DESOLATION ROSE

'Desolation Rose' is the twelfth studio album by The Flower Kings, released on 28 October 2013. This is the last Flower Kings album to feature Tomas Bodin. Like 'Banks of Eden,' 'Desolation Rose' comprises two discs, the second one being a bonus disc of music that didn't make it on to the first. The Flower Kings are known for their celebratory sound, but as the title implies, 'Desolation Rose' is a dark album. The first disc of 'Desolation Rose' is semi-conceptual, containing musical themes and motifs interspersed throughout.

The album opens with the 13-minute epic "Tower One," which is one of my favorite Flower Kings songs. Rather than a long intro or overture, Roine Stolt's vocals appear right from the start. The vocal melodies are great and accompanied by wonderful guitar and bass riffing. I love the "I might have turned away from wonder" section with the wah-wah guitar chords and dark atmosphere, juxtaposed by the jovial "I'll know just when the end is near" lyric. Roine Stolt and Tomas Bodin's guitar and synth interplay is stunning. The reprise of the "She'll walk me slowly" lyric at the end acts as a beautiful climax to "Tower One." The Flower Kings aren't typically known for having a heavy sound, but "Sleeping Bones" contains one of the heaviest Flower Kings riffs. The title track introduces the anthemic "Silent Graveyard" theme, which is revisited later in the album. "White Tuxedos" was written by Jonas Reingold. The chorus borrows from the melody of an old nursery rhyme that I don't know the name of. Nevertheless, the melody is recognizable and gives "White Tuxedos" a playful, childlike quality. The guitar solo and jam towards the end of "White Tuxedos" reminds me of moments from 'Space Revolver.' The chorus of "The Resurrected Judas" is gorgeous, especially by the end of the song. The jazzy bridge is a highlight of 'Desolation Rose' and features all-around excellent musicianship.

The contrast between the upbeat verse and the anthemic chorus of "Silent Masses" is wonderful. The lyric, "All these men in the factory lines," is brilliantly reflected in the assembly line rhythm of the verse. The "Silent Graveyards" theme is brought back during the coda of "Silent Masses." The groovy 5/4 rhythm of "Last Carnivore" doesn't sound odd to me. The verses are sinister and the chorus is catchy. On ITunes, 'Desolation Rose' is labeled as a metal album, and I think I understand why. The riff from "Sleeping Bones" is reprised in the aptly-titled "Dark Fascist Skies." Except this time, it's even more heavy. The final two tracks of the first disc serve as a finale suite. "Blood of Eden" (not to be confused with the Peter Gabriel song) is a tender ballad. I love the simplicity of the lyric, "Is there someone out there?" "Silent Graveyards" reprises the main theme we've been hearing throughout the first disc. Many notable musicians sing chorus vocals on "Silent Graveyards," including Micheal Stolt, Nad Sylvan, and Andy Tillison.

The bonus disc deserves to be reviewed, as the material is phenomenal. "Runaway Train" is a great song with chromatic vocal harmonies, a catchy chorus, and copious energy. "Interstellar Visitations" is an atmospheric instrumental that at points, reminds me of Pink Floyd. Towards the end, the music crescendos into a grandiose climax. "Lazy Monkey" is a fun ditty with slide guitar. "Psalm 2013" is a moody instrumental in 9/8 that evokes the feeling of stormy weather. Roine Stolt plays an emotional guitar solo on "The Wailing Wall." "Badbeats" is a wonderful instrumental. The juxtaposition between the explosive bursts of guitar riffing and the beautiful orchestral moments make "Badbeats" unique. There is also a jazzy section near the middle of the track that features yet another Roine Stolt guitar solo, which crescendos into the climax. The title of "Burning Spears" is taken from a lyric in "Tower One." This instrumental is an incendiary reprise of "Pslam 2013." "The Final Era" is a gorgeous instrumental conclusion to the album, which features superb guitar soloing.

In conclusion, 'Desolation Rose' is a bittersweet Flower Kings album. The aforementioned departure of Tomas Bodin after 'Desolation Rose' resulted in a significant change in the Flower Kings' sound. Not only is he an excellent keyboardist, but he also co-wrote many Flower Kings songs, alongside Roine Stolt who did most of the writing. In short, the latest Flower Kings albums have been less than exceptional, and I attribute it to Bodin's absence. 'Desolation Rose' is, in my opinion, the last great Flower Kings record. One criticism I have in regards to The Flower Kings as a band is that they don't change up their sound very much from album-to-album. In other words, you know what you're going to get with each album before you first hear it. However, 'Desolation Rose' is an exception to that, as this sees the band taking elements of their retro prog sound, and mixing it with darker elements they haven't explored before. Consequently, what we get is a novel Flower Kings album that stands out in the discography as one of the band's best works.