This is the ultimate Rolo Tomassi album.
Rolo Tomassi have been smashing musical genres since their debut album Hysterics all the way back in 2005. They have always been a band firmly placed within the ‘Experimental’ side of Metal and Rock (or using a wider lens, music in general). As time has gone on, we’ve seen them mature as musicians and with every new album comes a more refined sound. Their new album, Where Myth Becomes Memory, is not just the culmination of their journey through music but can be described as the ultimate Rolo Tomassi record.
The latest foray into the musical styles of Rolo Tomassi is not as heavy as you may expect. Past albums have taught us to be ready for anything with them and this is no different. Having just ten tracks, the band doesn’t mess around with the story they wish to tell. Some moments are so heavy you’ll think someone has turned the volume up on your sound system, whilst other moments are so peaceful you’ll think they don’t belong alongside the preceding ten minutes.
It always is and always will be supremely hard to describe their sound – ‘Experimental Rock Band” just doesn’t seem to do them justice. Yes, there are some of the heaviest riffs and mind melting screaming you will hear on a new release in 2022 but to call it a metal album is absurd. Be ready for screams and plenty of them mixed with moments of tranquillity which bizarrely fit right in with the mission statement of this record.
If you were a fan of ‘older’ Tomassi with time signatures so bizarre the BPM was impossible to figure out, then it’s doubtful you’ll be appreciative of this new album. The erratic keys and drums seem to be nowhere to be seen anymore, replaced by solid drumming throughout and on occasions classical piano for those slower songs. These songs in particular rely on the lead singer Eva Korman and the strength of her voice to lure the listener in.
The majority of the vocals on this record are placed on her shoulders and she nails it every time. The only song with additional vocals is To Resist Forgetting where we hear from James Spence (keys and additional vox). His voice adds a great layer not just to the song but also the journey that the album takes, letting the listener know their time is almost at an end.
Standouts for this album are Closer and the aforementioned To Resist Forgetting. The whole band is firing on all cylinders in these songs, but frontwoman Korman and her vocal talents really shine through as standouts here.
“There is no band on Earth quite like Rolo Tomassi” is almost a cliche thing to say after over a decade and a half but this tagline still fits in 2022. The band have found their musical footing, so to speak, and have made their most refined record to date. This is the ultimate Rolo Tomassi album and everyone should give it a listen.
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