GATES OF KIEV SET NOV. 6 RELEASE FOR SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM
Dutch progressive rock trio GATES OF KIEV will release its self-titled debut album Nov. 6 through The Laser’s Edge.
Founded in the Netherlands by childhood friends Tomas Mesman and Hessel Braat, GATES OF KIEV traces its beginnings to teenage garage sessions built around the pair’s shared interest in classic and vintage rock. Mesman handles organ while Braat plays drums. The lineup was later completed by bassist Eszl De Vois, whom the pair met while performing on Amsterdam’s live music circuit.
The band takes its name from “The Great Gates of Kiev,” the closing movement of Pictures at an Exhibition and a key piece on Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s 1971 live album of the same name. That connection reflects the trio’s substantial early progressive-rock influence, although GATES OF KIEV also draws from contemporary garage and punk.
The result is an organ-driven, mostly instrumental sound built around extended compositions, abrupt dynamics and the energy of the band’s live performances. When vocals do appear, GATES OF KIEV uses them sparingly to address personal struggles and broader social themes, while the instrumental passages carry much of the narrative.
The debut Gates Of Kiev runs approximately 40 minutes across just four tracks: “Hamlet Burns,” “Baltazar’s Feast,” “Silhouette” and “Drunkship Of The Mice.”
Ahmad Mansour recorded the album at Ijland Studio in Amsterdam, with White Willow’s Jacob Holm-Lupo handling mixing and mastering in Norway. Italian illustrator Mont Doom created the cover artwork.
Gates Of Kiev will be available on LP, CD and digital platforms Nov. 6 through The Laser’s Edge. Preorders are available now through the label and Bandcamp.
Gates Of Kiev track listing:
- “Hamlet Burns”
- “Baltazar’s Feast”
- “Silhouette”
- “Drunkship Of The Mice”