Black Mare - Death Magick Mother album review

Ides Of Gemini frontwoman drifts deeper into the aether

Cover art for Black Mare - Death Magick Mother album

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If you’re into ritualistic, spiritual music that is dark and mystical without feeling the need to constantly wave inverted crosses and pentagrams in your face, you have probably heard the name Sera Timms – or at least heard her haunting voice – before. With her first band Black Math Horseman disbanded and her second band Ides Of Gemini diving deeper into goth metal heaviness, this solo project is a dark ambient exploration of the netherworld. On her sophomore album, Sera’s reverb-soaked, ghostly vocals, often little more than a soft whisper, pull you into an ethereal dimension of repetition and tranquillity. Built on basic drum patterns and reduced distorted guitars, this isn’t a record of instrumental virtuosity but of a minimalism that is focused on creating a captivating atmosphere with the simplest means – and it succeeds.