Gates Of Kiev is a progressive rock band founded in the Netherlands by childhood friends, organist Tomas Mesman and drummer Hessel Braat. The band’s origins trace back to their teenage years, when a shared passion for classic and vintage music brought them together. What began as informal late night hard rock sessions in a small garage gradually evolved into the musical foundation that defines the band today. While performing on the Amsterdam live music circuit, the duo met Eszl De Vois, an established bass player in the underground psychedelic scene whose passion for unconventional jazz fit the band like a glove. Heavily inspired by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, the band adopted the name “Gates of Kiev,” taken from the iconic piece featured on the live album Pictures at an Exhibition. Taking further inspiration from the modern local garage and punk scene as well as the early years of 70s prog bands, Gates of Kiev’s live shows evolved into a high energy and intense performance. Loud, fast, and over the top.
The band’s songs are long and mostly instrumental. The lyrics they do have cover both very personal struggles as societal topics, delivered in a whimsical and sometimes direct way. The dynamics and atmosphere within the instrumental parts are closely tied to the themes of the songs, trying to set a story without words. The album was mixed and mastered by White Willow’s Jacob Holm-Lupo in Norway.