There is something other worldly about Rolo Tomassi, under the watchful eye of their formidable leader Eva Korman they transcend dimensions yet unknown to us and introduce a sound that is quite magical. There is mystery, a complexion that you cannot compartmentalise, and even amongst the unfamiliar and the obscure there is comfort and solace.
The beautiful and intriguing ‘Almost Always’ excites the palate, triggering an Oliver
Twist-esque ‘can I have some more?’ we offer our begging bowl and Rolo Tomassi do not disappoint, they flood our stricken lives with their beauty and guile, their innocence, and then in turn their possessive and penetrative ambience.
A zealousness, a depth of thought and presentation emits from the speakers and the pleading is emotionally charged, electrifying even. It is in the middle of ‘Labyrinthine’ that I realise the atmospherics remind me of Twin Peaks, yes that other mythological creature of a movie, the same temptress undertones, beneath the surface of a warrior banshee. The drum intro on
‘Drip’ incessant, powerful and set to the image of a girl laying beside a shore, provocative and evocative, the steely romanticism is fragmented to reveal remnants that have been cast out, to be collected and cherished by strangers. When Amy Lee sang the lyric ‘my heart is broken’ and now Eva sings ‘ all I want is you’ there is an eleven year gap between the two songs but the intensity in their sentiment is quite breath-taking.
Switching effortlessly from voice of an angel to eldritch screeching and power growls, from a whisper to a scream, sit back my friends and appreciate the diversity and aura of such talent, it is a parting of the water’s moment. An evolution in Mathcore, a genre that is a difficult one I feel to address, nevertheless it is potent stuff and commands our attention. The penultimate track ‘To Resist Forgetting’ paints a scenario where ‘if we hide for long enough we might survive’ a notion that occurs in our minds most of the time. A perfect balance between the harsh and the clean, the rough and the smooth, give them your last Rolo, you’ve got nothing to lose.
Azra Pathan
Rolo Tomassi – Where Myth Becomes Memory out now via MNRK Records