The Lone Furrow

Last updated

The Lone Furrow
Rome - The Lone Furrow.jpg
Studio album by
Rome
Released28 August 2020 (2020-08-28)
Genre Neofolk
Length43:52
Label Trisol Music Group
Rome chronology
Le Ceneri Di Heliodoro
(2019)		The Lone Furrow
(2020)		 Parlez-Vous Hate?
(2021)
Singles from The Lone Furrow
  1. "Ächtung, Baby!"
  2. "Kali Yuga Über Alles"

The Lone Furrow is the 13th studio album by the Luxembourgish music act Rome, released on 28 August 2020 by Trisol Music Group. It is in the neofolk genre and addresses themes of spiritual decay, with influence from writers such as Rudyard Kipling, Friedrich Nietzsche and George Orwell. The album features several guest vocalists from heavy metal bands and critics have said it may appeal to heavy metal fans. Critics said it was a return to the style of Rome's early records, which they described as "martial", [1] [2] while keeping some elements from the more recent albums.

Contents

Music and lyrics

The press release for The Lone Furrow says the album is targeted against the "despiritualized modern age" and promotes a cultural heritage present in Hermann Hesse, Friedrich Nietzsche, Tacitus, George Orwell, Ovid, the Prose Edda , W. B. Yeats and Charles Baudelaire. [3] It says the aim is to convince listeners that the world is larger than any idea about it and to reject easy answers. [3]

The song title "Ächtung, Baby!" is a reference to the 1991 album Achtung Baby by U2, where the added umlaut changes the meaning to "Ostracism, Baby!" [4] The song features Alan Averill from the band Primordial as a guest vocalist. [4] Adam Darski from the band Behemoth appears on "The Angry Cup" with an incantation in Polish. [3] Other guest appearances from singers include Joseph D. Rowland of Pallbearer and J.J. of Harakiri for the Sky. [3] "The Twain" is inspired by the writings of Rudyard Kipling. [1] "Kali Yuga Über Alles" refers to the Kali Yuga, an age of spiritual decline in Hinduism; the track features Aki Cederberg, author of the book Journeys in the Kali Yuga: A Pilgrimage from Esoteric India to Pagan Europe, which is about a search for spiritual connections between ancient Indian and European cultures. The song's lyrics are partially inspired by Ovid and the title is an ironic reference to "California über alles" by Dead Kennedys. [1] "The Weight of Light" takes inspiration from Nietzsche and "The Lay of Ira" from Old Norse literature. The French-language "Palmyra" is about the archaeological site of Palmyra and the threats against its pagan artefacts. "Obsidian" is a German-language tribute to the writer and soldier Ernst Jünger. [1]

Release

"Ächtung, Baby!" was released as a single on 29 May 2020 with "Any Other Grey" as its B-side. [4] "Kali Yuga Über Alles" was also released as a single. [5] Trisol Music Group released The Lone Furrow on 28 August 2020. [6] [7]

Reception

Dom Lawson of Blabbermouth.net and Stefan Wolfsbrunn of Metal.de highlighted the prominent presence of guest singers from the heavy metal genre. [5] [2] They wrote that The Lone Furrow should resonate with heavy metal listeners both for the guest appearances and, according to Lawson, because the album has a dark intensity similar to much heavy metal music. [5] [2] Wolfsbrunn wrote that Rome is one of the most important bands in the neofolk genre, which is pinpointed by The Lone Furrow, and said he hoped the album would transcend genre boundaries. [2]

Marco De Baptistis of Ondarock  [ it ] and Wolfsbrunn wrote that The Lone Furrow sees Rome return to its musical roots of "martial" neofolk. [1] [2] De Baptistis said "On Albion's Plan" is an exception, because of its similarities to the folk music of The Dublin Session (2019), but otherwise, The Lone Furrow is reminiscent of Rome's first three albums, released by Cold Meat Industry. At the same time, it differs from them due to the guest appearances and how Rome works more with suggestions. [1] Wolfsbrunn wrote that The Lone Furrow differs musically from Rome's two previous albums, The Dublin Session and Le Ceneri di Heliodoro (2019), but it retains the latter's political discourse about progress and globalisation, and has similar provocative elements. [2] De Baptistis highlighted the rejection of progress delivered by Cederberg and the album's dystopian visions, which include quotations from Orwell. [1] Oliviër Bernard of Obsküre  [ fr ] described a dramaturgy throughout the album which combines the motifs of spiritual decay and rage with the belief that beauty can save humanity. He wrote that the use of several languages may play into this theme, displaying a "real union of nations", although the album does not offer any clear answers. [7] Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg of Orkus wrote that the opening track's questioning of modern society runs as a red thread, allowing the album to be both critical and open-minded. Although engaging in Weltschmerz , Zinn-Zinnenburg wrote, the message is rebellious rather than mournful, and detached from time and space rather than stuck in the past. [8]

Lawson praised The Lone Furrow's musical formula of drums, synthesizers, acoustic instruments, reverb and Reuter's baritone voice, and said the latter's songwriting abilities have matured, highlighting "Tyriat Sig Tyrias" and "Ächtung, Baby!" He described the album as a highpoint in Rome's career and a good entry point for new listeners. [5] Wolfsbrunn highlighted "The Angry Cup", "Kali Yuga Über Alles" and "Obsidian", writing that the album has its own mood and spirit, which he regards as the mark of an exceptional album. [2] De Baptistis said "Kali Yuga Über Alles" and "Ächtung, Baby!" will be among the most prominent songs in Rome's discography. [1] Bernard said "The Twain" is the album's best track whereas "Making Enemies in the New Age" is "a little flat". [7] Orkus selected The Lone Furrow as its album of the week. Zinn-Zinnenburg said it invites repeated listening and called it "a profound masterpiece". [8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jérôme Reuter.

