Ides of Gemini

Constantinople will claw and dig at your psyche while simultaneously dragging you through a cold, dead forest, over remnants of once vibrant tree branches until it finally eases its grip and you find yourself unwittingly sinking beneath the earth, under its spell. See, the album is a cohabitation of contrasting styles of metal, shoegaze, and dark energy, making this listening experience an emotional, mind-numbing-trance. But this doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be appreciated for the gloomy atmosphere and raw charm conveyed in its own unique multi-genre kind of way. Your inner, albeit obedient, beast is summoned on “The Vessel and the Stake.” “Starless Midnight” gives fuel to your still-unknown, mysterious dark mission, and “Slain in Spirit” attempts to pull you deeper under the clenches of its spell. The grip loosens with “Resurrections,” and you can sort of see a tiny flicker of light peering through the hot earth and enticing you from above. Some songs pull you up and then back down into a downward spiral of repetitive guitar riffs, and others are balanced out by deep, dreamy vocals. Even with an unlikely, yet interesting, clash of styles, there are moments where you completely lose yourself in the steady undertow of perpetual doom-and-gloom and wonder how you even got there. However the trio, consisting of J. Bennett (guitars), Sera Timms (vocals/bass) and Kelly Johnston (drums), do offer up a kind of melancholy enchantment you won’t soon forget – whether you want to or not.
- LA RECORD

Constantinople will claw and dig at your psyche while simultaneously dragging you through a cold, dead forest, over remnants of once vibrant tree branches until it finally eases its grip and you find yourself unwittingly sinking beneath the earth, under its spell. See, the album is a cohabitation of contrasting styles of metal, shoegaze, and dark energy, making this listening experience an emotional, mind-numbing-trance. But this doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be appreciated for the gloomy atmosphere and raw charm conveyed in its own unique multi-genre kind of way. Your inner, albeit obedient, beast is summoned on “The Vessel and the Stake.” “Starless Midnight” gives fuel to your still-unknown, mysterious dark mission, and “Slain in Spirit” attempts to pull you deeper under the clenches of its spell. The grip loosens with “Resurrections,” and you can sort of see a tiny flicker of light peering through the hot earth and enticing you from above. Some songs pull you up and then back down into a downward spiral of repetitive guitar riffs, and others are balanced out by deep, dreamy vocals. Even with an unlikely, yet interesting, clash of styles, there are moments where you completely lose yourself in the steady undertow of perpetual doom-and-gloom and wonder how you even got there. However the trio, consisting of J. Bennett (guitars), Sera Timms (vocals/bass) and Kelly Johnston (drums), do offer up a kind of melancholy enchantment you won’t soon forget – whether you want to or not.
- LA RECORD

Review-Dead Can Dance is playing a joke on their fans, Lisa Gerrard is back and they have created their best cd in many years, and they are disguised as this new trio on this debut record. All jokes aside, Ides of Gemini holy fuck; this is quite the awesome cd. Sera has this vocal delivery that sounds like it wants to just bust right out of the speakers, it is so dark yet so powerful. This band has a sound that borders on many different genres, from metal, alternative, to grunge and dark goth. Metal fans are going to really get into Reaping Golden which oddly enough starts off with this groove that sounds like White Stripes Seven Nation Army and in seconds goes into a totally different direction. That is the one thing that I want to say upfront, this cd is not what you are going to expect. If a song starts one way, chances are that by the end it will have delved into 20 different directions. As much as it sounds like Dead Can Dance at times, it also sounds vaguely familiar to Rainer Maria with metal riffs. The vocal range on this cd is just amazing; she also has this heartbreak in her vocals that is going to get the listener to feel her emotion. Timms is the star of this show, while the rest of the band makes it easy at times for her to shine, make no mistake the woman has some serious vocal talent. This band also does something else in some songs that I found unique, they seem to have their instruments as one at times, where the stops and starts during some songs just come across as amazing. This band has an energy and passion that I feel is going to get them far, and this cd is a must listen. There are hints of many genres, but I feel at times the band seem to be struggling with identity, the guitarist at times seems to want to bring his instrument into the forefront, which I feel sort of cheapens the sound like Old Believer. You have a great and capable singer, why do you want to drown her out? I feel that maybe this band would want to incorporate more into its sound but I feel it has enough to its layers, but I found myself at times wishing it had a keyboard or maybe a piano to add a different flavor. All these little gripes aside, the cd is a must own just for the vocal delivery by Sera that is going to win you over.

