Desolation Rose (InsideOut Music, 2013)
Veteran Swedish symphonic progressive rock band The Flower Kings returns in late 2013 with a new album titled Desolation Rose. As with other progressive rock bands, The Flower Kings sometimes strays away from progressive rock and ventures into other territories. In this case, the album is somewhat darker, loaded with pop hooks, 70s-style classic rock and hard rock excursions. Sometimes I think that the InsideOut Music label is bent on transforming all its progressive rock bands into hard rock or heavy metal bands.
The Flower Kings’ frontman, guitarist Roine Stolt stands out throughout the albums with fabulous guitar work, even in the less progressive pieces. Tomas Bodin creates majestic atmospheres in some parts of the album, but his talent is restrained because of the focus on vocals. Vocalist Hasse Fröberg is one of the finest vocalists in the current rock scene and does a great job, although his material here has less of a progressive rock vocalist feel. The rest of the lineup includes Jonas Reingold on bass guitar and Felix Lehrmann on drums.
Highlights include ‘The Resurrected Judas’ where you will find some of the best guitar and keyboard work, the vocals in ‘Last Carnivore’ and the outstanding guitar in the hard rockin’ ‘Dark Fascist Skies.’
Desolation Rose features a wide array of vintage keyboards, including the Hammond B3, Mellotron M 400, Fender Rhodes, and Minimoog.
Desolation Rose relates to the more disconcerting observations of mankind’s failure to create the paradise they once hoped for and the greed, fear and ignorance that caused that failure. The album expresses the observations of an angel that lives in a mysterious tower, looking down on all this enduring perpetual insanity, nonetheless unable to provide any assistance.
The artwork is by graphic artists Silas Toball. “Being somewhat of a political statement, the epic theme of ‘Desolation Rose’ is a logical step in a time where perpetual war, famine, environmental threats, religious conflicts dominate the media and our minds,” says Toball about the album. “This is a time to wake up and the music on this album takes you on a journey where you are forced to questions what the mainstream media feed us and to rethink your whole world view on all of the above. This is in many ways a typical Flower Kings album but we have also taken it into another realm where we do take chances and where you may struggle to get into the music – or the lyrics – but trust me when I say that you will be rewarded, as this may be our most involved, important and interesting album ever.”
Desolation Rose is available in a digi-pack. The US release also includes a bonus disc that was not available to the media.
Buy Desolation Rose in North America
Buy Desolation Rose in Europe