Rome
Le ceneri di Heliodoro

The new album by Rome - with the evocative title Le ceneri di Heliodoro - represents a sort of return, after two somewhat surprising albums like The Hyperion Machine and Hall Of Thatch, to the neo-folk style of the beginnings. The opening track “Sacra entrata” is in the dark and martial style of the very first Der Blutharsch, those, to be clear, of Der Sieg Des Lichtes Ist Des Lebens Heil: a stentorian voice declaims over a backdrop of drums while a female voice evokes (reciting in Italian) the figure of the Poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. The following “A New Unfolding” is a classic ballad in its typical folk style. With “Who Only Europa Know” – the title not coincidentally recalls Only Europa Knows from 1996 by Death In June from the magnificent Kapo!– the conversation is about the cultural heritage of Europe and how today the soul of our continent is in danger in the face of the turbo-capitalist drift in which we live. “The West Knows Best” stylistically does not deviate from an elegant neo-folk while the lyrics ironically comment on the United States with the obsessive repetition of the words “We Used To Love America”. This is a track already presented live in the latest performances like at the Wave-Gothik-Treffen in 2018. “Fliegen Wie Voegel” speaks instead of the beauty of flight in a song with a somewhat “Futuristic” taste while the arrangements are neoclassical and reminded me of Operation Hummingbird again by Death In June.

The second part opens with “One Lion’s Roar” – already released as a single –, a track that already positions itself as one of the new classics of Rome's saga. The music is captivating and reminded me of certain atmospheres from what is still today my favorite Rome album, Flowers from Exile. “The Legion Of Rome” is another one of the strong pieces of Le ceneri di Heliodoro: the ending is very intense and spine-chilling and reminded me a lot of Sol Invictus. “Uropia O Morte” then leads us towards the end of the journey and manages to truly move: another track that, in my opinion, ranks among Reuter's best works. “Desinvolture” closes the circle by evoking the early Blutharsch with martial and neoclassical sounds.

In conclusion, Le ceneri di Heliodoro is a great album, I dare to say among the best things Rome has ever done. It is evident that Jerome Reuter felt the need to highlight once again how he is currently the true beacon of neo-folk.