9 out of 10 - Wicked Channel

Review-Dead Can Dance is playing a joke on their fans, Lisa Gerrard is back and they have created their best cd in many years, and they are disguised as this new trio on this debut record. All jokes aside, Ides of Gemini holy fuck; this is quite the awesome cd. Sera has this vocal delivery that sounds like it wants to just bust right out of the speakers, it is so dark yet so powerful. This band has a sound that borders on many different genres, from metal, alternative, to grunge and dark goth. Metal fans are going to really get into Reaping Golden which oddly enough starts off with this groove that sounds like White Stripes Seven Nation Army and in seconds goes into a totally different direction. That is the one thing that I want to say upfront, this cd is not what you are going to expect. If a song starts one way, chances are that by the end it will have delved into 20 different directions. As much as it sounds like Dead Can Dance at times, it also sounds vaguely familiar to Rainer Maria with metal riffs. The vocal range on this cd is just amazing; she also has this heartbreak in her vocals that is going to get the listener to feel her emotion. Timms is the star of this show, while the rest of the band makes it easy at times for her to shine, make no mistake the woman has some serious vocal talent. This band also does something else in some songs that I found unique, they seem to have their instruments as one at times, where the stops and starts during some songs just come across as amazing. This band has an energy and passion that I feel is going to get them far, and this cd is a must listen. There are hints of many genres, but I feel at times the band seem to be struggling with identity, the guitarist at times seems to want to bring his instrument into the forefront, which I feel sort of cheapens the sound like Old Believer. You have a great and capable singer, why do you want to drown her out? I feel that maybe this band would want to incorporate more into its sound but I feel it has enough to its layers, but I found myself at times wishing it had a keyboard or maybe a piano to add a different flavor. All these little gripes aside, the cd is a must own just for the vocal delivery by Sera that is going to win you over.

9 out of 10 - Wicked Channel

Elegant and stoic, these post doom metallers from Los Angeles weave a spell that bewitches me with their music. Constantinople is an album that is heavy and ethereal through its lumbering riffs and dreamlike female vocals. I hear shadows of As Divine Grace and Love Spirals Downward throughout this album, most notably on the opening and middle portions of Starless Midnight. A driving martial beat and buzzing guitars relentlessly pound their way into your fragmented consciousness on Slain In Spirit. Sera's vocals are sultry in an icy way, swaying and seductive like a glacier. The highlight of the album though is the nostalgic journey that is Resurrectionists. Guitar lines that are as dry and barren as a prairie in winter support the monotone meanderings of Sera and then tectonic riffs rise and Sera soars with authority over them. A folkish dance of guitar and stark vocals surge and collapse on One To Oneness. The listener is tainted with shades of sorrow and left chilled to the core as the song draws to a close. And this effect is true for the whole album. Clean, melancholic guitar ushers in Austrian Windows. Sera sounds her most delicate in this song as she flows right on top of the guitar. A sharp snare and mildly disharmonic notes add an air of longing to the composition. Constantinople is a somber work that creates images of spiritual journeys through desolate badlands, barren and cold. If your heart yearns for works of freezing and celestial beauty then Ides of Gemini will leave you entranced. I know I have been left filled with unwavering anguish and my subconscious may never be the same. - Nocturnalcult.com

Elegant and stoic, these post doom metallers from Los Angeles weave a spell that bewitches me with their music. Constantinople is an album that is heavy and ethereal through its lumbering riffs and dreamlike female vocals. I hear shadows of As Divine Grace and Love Spirals Downward throughout this album, most notably on the opening and middle portions of Starless Midnight. A driving martial beat and buzzing guitars relentlessly pound their way into your fragmented consciousness on Slain In Spirit. Sera's vocals are sultry in an icy way, swaying and seductive like a glacier. The highlight of the album though is the nostalgic journey that is Resurrectionists. Guitar lines that are as dry and barren as a prairie in winter support the monotone meanderings of Sera and then tectonic riffs rise and Sera soars with authority over them. A folkish dance of guitar and stark vocals surge and collapse on One To Oneness. The listener is tainted with shades of sorrow and left chilled to the core as the song draws to a close. And this effect is true for the whole album. Clean, melancholic guitar ushers in Austrian Windows. Sera sounds her most delicate in this song as she flows right on top of the guitar. A sharp snare and mildly disharmonic notes add an air of longing to the composition. Constantinople is a somber work that creates images of spiritual journeys through desolate badlands, barren and cold. If your heart yearns for works of freezing and celestial beauty then Ides of Gemini will leave you entranced. I know I have been left filled with unwavering anguish and my subconscious may never be the same. - Nocturnalcult.com

On their debut EP The Disruption Writ, Ides of Gemini started out as an extremely sparse outfit - vocalist/bassist Sera Timms (who is also the frontwoman of Black Math Horseman), guitarist/backing vocalist Jason Bennett (who is a metal journalist by day and a musician by night, and equally capable at both roles), and a drum machine. On Constantinople, which is their first LP as well as their debut on Neurot Recordings, the band now includes drummer Kelly Johnston, who also adds backing vocals. However, while Ides is now technically a power trio - at least on paper - the usual trappings of being such are all but totally absent on this fascinatingly minimalistic album.

While many traditional power trios tend to try to fill every single nook and cranny with thick guitar tones, distortion, reverb, harsh vocals, pounding drums and whatever else they can find - almost as if they feel they have something to prove, since they are comprised of only three members - Ides instead choose to take a distinctly different approach. Bennett cranks out thoroughly convincing riffs while never outshining the rest of the cast, Johnston strikes the skins with gentle yet consistent twitches of wrist and calf, and Timms provides a competent bottom end which serves as no more than an effectively steady rhythmic baseline. If anything, the only voices that really shine above anything else here are just that - the vocals (more on that feature in a moment). The point is, this music truly breathes. There is space aplenty here... space to become truly lost in, as it turns out.

