The Beauty of Gemina is a musical group from Switzerland , formed in 2006 and working in the genres of darkwave and gothic rock .
| The beauty of gemina | |
|---|---|
 The Beauty of Gemina at 2015 Bochum Total | |
| basic information | |
| Genres | gothic rock darkwave |
| Years | since 2006 |
| A country |  Switzerland |
| Where from | |
| Language of songs | English |
| Labels | Monkey music Decca international Danse macabre Metropolis records Universal music |
| Composition | Michael Seele (vocals, programming) David Fetsch (bass) Mack Wincens (drums) Dennis Mungo (guitar, concert only) |
| Former the participants | Martin Lucio (bass) |
| Other projects | Nuuk |
Group History
The Beauty of Gemina was formed by vocalist Michael Seele in 2006 - after his previous band Nuuk split up. It was named after Gemina, the beloved of the ancient philosopher Plotinus [1] . The original lineup, in addition to Zele, included bassist Martin Lucio and drummer Mac Wincens. Soon, the musicians released their first studio album Diary of a Lost , which European critics praised [2] . The main single from it - “Suicide Landscape” - hit the first line of the international Gothic chart and turned out to be one of the main darkwave hits of 2007 [3] . The clip for this composition received a rotation on the German television channel VIVA .
The success of the debut disc inspired the group to conduct several tours. In May 2008, The Beauty of Gemina performed for the first time at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen festival in Leipzig, and then went on a British tour with ASP . Returning to Switzerland, the musicians released their second album, A Stranger to Tears , which finished third in the German alternative chart; the video for the song “This Time” was again shown on VIVA, and the disc as a whole earned praise from critics [4] .
The third album, called At the End of the Sea , was released in 2010. In his support, the group performed at the prestigious festivals Castle Party (2010), M'era Luna and Whitby Gothic Weekend (2011). According to journalists, the sound of the group on this disc has become softer and more melodic [5] . In January 2012, the fourth disc of the band, Iscariot Blues , was released on three labels at once, which the music critics considered “very strong” and “amazing” [6] . The success of this album turned out to be so loud that the group first hit the mainstream charts for its entire existence [7] .
Style, influence, theme of songs
One of the features of The Beauty of Gemina has always been the combination of elements from various musical directions. The influence of classics is noticeable on the debut album Diary of a Lost - in the composition “Victims of Love” even an excerpt from “Mass in C minor ” by Mozart was even used [2] . Other genres that influenced the band's early work include art rock [2] , industrial , electronics , gothic rock and darkwave [4] . Songs vary greatly in sound character - if some are dance hits, then others require serious perception [4] . The group uses the sound of instruments that are relatively rarely used by rock musicians - for example, oboe , violin , cello [4] . The Beauty of Gemina's early work was somewhat influenced by the Sisters of Mercy [4] .
At the End of the Sea is easier to comprehend than previous ones, and guitar parts come to the fore; at the same time, it is more melodic, “lighter” and “more danceable” than the band’s early disks [5] . Nevertheless, the melancholy, “hypnotic”, clean and cold vocals of Michael Seele [2] [4] combines this album with the previous ones [5] .
The latest Iscariot Blues album to date has a special, new sound for the group. Blues elements appeared on it, although in general it certainly retains a clear Gothic orientation [6] . According to Michael Seele, he sees the first three discs as a kind of trilogy, while the fourth release marked the beginning of a new period in The Beauty of Gemina. In addition, some guitar parts for this album were originally recorded as acoustic [7] .
The group attaches great importance to the lyrics of compositions, many of which are devoted to depression , loneliness, broken hopes, and some to suicide [1] . Separate texts of The Beauty of Gemina can also be construed as anticlerical [1] . Political motives are also present in them - for example, pacifist ideas are expressed in the song “Stairs” [7] .
Discography
- Diary of a Lost (2006)
- A Stranger to Tears (2008)
- At the End of the Sea (2010)
- Iscariot Blues (2012)
- The Myrrh Sessions (2013)
- Ghost Prayers (2014)
- Minor Sun (2016)
- Flying with the Owl (2018)
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Janosch Tröhler. Michael Sele (Beauty of Gemina) - im Gespräch (German) . ImScheinwerfer.ch (5. Mai 2009). Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived October 2, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Thomas Abresche. Diary of a Lost review (German) . Sonic Seducer (No. 2/2007) . Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived October 2, 2012.
- ↑ Global Gothic Chart - TOP 50 SONGS of the Year 2007 . GothicEra.com. Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived on August 19, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Karin Hoog. A Stranger to Tears review (German) . Sonic Seducer (No. 10/2008) . Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived October 2, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Karin Hoog. At the End of the Sea review (German) . Sonic Seducer (No. 4/2010) . Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived October 2, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 Miranda Yardley. Iscariot Blues review . Dominion Music Magazine (February 15, 2012). Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived October 2, 2012.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Kevin Morris. Interview: The Beauty of Gemina . Dominion Music Magazine (March 6, 2012). Date of treatment August 9, 2012. Archived October 2, 2012.
Links
- thebeautyofgemina.com - The Beauty of Gemina official site
- The Beauty of Gemina official page on Myspace
- The Beauty of Gemina on Discogs