Midwest emo act Kerith Ravine formed around Akron, OH in 1997 and were active until 2001. In that short time they recorded 2 self-released CD EPs, released a split 7″ with fellow Ohioans Cpt. Nemo, and also released a full-length album through Bulletproof Music (Dear Ephesus, Aleixa, etc.) The band played a fun subset of Midwest emo which had them incorporating strings on one track and screaming on another, all the while holding subtle melodies close.
After Kerith Ravine (name for the brook where OT prophet Elijah took refuge while hiding from Ahab) finished, some of the members then formed Lovedrug, which also contained former members of Eso-Charis. Lovedrug still dabbled in emo but took on a poppier indie rock sound and pursued a mainstream audience. Kerith Ravine was short-lived, but their musical impact was significant, if not commercially then at least artistically.
“A Gentleman’s Strange Dream” is the opening track from their Bulletproof full-length The Streams of Jettison, released in 2000.
Kerith Ravine is from my hometown. They were more known as “math rock” than “emo”, because their music had some serious complexity and time and tempo changes, as well as dramatic musical shifts. Got to hang with the guys when they became Lovedrug.