Rarely has so much intensity been conveyed by a metal act using their implements as sparingly as these three musicians do, but therein lies the great strength and appeal of Constantinople. The guitar riffs are compelling, but not relentless. The vocals are extremely convincing, but never harsh. The drums are effective, yet subtle. The bass is all but non-existent. All of this, and yet this album has the power to haunt without mercy. Only the best music can accomplish a feat such as this - and if this album were an elixir, then ounce-for-ounce, it may well be one of the most potent ever concocted.

Now, about those vocals.

Aside from the extreme strength of the music as a whole, the vocals on this album are perhaps its single most alluring feature. Those familiar with Black Math Horseman know that Sera Timms is a tremendously talented vocalist, capable of carrying an entire composition on her extremely compact shoulders. However, even those who know full well what she can do may be surprised to hear her work on this album. Holy cow. Timms alone delivers ridiculously great stuff here, capable of changing pitch, volume and tone on a dime, but when Johnston's haunting harmonies are added to the mix, the result is devastatingly irresistible. Even Bennett joins in the fun here and there, and his vocals are also quite effective in their place. However, it is the insidiously disarming lullabies of Timms - joined by the enthralling accompaniments of Johnston - which make the songs on this album truly soar. Every track features their intoxicating teamwork - much to the listener's delight - and in many cases, the songs are truly driven by this deceptively powerful force.

In short, this album is simply outstanding not because of its outward show of force, but because of its surreptitious ability to quietly stalk the listener, extending its tentacles into the mind, injecting its sweet venom, and paralyzing its willing victim into an utterly helpless state. In other words, even though this album will most likely destroy you, you'll be back for more before you know it.

“ the power to haunt without mercy ” - Jukebox:Metal

On their debut EP The Disruption Writ, Ides of Gemini started out as an extremely sparse outfit - vocalist/bassist Sera Timms (who is also the frontwoman of Black Math Horseman), guitarist/backing vocalist Jason Bennett (who is a metal journalist by day and a musician by night, and equally capable at both roles), and a drum machine. On Constantinople, which is their first LP as well as their debut on Neurot Recordings, the band now includes drummer Kelly Johnston, who also adds backing vocals. However, while Ides is now technically a power trio - at least on paper - the usual trappings of being such are all but totally absent on this fascinatingly minimalistic album.

While many traditional power trios tend to try to fill every single nook and cranny with thick guitar tones, distortion, reverb, harsh vocals, pounding drums and whatever else they can find - almost as if they feel they have something to prove, since they are comprised of only three members - Ides instead choose to take a distinctly different approach. Bennett cranks out thoroughly convincing riffs while never outshining the rest of the cast, Johnston strikes the skins with gentle yet consistent twitches of wrist and calf, and Timms provides a competent bottom end which serves as no more than an effectively steady rhythmic baseline. If anything, the only voices that really shine above anything else here are just that - the vocals (more on that feature in a moment). The point is, this music truly breathes. There is space aplenty here... space to become truly lost in, as it turns out.

Rarely has so much intensity been conveyed by a metal act using their implements as sparingly as these three musicians do, but therein lies the great strength and appeal of Constantinople. The guitar riffs are compelling, but not relentless. The vocals are extremely convincing, but never harsh. The drums are effective, yet subtle. The bass is all but non-existent. All of this, and yet this album has the power to haunt without mercy. Only the best music can accomplish a feat such as this - and if this album were an elixir, then ounce-for-ounce, it may well be one of the most potent ever concocted.

Now, about those vocals.

Aside from the extreme strength of the music as a whole, the vocals on this album are perhaps its single most alluring feature. Those familiar with Black Math Horseman know that Sera Timms is a tremendously talented vocalist, capable of carrying an entire composition on her extremely compact shoulders. However, even those who know full well what she can do may be surprised to hear her work on this album. Holy cow. Timms alone delivers ridiculously great stuff here, capable of changing pitch, volume and tone on a dime, but when Johnston's haunting harmonies are added to the mix, the result is devastatingly irresistible. Even Bennett joins in the fun here and there, and his vocals are also quite effective in their place. However, it is the insidiously disarming lullabies of Timms - joined by the enthralling accompaniments of Johnston - which make the songs on this album truly soar. Every track features their intoxicating teamwork - much to the listener's delight - and in many cases, the songs are truly driven by this deceptively powerful force.

In short, this album is simply outstanding not because of its outward show of force, but because of its surreptitious ability to quietly stalk the listener, extending its tentacles into the mind, injecting its sweet venom, and paralyzing its willing victim into an utterly helpless state. In other words, even though this album will most likely destroy you, you'll be back for more before you know it.

