Years active 2005 - Present Website www.rome.lu | ||
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Members Jérôme Reuter, Patrick Damiani, Nikos Mavridis Albums Flowers From Exile, A Passage to Rhodesia, Die Æsthetik der Herrs, Masse Mensch Material, The Hyperion Machine Profiles | ||
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 are considered one of the most important acts within the neofolk genre. Prior to his work in Rome, Reuter was the singer in a post-punk band called Mack Murphy and the Inmates.
Contents
Musical style and ideology
According to Paul Simpson, the band's sound combines "military drumming and horns with atmospheric electronic textures and ethereal acoustic guitars, as well as samples and poetic lyrics often relating to war-related themes, as well as more universal topics such as love, pain, and death." Reuter has cited Jacques Brel, Léo Ferré, Albert Camus, and Jean Genet as influences on his music and lyrics. He has also stated on many occasions that Rome is an apolitical band. In an interview with the website Heathen Harvest, Reuter said the following:
I mean, I’ve only been honest about not believing there’s any middle ground when it comes to racism and homophobia, for example. And my back-catalog includes many songs that obviously go against the grain in some way. But as you’ve mentioned, I would not like ROME to be seen as a ‘political band’. That tarnishes things. I don’t want to talk about politics all day long, either. ROME does not push a particular philosophy like some bands (not just in the underground) do. My leaning to the left of things—or whatever it is—is not that important, and I don’t think politics should get in the way of making good art.
Songs
To Die Among StrangersFlowers From Exile · 2005
Wir Götter der StadtMasse Mensch Material · 2008
Les Îles NoiresNos chants perdus · 2006