to the albums liner notes, for instance, the group consists of ‘John’ (composer & harsh vocals), ‘Aaron’ (drums), ‘Greg’ (guitars & bass) and ‘Anthony’ (keyboards).  Whereas a detailed list is included (with first and last names) of individual choir members, no attribution is provided as it pertains to lead vocal performers.

That said in no way does this diminish quality to music, which is of very high order.  Opener “Here I Am Lord” fits the bill in this regard as a multifarious piece, transitioning between uplifted moments in which cavernous Gregorian chanting holds sway and others of a subdued nature compelled by a lower register, soprano female vocalists that reminds of Olya Meek (Voice Of Glass).  In between, metal burnished rhythm guitar cleanly impels in and out of the mix (production is spot on) to uphold the swarthy leanings.  Lyric snippet:

I am the source of snow and rain,
I have born my peoples pain
I have wept for love of them, some turn away
Who are these with hearts of stone?
Hearts I made for love alone
I will melt their hearts again, whom shall I send?

“Are You Washed In The Blood Of The Lamb” slowly fades in over its initial seconds prior to drifting ahead to generously placed symphonic keyboards.  Song emanates of the moody and dreamy its remaining span, wafting slowly as Gregorian chanting takes a forward role in soothingly repeating songs title but not without emanating the staunchly woven in terms of the thickset low end.  I sense a bit of doom metal here but mixed with the symphonic.  Lyric snippet:

Are you washed in the blood?
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless?
Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

A lighthearted and easygoing stance materializes on “On Eagles Wings”.  The song touches upon Euro power metal with its dramatic keyboards and venturesome mentality but also the ethereal as angelic choirs interweave with periodic (and quite chilling) church organ.  I can see Theocracy doing something along these lines if it ventures into worship metal territory.

You will never fall into the fowler’s snare
You will not be afraid of starvation
Under His wings your refuge
His faithfulness your shield

And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings…

A worship metal album would not be complete without an “Amazing Grace” cover.  Credit Himmelschor for the high level of respect it shows the piece, albeit not without imbuing its unique updated take all the same.  Song, for instance, opens its first two minutes instrumentally as power metal style double kick drum leads the way, which transitions to Gregorian choirs repeating the recognizable ‘amazing grace, how sweet the sound’ melody.  A symphonic element reveals in form of the talented operatic female vocalists that takes a lead role on the opening verse to establish some of albums finer moments.  Lyric snippet:

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…

“I’ll Fly Away” gradually builds over its opening minute to violin, airy keyboards and chanted choirs.  The guttural extreme vocals that step in alongside the choirs help create a divergent landscape, embodying the aggressive in terms of the stringent and austere but also palatable from pointing to the epic and glorious.    “I’ll Fly Away” leaves little doubt as to the ability of the worshipful and extreme to play complementary roles.  Lyric snippet:

Some glad morning when this life is o’er
I’ll fly away
To a home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away

I’ll fly away, oh glory
I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die, hallelujah, by and by

“I Wanna Go To Heaven” points to a symphonic power metal basis.  Song beguiles with its duel vocal approach, transitioning between operatic female and baritone male vocals but interspersed with periodic church organ and strategically placed catchy guitar riffs to leverage the assertive tempo.  The darker signatures bring to mind Swedish Gothic metal act The Hero.  Lyric snippet:

I wanna go to Heaven, I wanna hear the voice of Jesus
“I will gird myself and serve you,
for you suffered much for me”
And when I get to Heaven
I wanna sit at Jesus’ table! 

Albums lengthiest at six and half minutes, “At The Cross” takes the form of a ballad innate to choir vocals, orchestration, piano and doom like rhythm guitar to speak of the richly layered and lushly arranged.  Song periodically slows for passages upheld by narration in a lower register male voice.  Am I out of line to suggest comparison to Saviour Machine?  Lyric snippet:

Alas and did my Savior bleed,
and did my Sov’reign die
Would He devote that sacred head
for sinners such as I
Was it for crimes that I have done,
He groaned upon the tree
Amazing pity, grace unknown and love beyond degree

“Day Is Dying In The West” is also a slower track but within a melodic doom metal context.  Song plods its span in approaching from both as a duet, soprano female vocals trade with classic tenor male counterpart, and haunting standpoint, realizing the eerie keyboards and chilling lamentations decorating the backend.  Lyric snippet:

Day is dying in the west
Heav’n is touching Earth with rest
Wait and worship while the night
Sets her evening lamps alight
Through all the sky

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and Earth are full of Thee

Himmelschor is not the only ‘metal hymns’ project produced by the Christian hard music scene.  What makes it unique, however, is musical direction with its Gothic metal twist as opposed to the melodic metal and power metal formats to worship metal contemporaries.  Give Himmelschor a full measure of credit in this regard.  Strong production and choice vocal performances whether choir, male or female not to mention solid musicianship represent added positives.  I look forward to hearing more from Himmelschor in the future.

Review by Andrew Rockwell 

Track Listing: “Here I Am Lord” (3:49), “Are You Washed In The Blood Of The Lamb” (4:21), “On Eagles Wings” (5:00), “Amazing Grace” (4:54), “I’ll Fly Away” (5:21), “I Wanna Go To Heaven” (5:59), “At The Cross” (6:30), “Day Is Dying In The West” (4:58)

Musicians
John - Composer & Harsh Vocals
Aaron - Drums
Greg - Guitars & Bass
Anthony - Keyboards