“ the power to haunt without mercy ” - Jukebox:Metal

Dirge is the word for Los Angeles based trio, Ides of Gemini. Fronted by bassist and vocalist Sera Timms (Black Math Horseman), along with partner in crime, guitarist and songwriter J. Bennett, Constantinople represents the band’s full length birth. Timms and Bennett released a demo in 2010, and those songs appear here in better regard, along with real drums from Kelly Johnston.
Moody and evocative, Constantinople takes listeners on a dark journey through the cavernous and winding tunnels of our souls. “The Vessel & The Stake” starts out with a build of guitars before dropping into a stark procession of movement towards eternity. Timms’ vocals are haunting and cold, with Johnston’s drums adding a foreboding weight to the track.
“Starless Midnight” is comparatively uplifting, placed between the album opener and the relentless abyss of “Slain in Spirit”. The latter, while an intriguing listen could have been pared down a full-minute to remove some moments of monotony.
In fact, despite moments of caliginous brilliance by the trio, much of Constantinople is a dreary dirge that sweeps through the deserted streets of melancholy and anguish. Plaintive laments drone on until one song melds into another.
If black medieval heaviness is your thing, you have come to the right place, for Ides of Gemini serve it up in seven-course bleakness. There exists a sparseness to Bennett’s writing, and in particular his guitar phrasing that enervates the songs: Which in any other genre of music would be a bad thing, but here it fits the vibe of the album with stark beauty. This allows the tenebrous nuances of Timms’ vocals to wrap around the listener’s id like a gossamer vise.
Constantinople is one of those albums that will have a very defined appeal to a limited listenership. Ides of Gemini serve up a slab of brooding weightiness that rests like an anvil on one’s chest. Still the nebulous allure of Timms’ rapturous vocals combined with the oppressive rhythms and somber lyrical tapestries laid bare by the band, make Constantinople a stygian joy for the ears. - Metalholic.com

Dirge is the word for Los Angeles based trio, Ides of Gemini. Fronted by bassist and vocalist Sera Timms (Black Math Horseman), along with partner in crime, guitarist and songwriter J. Bennett, Constantinople represents the band’s full length birth. Timms and Bennett released a demo in 2010, and those songs appear here in better regard, along with real drums from Kelly Johnston.
Moody and evocative, Constantinople takes listeners on a dark journey through the cavernous and winding tunnels of our souls. “The Vessel & The Stake” starts out with a build of guitars before dropping into a stark procession of movement towards eternity. Timms’ vocals are haunting and cold, with Johnston’s drums adding a foreboding weight to the track.
“Starless Midnight” is comparatively uplifting, placed between the album opener and the relentless abyss of “Slain in Spirit”. The latter, while an intriguing listen could have been pared down a full-minute to remove some moments of monotony.
In fact, despite moments of caliginous brilliance by the trio, much of Constantinople is a dreary dirge that sweeps through the deserted streets of melancholy and anguish. Plaintive laments drone on until one song melds into another.
If black medieval heaviness is your thing, you have come to the right place, for Ides of Gemini serve it up in seven-course bleakness. There exists a sparseness to Bennett’s writing, and in particular his guitar phrasing that enervates the songs: Which in any other genre of music would be a bad thing, but here it fits the vibe of the album with stark beauty. This allows the tenebrous nuances of Timms’ vocals to wrap around the listener’s id like a gossamer vise.
Constantinople is one of those albums that will have a very defined appeal to a limited listenership. Ides of Gemini serve up a slab of brooding weightiness that rests like an anvil on one’s chest. Still the nebulous allure of Timms’ rapturous vocals combined with the oppressive rhythms and somber lyrical tapestries laid bare by the band, make Constantinople a stygian joy for the ears. - Metalholic.com

Ides Of Gemini probably seem to have come out nowhere to most. Looking at their members there isn't a long ex members of list or any long time battling it out with a ton of releases either. The band seemingly came from nowhere last year by self releasing an EP or demo. Said EP The Disruption Writ was a brief but clear introduction to this band. Combining shoegaze and almost a fixation with gothic touches within their songs. While the band may have slight touches of metal and a clear relationship to the metal scene there is little that is obvious about their style to make them fit there.

Opener "The Vessel & The Stake" works as a great introduction to the band for the unfamiliar. Militaristic drums and slow moving, somewhat melodic riff pound down before giving way to the vocals. The vocals will be what stick out to most. The vocals of Sara Timms tend to recall early PJ Harvey in the sense that they moan and undulate to help display the emotion necessary. This is carried throughout the album to great effect. While most band that try this style are willing to rely on either caterwauling or a weak voiced dude rock singer the use of a "pretty" voice helps to carry these songs to a higher level of resonance with the listener.

The Production is clean and clear without ever feeling compressed. The main things in the mix are the guitar and vocals. While at times, one may miss the power that drums can provide within the context of this album it almost feels unnecessary. The guitars and vocals carry so much heft emotionally that the drums almost seem to be put there to work as an anchor to earth. The drums are very strong and well played regardless of what was just mentioned they just feel pushed to the back of the mix to make the listener focus on the vocals.

Overall this is a very beautiful record. While the band does have bits of metal contained in their basic framework it is never the focus of the song. Whatever brutality that could be gleaned here is of the emotional variety. Each song carries a certain heft with it. The band deserves your notice as they are standing on their own doing something strong and beautiful.

8.6 / 10 — Jon E. - scenepointblank.com

Ides Of Gemini probably seem to have come out nowhere to most. Looking at their members there isn't a long ex members of list or any long time battling it out with a ton of releases either. The band seemingly came from nowhere last year by self releasing an EP or demo. Said EP The Disruption Writ was a brief but clear introduction to this band. Combining shoegaze and almost a fixation with gothic touches within their songs. While the band may have slight touches of metal and a clear relationship to the metal scene there is little that is obvious about their style to make them fit there.

