Rote Mare - Corruption
By Mike Ballue (Hellride)
November 13, 2008

It has not always been an easy road for one man doom crew from down under Phil Howlett. Responsible for every bit of the music, both composition and performance it all comes home to roost with a single man and that has to way heavily at times. Add having stumbled into a conflict with some of the stronger willed and outspoken members here at the Hellride Forum and he’s certainly fielded his share of flack. You get the feeling very quickly after hitting play on his new album Corruption that he’s taken far harder and deeper hits from life though.

“Happiness” lives up to its unorthodox (for doom at least) title with a very unorthodox approach. “Happiness is a drug, lay back and don’t you fight it!” as a chorus may sound like it belongs in some Ecstacy fueled trip hop pile of dung, but here, on the heals of the downright venomous vocals in the verse and sung in a strange sort half Post Punk half Gothic and fully deadpan manner it’s more disturbing than joyous. A fair warning of the tone this album carries on…a bizarre mixture of the disturbing and irritating, yet at the same time weirdly compelling. The music also seems to have begun some sort of journey from the rather straight forward doom roots of Phil’s past. The doom riffs and melancholic lead lines still abound, but they seem to be more sectional coloring than the bone structure of the song. There’s an almost punkish urgency at times despite the slow tempo and the vocals convey an amalgamation of suffering, sadness, despair and rage at the world that has you fearing a bit for Mr. Howlett’s sanity. He sounds like he means it.

Next up “The Stones of Blood” is far closer to traditional doom, when the riff that comes in about four and a half minutes into the song arrives, blissfully so. The feelings of alternating aversion and attraction continue though. This album is significantly more challenging than past efforts, hard to engage with but near impossible to pull back from, hooking that thing in the human spirit that makes some people unable to look away from a gory car wreck. Not that I would call this album a car wreck, but it’s far from an easy listen.

The rest of the album stays true to established vibe and form from there on out. When the guitars go out and out doom its great (closer “The Serpent” being my favorite by far), but at times like the beginning of “Inquisitor” it’s like nails on a chalk board (and I’m not at all sure that it was not intended to be). All in all anything but garden variety. If you’re looking for and easy unengaged listen, steer well clear of this. If you want an auditory challenge in the neighborhood of doom, you may want to check this out.


REVIEW-THE EVIL INQUISITION

ROTE MARE - 'Corruption'
[Unsigned]


From Adelaide on the sun drenched coast of Australia comes a three piece traditional heavy metal and doom band who are spewing forth with their third full length release simply entitled 'Corruption'. It is always nice to find a band whose lyrics you can decipher whilst the music plays through it's repertoire and that is what you get with Rote Mare. It's funny really because the music isn't overly heavy, nor is it dripping with intensity yet the flat rhythm remains interesting and sounds fantastic, and when Rote Mare decide to take 'Corruption' up a notch it makes it even groovier, all adding to the slowed down Doom like effect. Rote Mare are from an old school up bringing if their musical style is anything to go by and it truly does show when it comes to the quality of this EP which is extremely high. 'Corruption' will cast darkness around you then pull you in for a lesson on traditional doom style values, so let the class begin! [7]