Rolo Tomassi have somehow remained relatively underground for such a well-known band. Their fifth album, 2018’s Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It, was a phenomenal success, receiving a handful of perfect review scores and critical acclaim across the board. How do you follow that up? It turns out: Like this.
Where Myth Becomes Memory is breathtaking. From its ethereal opening track to its wondrous closer, listeners are welcomed into more than just an album, but a beacon of hope.
A lot of this vibe is all thanks to Eva Korman and her stunning vocal work. A few times on the album she is given the opportunity to delve into her unique sound where she ushers in some reverence into the usually brash genre. During these moments, she delivers some truly standout performances. Her dainty-yet-mighty tones soar through every track on the record like a spell-casting mage, regardless of whether it is a riff-filled retreat or a hymn.
Eva’s voice is just one large part of what makes Rolo Tomassi so special – but there is even more under the surface.
The production of the record is the other side of Where Myth Becomes Memory. The band have blatantly taken painstaking care in handcrafting every moment of every song on the album. In doing so, they have allowed themselves the extra time to build a beautiful compositional elegance on the way.
Almost Always is a prime example of this, and it is soon followed up by the band’s recent single Closer, which is filled with truly stunning piano work that feels as if it reflects the band’s persona; A graceful bombardment of musicality that doesn’t quit. The album’s final track, The End of Eternity, is another example of this and is a wonderful addition to the band’s repertoire.
Where Myth Becomes Memory isn’t all about its more serene moments, however (in fact, it’s heavier than it feels at first).
The back-breaking riffs featured throughout Cloaked carry listeners through to the Guitar Hero-esque Mutual Ruin. Later on, the guttural Labyrinthine allegorises a sense of urgency through its ever-shifting walls. But Rolo Tomassi feels the most contemporary on Prescience, a track that will become a favourite for new and old fans alike. Stacked with vicious vocals and cinematic soundscapes, the song rounds off with a barrage of horns that evoke feelings of doom, while also reminding listeners of Dune’s Arrakis.
Of course, the band would not be what it is without its jazz influences, and Drip shows off just how skilled drummer Al Pott is in this sense, even when left in charge of his own space with bouncy fills and kit crashes.
The members of Rolo Tomassi obviously pride themselves on their art, and their latest album is a perfect example of just how much effort they have put into their music. They have triumphed in both their songwriting and production, creating a dense record that, on subsequent listens, will pay dividends.
Rolo Tomassi – Where Myth Becomes Memory is out tomorrow.