Opener "The Vessel & The Stake" works as a great introduction to the band for the unfamiliar. Militaristic drums and slow moving, somewhat melodic riff pound down before giving way to the vocals. The vocals will be what stick out to most. The vocals of Sara Timms tend to recall early PJ Harvey in the sense that they moan and undulate to help display the emotion necessary. This is carried throughout the album to great effect. While most band that try this style are willing to rely on either caterwauling or a weak voiced dude rock singer the use of a "pretty" voice helps to carry these songs to a higher level of resonance with the listener.

The Production is clean and clear without ever feeling compressed. The main things in the mix are the guitar and vocals. While at times, one may miss the power that drums can provide within the context of this album it almost feels unnecessary. The guitars and vocals carry so much heft emotionally that the drums almost seem to be put there to work as an anchor to earth. The drums are very strong and well played regardless of what was just mentioned they just feel pushed to the back of the mix to make the listener focus on the vocals.

Overall this is a very beautiful record. While the band does have bits of metal contained in their basic framework it is never the focus of the song. Whatever brutality that could be gleaned here is of the emotional variety. Each song carries a certain heft with it. The band deserves your notice as they are standing on their own doing something strong and beautiful.

8.6 / 10 — Jon E. - scenepointblank.com

[9/10] What kind of band would provide handmade candles to the first 33 fans who pre-ordered their latest album? The answer would be Ides of Gemini, a Slavic-style trio from Los Angeles, California who don't object to being described as "dream doom" (if you have to paste a label on them at all). The band is inspired by figures such as ancient wisdom literature scholar Madame Blavatsky, philosopher, author, and mystic Manly P. Hall, and Deerslayer, a novel about a philosophical frontiersman with a conscience. Constantinople is their first full-length release, which follows EP The Disruption Writ and 2011's Vermapyre split EP.

The first impression of Constantinople, was not favorable. It felt like it dragged after a while; the meandering-style slowness can be a downer. Maybe you need to be in a certain mood to enjoy it, but after multiple listens, it became apparent to me that each song is individually captivating. Constantinople draws you in, and keeps you. In “The Vessel & the Stake,” liquid-smooth vocals drape themselves over you, like syrup on pancakes. When you are away, its swaying chorus will call you to return. You feel stretched and distorted during “Resurrectionists" as the guitar pulls you into its downward spiral. Slow and inviting, it puts your mind and body in a relaxed state.

Drums and bass make the beginning of "Reaping Golden" sound mysterious and seductive. The mellow rhythm and sauntering guitar in "Austrian Windows," combined with divine vocals, create an alluring and emotional atmosphere. Backing vocals add an enchanting quality to "Martyrium, and final track, "Old Believer," gives one the same sense of relieving satisfaction that slipping into a week-long bubble bath might give.

The more I listen to Constantinople, the more I enjoy it. I was skeptical at first, especially since I typically do not favor groups with female lead vocalists. However Sera Timms has proven Ides of Gemini worthy of an exception. It is important to get in the habit of supporting bands. Therefore, Constantinople will be in my mailbox in three to four business days. I will continue to enjoy Ides of Gemini’s addictive sound infused within such an inspired album.
- Blistering.com

[9/10] What kind of band would provide handmade candles to the first 33 fans who pre-ordered their latest album? The answer would be Ides of Gemini, a Slavic-style trio from Los Angeles, California who don't object to being described as "dream doom" (if you have to paste a label on them at all). The band is inspired by figures such as ancient wisdom literature scholar Madame Blavatsky, philosopher, author, and mystic Manly P. Hall, and Deerslayer, a novel about a philosophical frontiersman with a conscience. Constantinople is their first full-length release, which follows EP The Disruption Writ and 2011's Vermapyre split EP.

The first impression of Constantinople, was not favorable. It felt like it dragged after a while; the meandering-style slowness can be a downer. Maybe you need to be in a certain mood to enjoy it, but after multiple listens, it became apparent to me that each song is individually captivating. Constantinople draws you in, and keeps you. In “The Vessel & the Stake,” liquid-smooth vocals drape themselves over you, like syrup on pancakes. When you are away, its swaying chorus will call you to return. You feel stretched and distorted during “Resurrectionists" as the guitar pulls you into its downward spiral. Slow and inviting, it puts your mind and body in a relaxed state.

Drums and bass make the beginning of "Reaping Golden" sound mysterious and seductive. The mellow rhythm and sauntering guitar in "Austrian Windows," combined with divine vocals, create an alluring and emotional atmosphere. Backing vocals add an enchanting quality to "Martyrium, and final track, "Old Believer," gives one the same sense of relieving satisfaction that slipping into a week-long bubble bath might give.

The more I listen to Constantinople, the more I enjoy it. I was skeptical at first, especially since I typically do not favor groups with female lead vocalists. However Sera Timms has proven Ides of Gemini worthy of an exception. It is important to get in the habit of supporting bands. Therefore, Constantinople will be in my mailbox in three to four business days. I will continue to enjoy Ides of Gemini’s addictive sound infused within such an inspired album.
- Blistering.com

Processional doom, ethereal female harmonies and high-strung riffs incite head-bowing, not -banging. - Spin.com

Processional doom, ethereal female harmonies and high-strung riffs incite head-bowing, not -banging. - Spin.com

Ides Of Gemini is a Los Angeles-based black metal/postcore trio, consisting of J. Bennett (guitars), Sera Timms (vocals/bass) and Kelly Johnston (drums). Their The Disruption Writ EP was met with critical acclaim. Their first full-length is Constantinople.
The central themes on Constantinople have nothing to do with the rise and fall of the former capital of the long-lost Byzantine Empire. It’s far more horrific, since the lyrics are all about dismemberment in all shapes and sizes, both physically and mentally. Such themes are fairly common within the death metal genre, but Ides Of Gemini are as far removed from death metal as one can possibly get.

