View The Review
9 out of 10
Thought we'd sussed out Rolo Tomassi? The prodigious Sheffield five-piece might have produced some the most divisive, volatile and progressive hardcore on their self-titled Holy Roar EP, but the gap in between that release and this one had allowed? The gap, of course, was enforced by school and touring, but it's meant they've been able to take their time with 'Hysterics' (Being released on Hassle), and it's all the better for it - Rolo Tomassi's sound has expanded and developed in ways that no one except them could have known about, whilst keeping the ferociousness and economy of before.
Rather than open with a blast like 'Film Noir', as they did on the 'Rolo Tomassi' EP, the spooky synth and heavy bass are a precursory build up to an unexpected piece of drone metal, with Eva and James Spence's vocals being made out almost perfectly. When Eva and James do begin the anticipated screaming on 'I Love Turbulence' it's all the more exhilarating. The song itself is fun in its twists and turns, turning the pretentiousness and ridiculousness of grindcore into something respectable and something that you'd actually want to listen to - even with the jazz break.
They create atmosphere brilliantly, using bass and synths to create sounds that are dark and haunting, creeping around on 'Macabre Charade', 'Abraxas', 'Fantasia' and 'Everything Went Grey', before unleashing their bloody roar - 'Abraxas' and 'Nine' are particularly nasty. And if the penultimate track 'Scrabs' is Rolo Tomassi at their most familiar - 8-bit and flailing body parts - then the final song, 'Fantasia' is them taking their biggest leap forward. The drone of 'Oh, Hello Ghost' is taken to even lower, darker places, while the hardcore is some of the most dramatic, ambidextrous (Eva's gentle singing voice only goes to highlight the brutality around it) and intense of this or any year.
Post-Meet Me In St. Louis, and while we wait to see what ¡Forward, Russia! and Gallows do next, Rolo Tomassi are what we need. There might be a backlash - they are after all receiving lavish critical praise, and are young, clever, talented and dress well (Y'know, everything we want our rock bands to be), but who cares? Their name, after the imaginary criminal in 'LA Confidential' who always gets away with his crime, has never been more appropriate, because no one else could do this.
Listen: www.myspace.com/rolotomassi
Tracklist:
1. Oh, Hello Ghost
2. I Love Turbulence
3. Fofteen
4. Abraxas
5. An Apology To The Universe
6. Nine
7. Macabre Charade
8. Trojan Measures
9. Everything Went Grey
10. Scars
11. Fantasia
No comments:
Post a Comment