Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory (2022)^{Release ID: 34186}

It should not go without saying that I have never been the biggest fan of the sporadic side of metalcore known as mathcore. Now that might seem weird considering my favourite metal album of last year was a metalcore album, but those seeds were planted a few years earlier with Rolo Tomassi. And what gravitated me towards Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It more so than any other Rolo Tomassi album was how well it blended its post-metal elements with the frantic mathcore compositions. As a result, that record rightfully earned its place among the best albums of 2018.

And so, when I saw Rolo Tomassi were going to be making a record with a lot more post-metal techniques, surely I should like this album even more right? Well it’s kind of a hit or miss scenario. Having more tunes in a style that I am more comfortable with and enjoy with more frequency is all well and good, but considering how Rolo Tomassi were so integral in my appreciation for metalcore, to drop it entirely is a bit of a letdown.

And it bothers me the most because not much has changed in the years since. Lewis Johns is still the bands primary producer and knows how to mix this band properly; the synth timbre is excellent, the guitar and bass sound pummeling when they have to be, and it all compliments the wonderful voice of Eva Korman (both singing and screaming). The percussion is a lot less active this time around with fewer technically demanding passages, which does contribute to its accessibility and could be viewed as a disappointment by those expecting a return to the hardcore sounds of yesteryear.

Part of it is how the frantic mathcore passages were given so much more bombast in comparison to its shoegaze sections that felt less like musical interludes, but rather part of the whole experience. Whereas with this? I assume you have to be in the mood for some moody, albeit very beautiful, post-metal. Rolo Tomassi are very good songwriters and Where Myth Becomes Mystery has some legitimate great moments. But they are only limited to moments.