They are more inspired by bands like Red Sparowes, Agalloch, Isis, Neurosis and Burzum. Timms and company combine the postcore tendencies of Isis and Red Sparowes and combine those with the black metal styled bleakness of Burzum and the merciless drive and darkness of Neurosis. A rather awkward combination, but it works like a charm.

The main basis of Ides Of Gemini is the massive guitar riffs by J. Bennett, beautifully accentuated by Timm’s soaring vocals. Her singing gives the music an evocative quality I seldom encounter. The whole thing is tied together by Kelly Johnston’s almost tribal-styled drumming very reminiscent of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

Constantinople is all about contrasts, like light versus darkness and fragile beauty versus crude minimalism. The bleak undercurrent in compositions, such as “Starless Midnight,” “Slain In Spirit” and “Austrian Windows” only reinforce the unsettling and often suffocating atmosphere of this album.

The musical richness of Constantinople is expertly captured by Chris Rakestraw (Danzig, Skeletonwitch) and James Plotkin (Khanate, Jodis). They gave the album its raw yet clean sound, thus enhancing its inherent underground charm.

Constantinople isn’t an easy album to get into. Truth be told, it took me quite a while before it clicked with me. However, as with the former capital of the Byzantine empire, this album is a proverbial treasure chest in terms of atmosphere, ideas and contrasting musical textures. It is utterly original and breathtaking.

(released May 29, 2012 on Neurot Recordings) - About.com

Ides Of Gemini is a Los Angeles-based black metal/postcore trio, consisting of J. Bennett (guitars), Sera Timms (vocals/bass) and Kelly Johnston (drums). Their The Disruption Writ EP was met with critical acclaim. Their first full-length is Constantinople.
The central themes on Constantinople have nothing to do with the rise and fall of the former capital of the long-lost Byzantine Empire. It’s far more horrific, since the lyrics are all about dismemberment in all shapes and sizes, both physically and mentally. Such themes are fairly common within the death metal genre, but Ides Of Gemini are as far removed from death metal as one can possibly get.

They are more inspired by bands like Red Sparowes, Agalloch, Isis, Neurosis and Burzum. Timms and company combine the postcore tendencies of Isis and Red Sparowes and combine those with the black metal styled bleakness of Burzum and the merciless drive and darkness of Neurosis. A rather awkward combination, but it works like a charm.

The main basis of Ides Of Gemini is the massive guitar riffs by J. Bennett, beautifully accentuated by Timm’s soaring vocals. Her singing gives the music an evocative quality I seldom encounter. The whole thing is tied together by Kelly Johnston’s almost tribal-styled drumming very reminiscent of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

Constantinople is all about contrasts, like light versus darkness and fragile beauty versus crude minimalism. The bleak undercurrent in compositions, such as “Starless Midnight,” “Slain In Spirit” and “Austrian Windows” only reinforce the unsettling and often suffocating atmosphere of this album.

The musical richness of Constantinople is expertly captured by Chris Rakestraw (Danzig, Skeletonwitch) and James Plotkin (Khanate, Jodis). They gave the album its raw yet clean sound, thus enhancing its inherent underground charm.

Constantinople isn’t an easy album to get into. Truth be told, it took me quite a while before it clicked with me. However, as with the former capital of the Byzantine empire, this album is a proverbial treasure chest in terms of atmosphere, ideas and contrasting musical textures. It is utterly original and breathtaking.

(released May 29, 2012 on Neurot Recordings) - About.com

No matter how alienating a heavy metal band's music might be, no matter how elaborate their
stage set-up, and no matter how stubbornly in-character they remain, most are still held to the basic
assumption that they are ordinary humans. GWAR are sweaty, stinky men underneath their
massive latex suits; Watain are supremely vulnerable under their makeup and offal, their blood and
filth-smeared skin extra susceptible to impetigo. It's unusual that a band is able to maintain the
elaborate fiction or narrative they build around themselves so completely that, for however brief a
moment, the audience can suspend their disbelief and accept that they are watching something
supernatural. With vastly different techniques, both bands who performed at the Opera House on
Monday night convinced their listeners they were more than talented flesh.
Openers and occult rock sorcerers Ides of Gemini left no doubt in my mind that I was watching a
show performed by wizards. Their sound walks a fine line between the ethereal and the palpable,
as though existing in a liminal state or moving between words, making their live show seem more
an act of summoning than a simple performance. The looping structures of their doom-inspired
songs hung heavy in the air, rising slowly, thick as ectoplasm. Kelly Johnston's precise drumming
has an almost martial quality to it, which always seemed to hover on the verge of breaking the spell
with it's solidity and sharpness; for a while she played with padding wrapped around her
drumsticks to muffle the beat and blend into atmosphere more fully. J. Bennet is a dizzyingly
talented guitar player as well as an imposing figure, his impossibly tall and lean body swaying as
though channelling energy. Bassist and vocalist Sera Timms took on the role of medium, her voice at
once soothing and deeply unsettling, familiar and buttery and somehow broken. Wearing a long,
flowing dress that seemed to drape with the same weight as her dark hair, she was the most still
and reserved figure on stage but still the natural focal point. When the set ended with a moving,
morbid rendition of “Constantinople,” there was almost a sigh of relief as whatever force they had
called up was released and allowed to depart. - Toronto Standard

