Ides Of Gemini – “Women” [Album Review]

Here before us is the third full-length of the Los Angeles dark rock-cum-alternative metal quartet Ides Of Gemini. That’s right, quartet. With the replacement of founder pounder Kelly Johnston by Scott Batiste of Saviours and addition of bass man Adam Murray, it seems that the band has undergone a frenetic phoenix transition with new tweaks, styles and powers attached. Coupled with a new partnership on Lee Dorian’s Rise Above Records (home to Blood Ceremony, With The Dead, and Lucifer to name a few), things are about to get a bit crazier for them.

The first wonderful thing noticed is with Timms’ vocal delivery now. The Siouxsie Sioux comparisons will no doubt fly concerning Sara’s voice, by those who recall older days of UK alternative and punk/death rock. I’ve always been enchanted by her throaty timbres at any rate, but here she simply soars and makes the heart flutter. I will very much slightly miss the intimate compact nature of the band before, but with the music in her bandmates’ capable hands, Sara can begin to start testing her limits.

This album is a ‘must get’ in their catalog, and every release already preceding this has been stellar. In the current climate these past few years of dark rock-lite outfits like True Widow, Royal Thunder and Chelsea Wolfe, Ides may have only started a scant seven years ago, but their traveled paths of both most and least resistance, have blossomed into a peninsula’s worth of possibility. One accidental ‘hit’ single away from more success than anyone could guess perhaps? I’m willing to bet that that is totally within the realm of possibility.

Women Track Listing:

01. Mother Kiev
02. The Rose
03. The Dancer
04. Raft Of Medusa
05. Heroine’s Descent
06. Swan Diver
07. The Last Siren
08. Zohra
09. She Has A Secret
10. Queen Of New Orleans

Run Time: 42:22
Release Date: April 28, 2017

Check out the track “Heroine’s Descent”