No.TitleLength
1."Masters of the Earth" (featuring Aki Cederberg)2:45
2."Tyriat Sig Tyrias"2:58
3."Ächtung, Baby!" (featuring Alan Averill)3:58
4."Making Enemies in the New Age" (Joseph D. Rowland)1:00
5."The Angry Cup" (featuring Adam Darski)4:00
6."The Twain"4:00
7."Kali Yuga Über Alles" (featuring Cederberg)4:38
8."The Weight of Light"2:22
9."The Lay of Iria" (featuring J.J.)4:14
10."On Albion's Plain"3:37
11."Palmyra" (featuring Laure Le Prunenec)6:01
12."Obsidian"3:02
13."A Peak of One's Own"1:17
Total length:43:52

Related Research Articles

<i>Achtung Baby</i> 1991 studio album by U2

Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 18 November 1991 on Island Records. After criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their direction to incorporate influences from alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music into their sound. Thematically, Achtung Baby is darker, more introspective, and at times more flippant than their previous work. The album and the subsequent multimedia-intensive Zoo TV Tour were central to the group's 1990s reinvention, by which they abandoned their earnest public image for a more lighthearted and self-deprecating one.

<i>Zooropa</i> 1993 U2 album

Zooropa is the eighth studio album by Irish rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and the Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993 on Island Records. Inspired by the band's experiences on the Zoo TV Tour, Zooropa expanded on many of the tour's themes of technology and media oversaturation. The record was a continuation of the group's experimentation with alternative rock, electronic dance music, and electronic sound effects that began with their previous album, Achtung Baby, in 1991.

Attila Csihar Hungarian singer

Attila Csihar, also sometimes known as Void, is a Hungarian extreme metal vocalist, best known for his vocal work in Norwegian black metal band Mayhem and American drone-doom project Sunn O))). Author Ian Christe describes his vocals as "operatic."

Aborym are an Italian industrial black metal band from Taranto, Apulia, formed in 1993. The band have described their music as "alien-black-hard/industrial", whilst Allmusic described them as playing "a truly original brand of futuristic black metal [with] jagged samples, electronic drums, and industrial overtones, mak[ing] Aborym's peculiar sound very hard to pin down or define". The name of the band derives from Haborym Sadek Aym, overseer of the twenty-six legions of Hell in a seventeenth-century grimoire.

Empyrium

Empyrium is a German symphonic folk/doom metal and (later) neofolk/dark folk band.

<i>Sirius B</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Therion

Sirius B is the twelfth full-length musical album by the symphonic metal band Therion. The album title refers to the star Sirius B. It was released simultaneously with Lemuria. The cover artwork was by Thomas Ewerhard.

<i>Aghora</i> (album) 2000 studio album by Aghora

Aghora is the self-titled debut album by progressive metal band Aghora, released on March 24, 2000. "Jazz-metal" is another style commonly associated with this band. The album features Sean Reinert and Sean Malone from Cynic.

Rome (band)

Rome is an experimental neofolk and martial industrial act founded in November 2005 as a main output for the songs of Jérôme Reuter of Luxembourg. Though Reuter is the main creative force in the band, he performs live with a range of musicians who also contribute performances on various studio recordings. In early 2006 Rome was signed to the Swedish record label Cold Meat Industry. Rome has since signed with the Trisol Music Group record label as of 2009. Rome is considered one of the most important acts within the neofolk genre.

Alan Averill Musical artist

Alan Averill is an Irish musician most notable for his vocal duties for the folk/black metal band Primordial. Averill has also participated in several side projects, including Void of Silence, Blood Revolt, and Twilight of the Gods.

Dope Stars Inc. is an alternative and industrial rock band from Rome, Italy formed in 2003. The band was founded by Victor Love, Darin Yevonde, Grace Khold and Brian Wolfram. They have five albums and three EPs released, with the latest being released on February 27, 2015. The band has signed with multiple labels since their inception, with Trisol Music Group being their first. Currently, their albums are distributed by Trisol in Europe, Subsound in Italy, Metropolis Records in North America, and other small labels including Deathwatch Asia in Japan and other countries.

<i>Gigahearts</i> 2006 studio album by Dope Stars Inc.

