By ISAAC SERRATO
Staff Writer
Rome is a neo-folk band that uses industrial, experimental music in their works. Known for their sad historical songs based on war, but also having personal messages criticizing sides in history. But Rome decided to experiment with their music of “can you combine history along with personal messaging but have sympathy for the other side”? Rome took up that task in their album “Passage to Rhodesia”.
The album is based on the Cold War conflict, Rhodesian Bush War. The conflict was a mix of cold war politics of West vs East, communism vs western-ideology, waning influence of imperialism/colonialism, racial politics. The conflict also brought up questions of representation, inequalities, how to deal with insurgencies, who really were the good guys, was Rohesia that bad, was the West to blame, Was Rhodesia abandoned, who to blame, majority rule or equal representation, did racial politics made everything over-complex? But one thing could be agreed on the Rhodesian Bush War, it wasn’t a bush war it was a bloody, drawn-out, desperate conflict with 30,000-40,00 dead after 15 years of war. After the war, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, once a powerhouse, having the largest growing economy, so much food being grown for themselves, it was exported within African countries. The possibility of freedom, equality, tolerance, only to be destroyed by ignorance from the Rhodesian government, along with the foolish ideas of communism in Zimbabwe after the collapse of Rhodesia. Along with atrocities being committed by Robert Mugbae after the war when he was elected into power, once held as a liberator for the natives for freeing them from colonial hands is now hated as a mass murderer.
In the early 1960s black nationalist forces along with communist parties in the land of Rhodesia (a colony of Britain) sought independence from white minority rule. Instead, Ian Smith, the white leader of Rhodesia declared independence with whites still remaining in power. What poured more fuel on the fire was that Rhodesia’s new constitution was a limited, elite democracy with people only being represented if they had education, property, including certain income. This alienated a majority of the blacks, overrepresentation of the whites in Rhodesia, history of racism, segregation, a huge gap of living standards caused frustration, with many blacks becoming nationalist or communist. However, the young whites wanted change, progress, but didn’t want nationalism or any radical change as they saw Western society as superior. In 1964 the war kicked off as black paramilitary forces attacked government, police, administration, along with whites in the rural areas being attacked. The white Rhodesians saw this as an attack on their race (some whites understood the guerrillas but disagreed with the terror tactics), with the invasion of communism while the blacks saw this as a liberation ( a good minority of blacks did want change but did not support communism or radical change).
Passage to Rhodesia aligns itself with history as every song progresses into the war, with the first song “Electrocuting an Elephant” is a haunting, ambient song that reflects the tragedy about to come. The second song is “The Ballad Of The Red Flame Lily” which opens with a radio message “Welcome to Zimbabwe”, the song lyrics show the political climate of Rhodesia, hate, polarization, with the people in the country ready to go to war, with the world shaming the white Rhodesians fighting. With self-reflection on the war that’s going on, interestingly a radio message from Ian Smith appears about young men going to war to defend the country. The third song of the album is the most popular, its dramatic beat, the beating of the drums, the sad guitar, with other instruments. The song is dramatic but sad as the lyrics are from the views of proud/nationalistic Rhodesian troops fighting for their country, trying to contain communism, only to question their roles, along with the war. But still pushing forward in combat to save the place they call home. The fourth song is somber, “Farewell to Europe”. Europe abandoned Rhodesia once it declared its independence as Britain, Europe did not want to support a white minority in Africa that has racial problems (however Portugal traded with Rhodesia along with Portuguese hired guns being in the land), with Rhoesisa feeling betrayed, abandoned by the place that gave birth to them, along with where their heritage comes from. The fifth song “The Fever Tree ”, has softer drums along with a slower guitar. The lyrics are “We failed Rhoesia’s youth, we left this country crawling in the dust”, this song most likely takes place in the late 70’s when the war was at its height, with the Rhodesian government/military seeing that they can no longer win the war as their supplies are low, manpower is low, being attacked from 3 fronts, overnumbered/gunned. The sixth song is “Hate us and see if we mind ”, is a song from the proud Rhoedsian view. With bells, a steady guitar, humming, the lyrics are defeating as the proud Rhodesian realizes the country is falling apart. Mixed with nostalgia, defeat, missing the former glory, with a question “could we have won the war in the first place?”. The song has another message from Smith, the message is bitter, angry but accepts the inevitable of Zimbabwe, black majority rule, but says Rhoesdia fought because “It’s such a da** good place”. The seventh song is a poem about the terror, damage of the bush war, where the singer shames, criticizing the Rhodesians for trying to uphold their colonial rule. The eighth song is called “A Country Denied” where a Rhodesian talks to a Zimbabwe where he admits his faults, pride. Hoping among the ashes they can rebuild together but the song shows many Rhodesians miss their country, also terrified/scared of how their home fell apart before their eyes, “Rhodesia is still alive in the land of Zimbabwe”. The ninth song is “Lullaby for Georgie” is about a Rhodesian fleeing the country (many whites fled the country as the war escalated, white were attacked in raids or racial crimes) where the person realizes the war is losing, questioning if the country was worth fighting for, was it even their country? The song is ultimately a farewell song, saying goodbye to a country they love so much but the beauty burns, falling before their eyes. The tenth, final song “In a Wilderness of Spite” is a sad song about the death of Rhodesia asking for sympathy. Obviously, the song is from a Rhodesian standpoint. The song is slow with melody, with the singing being drawn, echoed, the guitar is slow, then a piano plays slowly with a sad melody. The lyrics have a personification of the unrecognized country, “Rhodesia flows down the river, Rhodesia being lowered ohhhh Rhodesia.” “Onnnn we row, ohhh Rhodesia.” The meaning behind this song is the singer is asking for sympathy for Rhodesia, despite the white government trying to hold up colonialism, repressive behavior, unwilling to listen to its opposition. Men fought for it to try to stop communism, fighting because they were afraid of change to their country, trying to keep their home safe, only for it to end all in flames. But the song shows hope that maybe things can get better (some whites hoped this when they stayed behind in the newly formed Zimbabwe). The last radio message plays with Smith saying the country of Rhodesia they know is gone, hoping that the new Zimbabwe will bear fruit. Unfortunately, as once the war ended, Communist dictator Robert Mugabe was elected into power, Mugabe took land from whites, prosecuted them, advanced hate, racism, and attacks against them. Black Zimbabweans who fought for Rhodesia were deemed as “traitors” were killed, jailed, or outcasts. “Land reforms’ ‘ took farmlands from white farms or some were seized violently with entire families being killed for “payback for the white man’s crime”, the farmland was promised to be distributed to the black population but the government pocketed most of it. Food production fell drastically causing famine, Muagbe wanting a communist society kicked all the Western businesses out of Zimbabwe, along with controlling business, gas, oil, wages. Soon prices soared, inflation skyrocketed, wages fell, employment was rare, starvation set in, conditions fell, education fell, clean water is now scarce, corruption, crime now a common occurrence. It wasn’t until the 2010’s Mugabe said he wanted whites to come back with their business, asking for foreign aid, with Zimabwens speaking out against Mugabe saying Rhodesia was better than Zimbabwe in terms of living standards. With the government giving some representation while Mugabe kills his opponents, once he killed an entire tribe as they had a different culture/views.
Overall, this album is really good as the melody, messaging, along its experimental elements make this album shine for being different. The vocals are excellent showing the gritty, political, terrifying conflict of the Rhodesian Bush War. However, I wished the leader of the band Rome, included in the articles the communist guerrillas committed as they were the reason why the white Rhodesians were so afraid of majority rule or any radical change in the country.