DESOLATION ROSE

I have listened to The Flower Kings' latest record "Desolation Rose", totally fresh and to be exactly their twelfth one. I see a fascinating cover picture with three faces and a beautiful red rose on the "roof". Roine Stolt, Jonas Reingold, Tomas Bodin, Hasse Fröberg and Felix Lehrmann has done a good job and I am glad so many seem to like it, especailly as a Swede I am glad, even if this isn't my favourite type of prog.

If you like The Flower Kings' music I think you'll get what you expect of it from this record. The music is full of warmth and vivid symphonic rock, a modern form of it. After three listenings I feel confortable with giving it my opnion. I liked this record and think the musicians are very talented, but in some one is what I here not enough. I wanted the music to dwell in another level. What I missed was the epics which are so typical for this group. I got it on the first track which also is the records best. I would call that wonderful, because here do I get what I want: a pleasant melody, strong sweaping keyboards, great guitar and sweat vocals. "Tower ONE" is a perfect starter. Even "White Tuxedos" is a track that affects me a lot. It's a quite different Flower Kings track with a presence of thriller.

Beside these, would I mention two more recommendable tracks: "Desolation Rose", wuch for its ending and the powerful "Dark Fascist Skies". Though I must say again, you should crave something more of a symphonic rock band. I haven't listened to the bonus tracks, I don't use to do that, I guess the best ones are the regular ones. I have earlier experiences four albums of them, of which I love "Paradox Hotel"; still that record is unbeaten.

Absolutely nothing here is bad so their lowest level is high. But I miss more of these things that point out with its perfection. Nevertheless I would recommend this album, cause I still understand why people like it.

Update: (12 nov) I couldn't let this record go and It has grown a lot for me, especially when I discovered the great bunch of bonus tracks that almost were better than the standard tracks. So now I think the record absolutely is worth FOUR stars. I is not a record of epics so more than that isn't possible.