Gigahearts is the second studio album by Italian industrial rock band Dope Stars Inc.. Lyrically it focuses on traditional cyberpunk beliefs and themes. The album was released in 2006 first in Europe and in other countries including North America and Australia in the following weeks. Like Dope Stars' previous album and EPs, Gigahearts was recorded on the Trisol record label and distributed by them in most of Europe, while Metropolis Records was the distributor in the United States, Canada and much of the rest of the world. Other companies have handled distribution in some counties.

<i>10.000 Watts of Artificial Pleasures</i> 2003 EP by Dope Stars Inc.

10,000 Watts of Artificial Pleasures is the debut EP, as well as the very first project by Italian industrial rock band Dope Stars Inc.. It was released periodically throughout 2003. Being self-produced and distributed, the band created a street team to sell copies of the album in order to get the attention of labels for future projects. Copies of the EP sold out quickly and boosted the band's reputation into gaining a record deal with Trisol Music Group.

<i>From the Sky Down</i> 2011 documentary film about U2

From the Sky Down is a 2011 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about rock band U2 and the production of their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The film documents the album's difficult recording period, the band members' relationships, and the group's creative process. Guggenheim, who was commissioned by U2 to create the film to commemorate the record's 20th anniversary, spent several months in 2011 developing the documentary. The band were filmed during a return visit to Hansa Studios in Berlin where parts of the album were recorded, and during rehearsals in Winnipeg for the Glastonbury Festival 2011. The film contains unreleased scenes from the group's 1988 motion picture Rattle and Hum, along with archival footage and stills from the Achtung Baby recording sessions. Development of the album's emblematic song "One" is recounted through the replaying of old recording tapes.

"Love Is Blindness" is a song by rock band U2, and the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song was written on piano by lead singer Bono during the recording sessions for U2's 1988 album Rattle and Hum. Originally intending to give the song to singer Nina Simone, the band decided to keep it for Achtung Baby after playing it together. Thematically, the song describes a failing romance, mixing personal themes with imagery of metaphorical acts of terrorism. During the recording sessions for Achtung Baby, guitarist the Edge separated from his wife, Aislinn O'Sullivan. The separation had a major effect on the development of the song; Bono said that the ending guitar solo was a cathartic experience for the Edge, as he snapped several guitar strings during the recording.

No gods, no masters

No gods, no masters is an anarchist and labour slogan. It has been in common use by anarchists and socialists in Europe since the late 19th century. The journal Commonweal, for instance, includes an article by John Creaghe from Sheffield in which he records that the Sheffield Telegraph newspaper "was furious when it found we were Anarchists with 'Neither God nor Master' for our motto". An early 20th century usage as a labour slogan is evident in a pamphlet handed out by the Industrial Workers of the World during the 1912 Lawrence Textile Strike. The phrase is derived from the French slogan "Ni dieu ni maître !" coined by the socialist Louis Auguste Blanqui in 1880, when he published a journal by that name. In Joseph Conrad's novel The Secret Agent, first published in 1907, the anarchist character The Professor says: "My device is: No God! No master."

1476 (band)

1476 is an atmospheric art rock duo based out of Salem, Massachusetts. Founded in 2007 by Robb Kavjian and Neil DeRosa, together they began writing songs which include various themes of Western esoterica, pre-Christian mythology/mysticism, chaos magic, nature, and philosophical themes. They had decided from the beginning to avoid confining themselves to a specific genre and when pressed by interviewers to define their style, they responded with the term, "Hermetic Death Rock."

<i>Parlez-Vous Hate?</i> 2021 studio album by Rome

Parlez-Vous Hate? is the fourteenth album by Luxembourgish neofolk project Rome. It was released on January 29, 2021, on Trisol Music Group.

Seventh Dimension

Seventh Dimension is a Swedish progressive metal band formed in 2009.

<i>The Hyperion Machine</i> 2016 studio album by Rome

The Hyperion Machine is the tenth studio album by the Luxembourgish music act Rome, released on 12 August 2016 by Trisol Music Group.

<i>Le Ceneri Di Heliodoro</i> 2019 studio album by Rome

Le Ceneri Di Heliodoro is the twelfth album by Luxembourgish neofolk project Rome. It was released on January 18, 2019, on Trisol Music Group.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 De Baptistis, Marco (31 August 2020). "Rome: The Lone Furrow". Ondarock  [ it ] (in Italian). Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wolfsbrunn, Stefan (9 September 2020). "Rome - The Lone Furrow". Metal.de (in German). Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Rome releases 16th album 'The Lone Furrow'". Music:LX – Luxembourg Export Office. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "Rome releases new single 'Ächtung, Baby' ahead of upcoming album". Music:LX – Luxembourg Export Office. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Lawson, Dom. "Rome: The Lone Furrow". Blabbermouth.net . Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "Rome: The Lone Furrow: Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 Bernard, Oliviër (6 November 2020). "Rome: The Lone Furrow". Obsküre  [ fr ] (in French). Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  8. 1 2 Zinn-Zinnenburg, Claudia (28 August 2020). "Orkus!-'Album der Woche': 'The Lone Furrow'". Orkus (in German). Retrieved 29 June 2021. Ein tiefgründiges Meisterwerk.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.