Terrorizer Review (American Terrorist):

The faultless list of inspirational bands accompanying 'American Terrorist' indicates a man of good taste is behind Rote Mare. 50 minutes of a true doom solo project built on foundations laid by Candlemass, Trouble and Pentagram is far from unwelcome, even if the generally great vocals could be a bit chestier and some of the solos do fiddle about a bit too aimlessly. Not up to pro standard yet, and it wants a proper backing band behind it, but the fucking riffs are right there. (8) JHH

Doom-metal.com- Reviewed on 28-01-2008 by Arnstein H. Pettersen

Rote Mare is a strongly politically and socially conscious traditional doom project masterminded by its only member, Phil Howlett. The title of this demo, which is also Rote Mare’s debut, should make it quite clear that views portrayed here are not that of a happy stoner camper. Actually the lyrics on 'American Terrorist' don't just contain explicitly harsh criticisms of the US 'War on Afghanistan' and the US 'War on Iraq', but also intensely strong views on Christianity and almost Worship-grim images of suicide. This is the kind of release where the lyrics stand out from the music and really ensnares the listener.

Musically Rote Mare have some ties to the old-school traditional doom ways, but it's clear that this project belongs to the new wave of doom metal. While the sound of more famous bands such as Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass clearly have much in common with Rote Mare, I believe the closest band would be the lesser known All Souls' Day. The riffs are slow with a strong focus on the buzzing fuzz of the guitar, utilising simpler drums and bass lines. The epic style vocals sound quite promising though they have not yet reached their prime. With some practice I'm pretty sure that they'll be amongst the best in the genre. If this description makes it sound like the sound of the project isn't fully finished on this demo, then you'd be surprised. When you master all of this right, like Phil has managed to, then it ends up quite amazingly. Definitely one of the better debut demos in the genre.

This project is something that people into epic traditional doom metal should keep an eye on. Especially those who enjoy traditional doom bands with strong socially oriented lyrics, such as The Hidden Hand, might be interested in this.