Rolo Tomassi, Tunbridge Wells Forum, 16/4/10

Quietly entering the stage dressed in a silver sequinned hoodie, Rolo Tomassi’s petite lead singer Eva Spence looks somewhat out of place amongst a room full of heavy-metal fans. However, after brazenly declaring, “there are no rules”, the band launch into the first song and any concerns The Fly may have had of this songstress getting flattened by an over-zealous mosh are hastily negated.

It is quite astonishing that these throaty, guttural vocals are produced by such a diminutive figure and their music is definitely not the sort to listen to if you suffer from headaches or a nervous disposition. With their distinctive 'mathcore-rock' sound, it would be fair to say that Rolo Tomassi are far from everyone's cup of tea, and the mere 150 people present tonight is perhaps testament to this. However, despite Eva declaring that tonight they are performing in “one of the coldest venues in the country”, it doesn't take long for this ardent crowd to be suitably warmed up.

Whilst the set features older songs such as 'Scabs' and 'I Love Turbulence', the band have been using this tour as an opportunity to debut material from their new album 'Cosmology'. Electronica and even elements of jazz are prominent, along with intermittent but swift changes into softer, more commonplace harmonies proving that Rolo Tomassi are not happy simply resting upon their laurels. New songs such as 'Party Wounds' and 'Unromance' demonstrate just how integral these electro elements in particular are to their sound, often taking them away from their metal roots altogether.

The undeniable star of this show is the young Miss Spence, who flits between throwing herself around the stage as if her life depends on it, and twirling about like a classical dancer. Combined with the almost demonic vocals, this Sheffield quintet provides a rather erratic spectacle that The Fly is certainly not going to forget in a hurry.


This review was originally posted on www.the-fly.co.uk