The Sheffield-based band discuss their formation, how they captured their unique sound and hint at a new release soon to come!
Going strong for fifteen years now, Rolo Tomassi have succeeded in capturing their own unique sound. From their technical abilities to the stand-out vocals of front-woman, Eva Korman, the Sheffield-based band have had no issues when it comes to making themselves heard.
A hybrid of styles and an experimental take on the metal genre, the band are renowned for their ability to push boundaries and defy expectations in their discography. Perfectly balancing on the tightrope between technical precision and catchy, accessible riffs, Rolo Tomassi have perfected their sound already, with their next album guaranteed to stand out for all the right reasons.
Now, five albums in and with a new release in the pipeline, James Spence talks us through how the band formed, what the highlight of their career has been and what to expect from Rolo Tomassi in the future!
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1. In your own words, how would you describe Rolo Tomassi to someone who has never come across your music before?
“To try and distil it, I would say we’re a Progressive Post Metal band.”
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2. How did Rolo Tomassi first come to form as a band? Was it purely due to a love of music or was there a particular gap in the music scene that you wanted to fill?
“The first line-up of the band was formed when we were teenagers getting into heavy music. It wasn’t so much about filling a gap but wanting to contribute and feeling inspired by what we were listening to.”
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3. What kind of music did you grow up with and who most influences you when it comes to writing?
“Growing up I was really into bands like Hundred Reasons, At The Drive-In, Thursday, Pretty Girls Make Graves… In terms of my current influences for writing, I can definitely still feel all of those artists embedded in what we do but I’ve turned to piano players for my own contribution. I love Joep Beving, Hania Rani and Olafur Arnalds.”
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4. You’re most widely recognised for your unique sound that separates you from the masses, most notably, your use of polyrhythmic drumming, time signature changes and the stand-out vocals of Eva Korman. How exactly did you come to capture this distinctive sound?
“Lots of experimentation, different musicians leaving and joining and having a lot of different influences individually! There are a lot of bands our sound is indebted to as well. The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Botch…”
“I think Eva as a vocalist does add something different and we’re fortunate to have a vocalist with such a phenomenal range of both sung and screamed vocals.”
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5. From playing at Download Festival and sharing stages with bands such as Jane’s Addiction and Gojira, Rolo Tomassi have already accomplished things that many bands could only dream of. What has been a standout opportunity for you personally?
“Getting to tour America was something I had always wanted to do and we’ve been able to do both coasts in the last few years. That was literally a dream come true!”
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6. You’ve been known to come to life when you hit the stage- bringing an eruption of energy into every performance. How do you come to create this energy, for instance, are there any pre-show rituals you have?
“No real rituals… I think I’ve always enjoyed bands that are high energy performers and I think the music we play demands it. In terms of creating it, exercising lots haha.”
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7. You’ve previously said that you’ll “never shy away from being experimental”. Why does Rolo Tomassi place so much emphasis on pushing boundaries and defying genres in their music? Is it for personal reasons or, more generally, do you think the metal scene should have more niche and unorthodox bands?
“I want to make music that’s interesting and offers something different.”
“We’ve always been part of subcultures that advocate that, both as a band and as fans. I think in order for music to progress we need artists that don’t make safe choices with their sounds.”
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8. Your album, Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It, came out two years ago now. Have you got any plans installed for a new release? If so, will you be diverting your sound towards a new direction or are you devoted to maintaining your signature style?
“We’ve been working on new music all year and hope to have a new release ready for 2021! It builds on the foundations we’ve made but of course will sound a BIT different. It has to!”
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Keep up to date with Rolo Tomassi via the links below!
https://rolotomassi.bandcamp.com/
https://rolotomassi.bigcartel.com/
Beneath the Surface 