No matter how alienating a heavy metal band's music might be, no matter how elaborate their
stage set-up, and no matter how stubbornly in-character they remain, most are still held to the basic
assumption that they are ordinary humans. GWAR are sweaty, stinky men underneath their
massive latex suits; Watain are supremely vulnerable under their makeup and offal, their blood and
filth-smeared skin extra susceptible to impetigo. It's unusual that a band is able to maintain the
elaborate fiction or narrative they build around themselves so completely that, for however brief a
moment, the audience can suspend their disbelief and accept that they are watching something
supernatural. With vastly different techniques, both bands who performed at the Opera House on
Monday night convinced their listeners they were more than talented flesh.
Openers and occult rock sorcerers Ides of Gemini left no doubt in my mind that I was watching a
show performed by wizards. Their sound walks a fine line between the ethereal and the palpable,
as though existing in a liminal state or moving between words, making their live show seem more
an act of summoning than a simple performance. The looping structures of their doom-inspired
songs hung heavy in the air, rising slowly, thick as ectoplasm. Kelly Johnston's precise drumming
has an almost martial quality to it, which always seemed to hover on the verge of breaking the spell
with it's solidity and sharpness; for a while she played with padding wrapped around her
drumsticks to muffle the beat and blend into atmosphere more fully. J. Bennet is a dizzyingly
talented guitar player as well as an imposing figure, his impossibly tall and lean body swaying as
though channelling energy. Bassist and vocalist Sera Timms took on the role of medium, her voice at
once soothing and deeply unsettling, familiar and buttery and somehow broken. Wearing a long,
flowing dress that seemed to drape with the same weight as her dark hair, she was the most still
and reserved figure on stage but still the natural focal point. When the set ended with a moving,
morbid rendition of “Constantinople,” there was almost a sigh of relief as whatever force they had
called up was released and allowed to depart. - Toronto Standard

By Craig Haze

Constantinople is the debut album from Los Angeles trio Ides of Gemini. Featuring singer/bassist Sera Timms (of Black Math Horseman fame), noted metal and film journalist J.Bennett on guitar/backing vocals, and drummer Kelly Johnson, the band’s first release for label Neurot Recordings is a beguiling blend of the pensive and ethereal. Much like historical accounts of the city of Constantinople itself, this album is shrouded in mystique.

It’s fitting that Ides of Gemini should find a home on a forward-thinking record label like Neurot—founded as it was by members of Neurosis. Ides of Gemini harness that same transformative energy as Oakland’s burliest sons, similarly juxtaposing delicacy and potency, shadow and radiance. Although Ides of Gemini do not indulge in the walls of noise Neurosis frequently purvey—being more sonically aligned to the melancholic avant-doom of Sub Rosa—the band has that very same Neurosis-like ability to simultaneously convey strength and vulnerability.

Constantinople opens with a brief wash of reverb-heavy, glazed black metal on “The Vessel & the Stake”, immediately revealing the album’s desolate flavor. Bennett’s opening riff quickly reduces its velocity, and the fragments of the song are brought together as Johnson’s martial drumbeat and Timms’ exquisite lilt fashion a tune defined by an almost ritualistic temper.

Sera Timms’ vocals lift the lid on that well of inescapable despondency that resides within us all. Only a voice as intoxicating as hers could ever tempt you to open yourself up to your most apocalyptic fears. Whether weaving her entrancements through the phenomenal psychedelic rumble of “Resurrectionists”, or uttering susurrus lyrics on the chamber doom of “One to Oneness”, her captivating vocals provide a framework for the instrumentation, constructing an altar from which she can preach her plaintive sermons.

Although Timms’ vocals bind the album, there is also much to admire in the skillful work of Johnson and Bennett. Johnson’s drumming, restrained throughout the bulk of the album, adds significant, affecting weight. Much like the work of Earth’s Adrienne Davies, the sparsity of Johnson’s beats accentuates her presence. When her sticks hit the skins during the blackened churn of “Reaping Golden”, that percussive depth is felt in concrete terms. Credit for much of the album’s corporeal punch must also must go producer Chris Rakestraw, who also mixed and engineered Constantinople. Mastering duties were handled by James Plotkin, a man who knows his way around landscapes of panoramic doom via his work with Khanate.

Sparseness and minimalism play a large part in Constantinople‘s allure, and the space within the tracks leaves room for darkly spiritual reflection. Bennett’s visceral riffs, which are often tweaked out with distortion, bring poignant mass to the songs—adding flesh to their bare bones arrangements. “Slain in Spirit” is a perfect example of how his slowly grinding and gritty riffs coalesce with Timms’ soaring vocals (and Johnson’s truculent cadence) to transform the tune into a gigantic meditational stomp. While the glacially paced and elegant riffs of “Old Believer” and the shoegaze and ambient thrum of “One to Oneness” are marked by temperance over tempo, Bennett’s work ensures they are ‘heavy’ nonetheless.

