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We have had a review for No Gods on Earth by Gothtronic. We have included it here for you to read.

Normally debuting bands consist of youngsters who are struggling to sound professional, Dark Horizon however is a band that doesn't fit this tag. At the start of the new millenium, five veterans of the British 80s goth scene decided to form a band without having much musical knowledge. Gradually, and with the help of Fields of the Nephilim and NFD member Tony Pettitt, they mastered their instruments and improved their writing skills. The result is an album that sounds convincing as a debut. It holds the middle between dark metal and traditional goth rock.

Their sound is influenced by bands such as Killing Joke, Paradise Lost, Anathema, Rob Zombie, and Lacuna Coil. Sturdy guitar riffs and heavenly synths dominate 'Shine', the midtempo opener of the album. '1 More' alternates between grave guitar laden pieces and subtle piano/voice interludes. The vocals on 'Higher Ground' may well be the best on the album, it's also the most memorable song. After the grooving 'Lost', the ballad 'Last Mile' appears.

Vocalist Michael Clayton shows that he also knows his way with brittler compositions. The dragging 'Shock' is the most ponderous track on No Gods on Earth, with a subdued intro. 'Time' could well have been a song by The Mission, graceful and stylish. 'Real' has a spirited nature, thanks to the drums. The guitars sound more diverse and melodic, which is a welcome dimension. Industrial-like synths and electronic percussion reveal the influence of NFD's Tony Pettitt on 'I Need'. The stately piano adds a majestic element to the closer 'Dark Shine'. No Gods on Earth may not sound very innovative, but keep in mind the fact that Dark Horizon is only a newcomer. The overall quality of the album leaves a solid base for the future of this band anyhow.

This review was by Nightporter, and was given a grade of 7.1.

You can find the review at http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&reviews=5053

We have recruited a drummer (Will Rayson) and a bass player (Brian Smith, aka The Fly) to add to our live sound.

Live dates planned soon.

We have also added a new track (I Need) to our MySpace page. You can also play it from the Discography page.

We hope you enjoy it.

As some of you may have noticed we had recently posted a message on the contact page explaining that our web provider had not been forwarding the emails that were sent through this form.

Because of this, we believe we have not received any emails that may have been sent using this form over the past few months. If you have used the form recently and not received a reply from us, it is because of this problem and we have not been ignoring you!

We are happy to say that the email form is now operational once again and could anyone who had previously emailed us and not got a reply, please send them again.

Thank you.

We are pleased to announce that we have been featured in Metal Hammer magazine. We have uploaded a scan of the feature for you to view.

Please consider buying a copy of this issue of the magazine!

We would like to thank Fabienne T for translating the review by Obskure. We have included the English version below.

Dark Horizon is part of this new English scene who wishes to keep the flame of traditional gothic rock alive. Some of the names associated with the band can only inspire respect, and can only have a positive influence on their reputation.

The British trio have indeed benefited from the help and support of several people connected to Fields Of The Nephilim and NFD. Firstly, Dark Horizon – based in Gloucestershire – has benefited from NFD’s technical support as bass player Stephen Carey has worked as sound engineer during the recording; not only that, but he has also joined Dark Horizon on stage. I can only guess that in a live setting, it must sound great! Moreover, the infamous Tony Pettitt (ex-Fields Of The Nephilim / NFD) has contributed to the track "Higher Ground". This title, by the way, remains the best clue we have that Dark Horizon will not let themselves be held prisoners of the “Fields of the Nephilim prison“ as much as their colleagues NFD, with a tendency to using more “cold” style bass – Pettitt’s atmospheric bass sound on "Higher Ground" are so distinctive).
Here ends the introduction. To sum it up, Dark Horizon should benefit from the good reputation of its influences and friends. Without a doubt, the trio will build up a solid base of spellbound fans – and rightly so; they have cleverly made the most of their friendships and associations without exploiting them.
But they will have to retain that good reputation, and the release of this first album is an important step.

Musically, the trio - Michael Clayton (vocals) / Stuart Meadows (keyboards and programming) / Andrew Meadows (guitars) - hasn’t got anything to be ashamed of. When we could have been worried of having to listen to yet another cover band of the Sisters of Mercy or The Nephilim, Dark Horizon offer something more rooted in the Metal genre while staying faithful to their dark, epic gothic roots. Clayton’s vocals never try copying you-know-who – contrary to NFD’s Peter Bob White, who gives a worthy rendition of the McCoy’s grunt. On the contrary, Clayton dares singing with mainly clear vocals that carry the right amount of depth without being over the top. It’s all about the right balance", as they say! Dark Horizon’s music favours medium structures and slow/medium tempos (the noticeable exception to the rule being the bouncy "I need"), and is mainly based on tension and atmosphere. The album features some brilliant keyboards - ”Shock" - and makes a clever use of echoes and clear guitars -"Last Mile". The band use and abuse of echo and reverberation.

