Style: instrumental
Label: self-released
Year: 2011
Home: Arizona
Members: Patti Unruh ~ keyboards
Aaron Straub ~ guitar
Mike Bailey ~ bass/percussion
It's not often when I describe a rock group in terms of being reminiscent of new age composer Yanni. Actually, it's very much a rarity. Yet, ROM indeed reminds me of Yanni at times (for example, "Forbidden Dance", "Vague Impression", "Moonlite Bliss", "Romancing The Snake"). This studio only trio is made up of a classical pianist, electric rock guitarist & occasional drummer-percussionist who is also their engineer. The outcome is a modest little rock group that self-confesses to playing with a strong new age inclination, with a focus on soundtrack ambiance. The music moves between a focus on rock guitar lead lines - its a welcome break that there's no riffing as instrumental bands like to relying on - to relaxing piano progressions, often with a light percussive beat & synthesizer deep in the mix for texture. Most of the time the songs are driven by the guitar, though "Forbidden Dance" is only an acoustic sounding piano with synthesizers & occasionally tinkling chimes. But, the group really take things up a notch on the enchanting highlights "Romancing the Snake" & "Rain Ethereal" where the piano & guitar have equal time driving the song. ROM is not about fast or overly technical playing. Even when the drums are present the pace is still more on the laid back side. What ROM are is textured & romantic. This is the group's first album with a desire to do soundtrack commissions. 
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