Mrome – Barbaric Values

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From their Bandcamp page, “Polish band MROME are here in New Roma to say FUCK YOU to messengers of dread and obedience. Born in 1995, dead in 2002 and evoked in 2009, MROME is entirely a studio project focused on creative process and concepts behind the music, lyrics and graphics. We are not a touring band. We are not interested in promoting band by lame photo sessions and social media.” We reap the harvest on scorched soil. “Barbaric Values” is their fourth album, and contains eight tracks.

“Heart of Hearts” opens the album. Drums echo in the intro, followed by heavy, fuzzy electronic tones. A riff enters, and things clear up a bit. The vocals are harsh and gravely, and it’s a unique combination of sounds, especially considering the use of a harmonica. “Inviting Birds” has a similar sound, of Hard Rock riffs combined with harsh vocals. At times, the band flirts with Stoner Doom elements as well. The bass notes are bossy, and I love it when a band features them more prominently. “Vexierkasten” opens with clean guitar tones and a solemn and calming energy. The riff drops, and it’s heavy and dissonant. From there, a slow, lumbering pace carries the song forward, into cold depths and without concern.

“Mama” opens with a little more energy from the guitars, then the song settles into a crushing riff. Bass guitar thumps away amidst whispered vocals and dark tones. The lead guitars here are eerie. “Srebrne szlaki” begins with dark and mysterious tones, mostly from keyboards/programming. The main riff sounds nothing like the opening sequence. The vocals are sung in Polish. The vocalist begins to scream, about what I don’t know. “Penis Fencing” is an interesting title. It opens with a depressing riff and some thuds from drums and bass. The song bears some dissonance along with some mesmerizing qualities.

“Balance of Power” begins with odd electronic tones and some eerie opening guitars. The main riff comes in with a slow, crushing energy. From there, where it goes is anyone’s guess. At times it makes sense, while other times it doesn’t. “The Torun Horse” closes the album. A trotting horse is heard in the beginning, followed by clear and slow bass notes. Another mesmerizing sequence develops from there, and the sound takes on an evil quality. The riff pattern is repeated throughout without wavering. Although some of the riffs were a bit elementary, this was a decent album. Peaks of potential can be heard here and there. The overall sound is dark and foreboding, but some of the chord progressions just didn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Songwriting: 6
Musicianship: 7
Memorability: 3
Production: 7

Purchase Link:

https://mrome.bandcamp.com/album/barbaric-values