Ok, so it has to be said, the whole thing could be criticized for using too many effects. The aesthetics are particularly precise… This type of music might not grow old gracefully. Nevertheless, if we cannot say that this is a masterpiece, we cannot deny the craft shown on this album. Dark Horizon is hinting they aspire to a modernisation of the genre, both musically and aesthetically. If the band has avoided copying others, one could regret they have not been more adventurous. Fans of the original form of gothic music will not feel threatened by them.

Good work.

Thanks again to Fabienne T for doing this for us! The original review in French can be found at http://www.obskure.com/fr/kro_model.php?n_kro=4994

We would like to thank Obskure for reviewing our album. You may find it here in French: http://www.obskure.com/fr/kro_model.php?n_kro=4994

We hope to have an English translation up on the site soon.

We would like to thank Fabienne T for this review of our album on VIRUS! Magazine which can be found at http://www.virus-mag.com/index.php?a=5074.

We have also included it here below:

Dark Horizon is one of the best things that’s happened to gothic music in the UK lately. Hidden in the bucolic county of Gloucestershire, the trio has been putting the finishing touch to their debut album and here it is: "No Gods on Earth" is a thrilling example of what the future of gothic music could be…

I have discovered that I more and more hesitate to use the word gothic, which more than often translates into lame clichés. And let’s be honest, there are quite a few bands around who are displaying far too much complacency and remain stuck in the sticky mud of mediocrity…

Nevertheless, Dark Horizon are undisputadly gothic. There are several reasons why this band stands out. First and foremost, they are not out there to be mere clones of their favourite band(s); they are not trying to imitate anyone. They seem to have embraced the fact that crossing genres makes a far more interesting mix than an inbred, bigotted type of music that doesn’t accept newcoming influences. Produced and mixed by Stephen Carey (bassist in NFD – the band they supported in London in 2006 for what was Dark Horizon’s confident live debut), it also features (ex-Fields of the Nephilim and NFD member) Tony Pettitt’s resounding bass on one track.

"No Gods on Earth" sounds like an iron fist in a velvet glove… or is it the opposite? Without any doubt, there is enough power in here to attract fans of the most potent form of gothic rock (without, oh joy, sounding anything like the sickly overdone gothic metal of Nightwish and Co), bringing a moody heaviness to the tracks. This balances out nicely with the more sensitive side of the band who seem to have retained a taste for romantic gothic panache.

I will not hesitate to say that this is one of the most beautiful albums I have heard this year; Dark Horizon’s sense of melody is impressive and they have obviously put some effort into their songs, working on each of them to give them their very own personality. You will listen to "No Gods on Earth" from track one through to the very last without being bored or distracted. The songs command your attention and keep you interested until the very end, and you will be sorry when it stops. Dark Horizon’s sweeping sound successfully mixes the original atmospheric and epic soundscapes of gothic rock with a variety of electronic sounds adding yet another layer to an already rich concept.

Now, if I were to pick only a few tracks that would give you an idea of what Dark Horizon is about, I would struggle like Hell. I will nevertheless try. The fact that the stunningly gorgeous "1 More" is only the second track proves to be a very clever move: you are hooked. The melancholic, evocative piano resonates among an explosion of guitars and through the delicate, barely there organic electronics. Michael Clayton’s voice rises and fall, following the emotional turmoil of the song. Certainly, there are more gems to come?

And there are… "Higher Ground" – featuring Tony Pettitt on bass – takes you to another world somewhere up above the clouds, whereas "Lost" gets heavy and ferociously catchy. At 5 minutes 26 seconds, "Shock" is the longest – and slowest – track on the album; this gives us plenty of time to absorb the powerful wave of the song, once again dominated by confident, assertive vocals. "I Need" is a track which seems to have shaken any remaining trace of claustrophobic darkness: it sees Michael breaking free and taking in a big gulp of fresh air, before melting into last track "Dark Shine".

Discreet and remote from any hype, Dark Horizon have created a little miracle in their own green corner of England. Believe me, they are much, much better than most of the bands plastered on the cover of magazines. Their talent deserves your attention…

Fabienne T, 06 Jul 2007

Thanks again to Fabienne T for this very much appreciated review.

The album No Gods on Earth has now been released! You may order it through our website on the Merchandise page, or through Resurrection Records.

We have been interviewed by Stuart Moses in Issue 23 Summer 2007 of Kaleidoscope magazine.

We have uploaded a scanned image of the interview if you would like to read it.

We also have a track on the CD that comes free with this copy.

It would be great if you go buy this issue!

As you can tell, there is finally a new version of the website up! We hope you all like the new look. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send them to our webmaster. Or, if you’d prefer, you can sign the guestbook instead.

We are also happy to announce that the album release No Gods on Earth is imminent! Please check the site for details soon.

Full versions of Shine and Higher Ground from the forthcoming album No Gods on Earth are now available to download and listen to from our MySpace profile.

Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/darkhorizonuk