Art in perfection - "WTF?" is probably the most common comment after seeing the price tag on ROME's upcoming release: 100 euro for a limited edition box set, ROME's tenth album in as many years! Many wonder "Can this be any good?" But after extensive examination of ROME's "A Passage to Rhodesia" box set, I can only say in reply to the aforementioned acronym: "Bollocks! This is amazing!" Jerome Reuter delivers a musically, conceptually and technically perfectly crafted piece of art. A heavyweight in every sense, the likes of which have probably never been seen before.
The box weighs 2 kg and contains not only the main album "A Passage to Rhodesia" but also an additional exclusive full-length album "House of Stone", a DVD and a 12"-sized 112-page hardcover coffee-table book (which would be THE eye-catcher in any bookshop window display), 2 giant posters and various other artefacts. Last but not least, there's a generous surprise piece in there too (no, I won't spoil it) which will undoubtedly make any fan's heart skip a beat! The main album of this amazing set is a Dark Folk masterpiece. I generally don't like comparisons but in order to keep this review somewhat short, let's just say this: Imagine "Masse Mensch Material" and "Flowers From Exile" had been meant as two parts of a trilogy, "A Passage to Rhodesia" would be the third, missing piece. The beauty of this whole piece of art comes from these astonishingly melodic, almost poppy yet dark songs, the distinctive vocals and the formidable arrangements - an extremely appealing mix which lends a caprivating aura to this astonishing creative output. "House of Stone" surprises with its pure and uncompromising Martial Industrial -which is in fact most likely the best word for its proud owner to describe this whole box set: absolutely uncompromising!
Either you are willing to let yourself plunge into that world or you you are not. Either you like it or you don't, but one thing is for certain: "A Passage to Rhodesia" is an extraordinary total work of art. A groundbreaking milestone.
Marc Frei
- Orkus Magazine, Germany
Box • 2CD • DVD • picture book • posters • postcards • coin • sticker • certificate • 1000 copies
Out on August 2nd, 2014. PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM:
Tesco:
goo.gl/avH54l
Fantotal: goo.gl/sEZcuN
COP Intl. (North America): goo.gl/2KdVUP
OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE:
/ romeproject
26 авг 2024