The core dynamic of a trio in sync means you are swept away by waves of haunting doom, yet Constantinople never becomes crushing enough to overwhelm you. You may feel like a piece of emotional flotsam, washed back and forth, tantalizingly within reach of safe land. But there’s hope and room to breathe in the glimpses of arcane sentimentality of “Austrian Windows” and “Martyrium”—where wistful threads of a ’70s folk act like Pentangle exist as much as any stripped-back, Pentagram-inspired doom.

Constantinople is constructed of diaphanous threads, but its fragility should not be confused with frailty. Ides of Gemini perceptively balance subtlety with dexterity, appreciating that music with this much emotive potential requires poise and sagacity. Although this full-length is only the band’s debut, its members have clearly drawn deeply from their own histories, and not just in musical terms. Constantinople compels you to leave your heart unguarded. To do so is to be left unnervingly exposed. In life we seek recompense when allowing ourselves to be so emotionally bare, and there is solace to be found in the works of Ides of Gemini because the rewards are infinite.
- Hellbound

By Craig Haze

Constantinople is the debut album from Los Angeles trio Ides of Gemini. Featuring singer/bassist Sera Timms (of Black Math Horseman fame), noted metal and film journalist J.Bennett on guitar/backing vocals, and drummer Kelly Johnson, the band’s first release for label Neurot Recordings is a beguiling blend of the pensive and ethereal. Much like historical accounts of the city of Constantinople itself, this album is shrouded in mystique.

It’s fitting that Ides of Gemini should find a home on a forward-thinking record label like Neurot—founded as it was by members of Neurosis. Ides of Gemini harness that same transformative energy as Oakland’s burliest sons, similarly juxtaposing delicacy and potency, shadow and radiance. Although Ides of Gemini do not indulge in the walls of noise Neurosis frequently purvey—being more sonically aligned to the melancholic avant-doom of Sub Rosa—the band has that very same Neurosis-like ability to simultaneously convey strength and vulnerability.

Constantinople opens with a brief wash of reverb-heavy, glazed black metal on “The Vessel & the Stake”, immediately revealing the album’s desolate flavor. Bennett’s opening riff quickly reduces its velocity, and the fragments of the song are brought together as Johnson’s martial drumbeat and Timms’ exquisite lilt fashion a tune defined by an almost ritualistic temper.

Sera Timms’ vocals lift the lid on that well of inescapable despondency that resides within us all. Only a voice as intoxicating as hers could ever tempt you to open yourself up to your most apocalyptic fears. Whether weaving her entrancements through the phenomenal psychedelic rumble of “Resurrectionists”, or uttering susurrus lyrics on the chamber doom of “One to Oneness”, her captivating vocals provide a framework for the instrumentation, constructing an altar from which she can preach her plaintive sermons.

Although Timms’ vocals bind the album, there is also much to admire in the skillful work of Johnson and Bennett. Johnson’s drumming, restrained throughout the bulk of the album, adds significant, affecting weight. Much like the work of Earth’s Adrienne Davies, the sparsity of Johnson’s beats accentuates her presence. When her sticks hit the skins during the blackened churn of “Reaping Golden”, that percussive depth is felt in concrete terms. Credit for much of the album’s corporeal punch must also must go producer Chris Rakestraw, who also mixed and engineered Constantinople. Mastering duties were handled by James Plotkin, a man who knows his way around landscapes of panoramic doom via his work with Khanate.

Sparseness and minimalism play a large part in Constantinople‘s allure, and the space within the tracks leaves room for darkly spiritual reflection. Bennett’s visceral riffs, which are often tweaked out with distortion, bring poignant mass to the songs—adding flesh to their bare bones arrangements. “Slain in Spirit” is a perfect example of how his slowly grinding and gritty riffs coalesce with Timms’ soaring vocals (and Johnson’s truculent cadence) to transform the tune into a gigantic meditational stomp. While the glacially paced and elegant riffs of “Old Believer” and the shoegaze and ambient thrum of “One to Oneness” are marked by temperance over tempo, Bennett’s work ensures they are ‘heavy’ nonetheless.

The core dynamic of a trio in sync means you are swept away by waves of haunting doom, yet Constantinople never becomes crushing enough to overwhelm you. You may feel like a piece of emotional flotsam, washed back and forth, tantalizingly within reach of safe land. But there’s hope and room to breathe in the glimpses of arcane sentimentality of “Austrian Windows” and “Martyrium”—where wistful threads of a ’70s folk act like Pentangle exist as much as any stripped-back, Pentagram-inspired doom.

Constantinople is constructed of diaphanous threads, but its fragility should not be confused with frailty. Ides of Gemini perceptively balance subtlety with dexterity, appreciating that music with this much emotive potential requires poise and sagacity. Although this full-length is only the band’s debut, its members have clearly drawn deeply from their own histories, and not just in musical terms. Constantinople compels you to leave your heart unguarded. To do so is to be left unnervingly exposed. In life we seek recompense when allowing ourselves to be so emotionally bare, and there is solace to be found in the works of Ides of Gemini because the rewards are infinite.
- Hellbound