Rome – Defiance (EP – Trisol)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Folk, Chanson.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: “Defiance” probably is the most particular work ever composed by Rome. This EP features four songs about the current war in Ukraine. A few weeks ago Rome even played a charity concert in Ukraine, which once more confirms the commitment of the Luxembourger artist.
Content: The songs are once more mixing pure Dark-Folk, Ballads and Chanson together. It’s a dark and sensible experience with Jérôme‘s deep timbre of voice on top. The songs are dealing with the Ukrainian war, which makes the listening only more poignant and even confusing. The last cut is a short track whereon you can hear the sirens announcing nearby bombings.
+ + + : Rome isn’t only dealing with the terrible subject of the Ukrainian war, but the fact he performed these songs on the Ukrainian floor makes the EP really special. And next there’s the music, which together with the lyrics and the artist’s singing made it become emotional. “The Brightest Sun” is one of the most sensible songs ever composed by Rome, but I of course also have to mention “Going Back To Kyiv”. The title speaks for itself. Acoustic guitar playing and vocals bring a message to the listener for, which unfortunately the war makers remain silent.
– – – : The title song is the last one, which sounds like an outro, but also getting us back to reality by the sirens announcing new bombings.
Conclusion: Rome never stops to surprise me, but this EP is really special because most of the Europeans feel affected by this horror.
Best songs: “The Brightest Sun”, “Going Back To Kyiv”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.rome.lu / www.facebook.com/romeproject
Label: www.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol-Music-Group/104166526285471
About Rome
Jérôme Reuter founded Rome in Luxembourg in November 2005. The project signed to Cold Meat Industry in 2006, releasing the EP “Berlin” and the album “Nera”, followed by “Confessions D’un Voleur D’Ames” (2007). Rome moved to Trisol in 2009 with the EP “To Die Among Strangers” and the album “Flowers From Exile”, and has released a steady stream of Dark-Folk albums on the label since. “Defiance” follows a charity concert Reuter played in Ukraine, its four songs written around the war there.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
