Black Mare, the ambient side project of Ides Of Gemini frontwoman Sera Timms, is streaming the music video for “Low Crimes,” off of their forthcoming split seven inch with Lycia, out now via Magic Bullet Records. Stream it below.
Magic Bullet Records on Facebook
Ides of Gemini have confirmed upcoming shows this spring. They are supporting their Chris Rakestraw (Danzig)-produced Old World New Wave full-length released in September via Neurot Recordings. The band features guitarist J. Bennett, drummer Kelly Johnston-Gibson and the evocative vocal prowess of singer/bassist Sera Timms, also of West Coast dark-psych conjurors Black Mare.
Mar 29: Mango’s – Houston, TX
Mar 30: Siberia – New Orleans, LA
Apr 01: Thirsty Hippo – Hattiesburg, MS
w/ Mountain Goats:
Apr 02: Mercy Lounge – Nashville, TN
Apr 03: Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
Apr 04: The Jinx – Savannah, GA
Apr 07: Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Apr 08: 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
Apr 09: Webster Hall – New York, NY
Apr 10: Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY * (no Mountain Goats)
Apr 11: City Winery – New York, NY
Apr 12: City Winery – New York, NY
Apr 13: Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 14: House of Blues – Boston, MA
Apr 16: Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
Apr 17: Majestic Theatre – Detroit, MI
Apr 18: Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL
Apr 19: First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
Apr 21: Headliners – Louisville, KY
Apr 22: Wexner Center – Columbus, OH
Apr 23: Mr. Smalls Theatre – Millvale, PA
Ides of Gemini:
Apr 24: Wunderkammer Art Gallery – Fort Wayne, IN
Apr 26: Riot Room – Kansas City, MO
Apr 27: Larimer Lounge – Denver, CO
Apr 28: Metro Bar – Salt Lake City, UT
Ides of Gemini on Facebook
Ides of Gemini on Bandcamp
Neurot Recordings on Facebook
Ides Of Gemini has announced an upcoming tour with indie folk rock trio Mountain Goats. The band features guitarist J Bennett, drummer Kelly Johnston-Gibson and the haunting vocal prowess of singer/bassist Sera Timms, also of West Coast dark-psych conjurors Black Mare. The trio will be touring in support of their critically championed Old World New Wave full-length released in September via Neurot Recordings. Captured at Valley Recording in Burbank, California, engineered and mixed by Chris Rakestraw (Danzig) and mastered by Grammy award winning producer Matt Hyde (Slayer), Old World New Wave offers up nine tracks of dark, mesmerizing soundscrapes.
IDES IF GEMINI w/ Mountain Goats:
Apr 02: Mercy Lounge – Nashville, TN
Apr 03: Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
Apr 04: The Jinx – Savannah, GA
Apr 07: Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Apr 08: 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
Apr 09: Webster Hall – New York, NY
Apr 11: City Winery – New York, NY
Apr 12: City Winery – New York, NY
Apr 13: Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 14: House of Blues – Boston, MA
Apr 16: Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
Apr 17: Majestic Theatre – Detroit, MI
Apr 18: Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL
Apr 19: Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
Apr 21: Headliners – Louisville, KY
Apr 22: Wexner Center – Columbus, OH
Apr 23: Mr. Smalls Theatre – Millvale, PA
Ides of Gemini on Facebook
Ides of Gemini on Bandcamp
Neurot Recordings on Facebook
LA extreme metallers Ides Of Gemini has released their Daciana Birladeanu directed “Seer Of Circassia” video below. The song is off their Old World New Wave album, out now via Neurot Recordings.
Elaborates singer/bassist Sera Timms,
“The concept of the album traces the symbolic-psychological breakdown of a character over ten days [‘Seer Of Circassia’ takes place on day four]. We’re working within the structures of psycho-spiritual alchemical transformation, utilizing Carl Jung’s school of analytical psychology. Essentially we have a story of the psychological conflict of opposing forces — yin-yang, male/female/dark light, etc. — each driven by desire. The masculine archetype in this story desires control and structure, while the feminine archetype desires recognition and equality as it has been repressed in the ‘Old World.’ Our protagonist is the Emperor, based creatively on the last Emperor of Constantinople, who represents the ego, masculine, solar consciousness along with control, structure, domination, force and power.”
The album was recorded at Valley Recording in Burbank, CA, engineered and mixed by Chris Rakestraw (Danzig), and mastered by Grammy Award winning producer Matt Hyde (Slayer).
The band will be supporting Intronaut’s tenth anniversary show.
IDES OF GEMINI Live:
Dec 18: The Roxy – Los Angeles, CA
Ides Of Gemini Blogspot
Ides of Gemini on Facebook
Ides of Gemini on Bandcamp
Neurot Recordings Official Site
Old World, New Wave (Neurot) might only be the second album by Los Angeles trio Ides of Gemini but it doesn’t half feel like a seminal moment for the underground band. Perhaps under some unfair scrutiny in the lead up to their debut album, 2012’s Constantinople, much of the naysaying and internet sneering was silenced largely because Ides of Gemini have what is unquestionably “A TALENT”.
The “talent” in question is the voice of lead singer Sera Timms. It is quite brilliant and you can understand all too easily why you would want to base your oeuvre around what Timms can do with her vocal chords. Herein lies part of the problem for Ides of Gemini in general and for Old World, New Wave in particular. Knowing how to manage talent properly is a skill – it takes time, application and insight. Not everyone excels at it and on the evidence of Old World, New Wave, Ides of Gemini, whilst not necessarily in danger of failing, have made some fairly rudimentary mistakes.
Opening track ‘Black Door’ suggests that they understand the talent management dilemma and are determined that they are not going to be a project based around one person’s vocal talents; no siree, they want you to regard Old World, New Wave as a “band effort”. The intent cannot be faulted but the execution can be- you don’t make a band sound like a band by simply turning up the drum track, I’m afraid. It’s a mistake that echoes across the entire record – in fact, at times you can’t move for being aurally assaulted by a tom-tom.
The second challenge is that of song writing. Whilst all of the songs here move along at an agreeable mid tempo clip with plenty of drums (see above), guitars and wistful vocalizing, many of the ideas feel unfinished. You can admire the band’s love of the arcane, the idiosyncratic and the other worldly, but what you can’t do is hum any of their tunes. There’s enough melody across the record to keep you listening but you keep listening in hope rather than expectation of reaching a high watermark. Regrettably, none comes and you’re left with the uncomfortable sense of all the songs seemingly blending into one rather like an occult blancmange – nice enough, but not exactly a proper trifle.
At the end of the day, Old World New Wave is alright, but that’s it – just alright. With a talent as good as Timms, though, you’re only left with a needling sense of disappointment that a talent like hers should be allowed to soar, not snore.
6.0/10
MAT DAVIES