Rose - "Songs for the Ritually Abused"

Rose - Songs for the Ritually Abused
2017, Hindenburg

1. The Tortured Girl/Bye Bye Hands/Songs for the Ritually Abused
2. Keep You To Myself
3. Medication
4. Whispering Whales
5. Kellan and the Illustrator
6. Mickey
7. The Girl
8. Monster
9. Hell's Locked From the Inside
10. When Will I Be Loved?

Remember back in the 80's when there was a big scare (especially in the Church) about satanic ritual abuse? Lots of books written, documentaries made, etc. Bob Larson's Dead Air comes to mind. Despite all the panic it seemed that this phenomenon wasn't as widespread as the paranoia would've had us believe. So... it seems odd that in this day and age Randy Rose and crew would make a concept album about ritual abuse. I mean... that's not something that really happens, right? Though on the other hand, I know the human heart and I also have a hard time believing that it doesn't happen. I guess I'm in the middle about it, was the point of all that.

The music is dark and murky. If you're were a fan of the band's brand of stoner rock/doom metal, then you'll be pretty at home here. This time out, Randy and co. add a few more influences to really spice things up. You'll hear a lot of Queen and even maybe a smidge of King's X. The production is loud and full of fuzz and Randy's vocals, while recognizable, are much more varied. Surprisingly, a couple of the album's best moments come in the form of piano ballads - "Kellan and the Illustrator" and "When Will I Be Loved?" - are heart breaking and poignant. If I'm being honest (and a little bit nitpicky) I could have used another full on faster paced rocker like "Medication." However, as it stands, Songs for the Ritually Abused is a tragic gut-punch of an album conceptually speaking but sonically very compelling and well worth your time. Even if you don't believe in ritual abuse.

Useless Fact: Most of the band these days consists of Randy's wife and kids.

Rose - "Intense Live Series Volume 3"

Rose - Intense Live Series Volume 3

1993, Intense

1. Oppression

2. On My Knees

3. Demons

4. Hide

5. D.O.P.

6. You Gotta Move

I think Rose's edition (along with Deliverance's) of the Intense Live Series are my favorites. The band puts together some rockin' version of album tunes. I really enjoy the speedy version of "Oppression" and the electric doom version of "On My Knees." "Hide" is a new track that kind of mixes the stoner rock style of the band with blues. I also have to give the guys kudos because I've never liked the song "You Gotta Move" but I even enjoy that too.

Useless Fact: According to the liner notes Randy invited his whole family to the recording studio and a few of the helped out on some of the tracks.

Rose - "Into the Unknown"

Rose - Into the Unknown
1995, REX

1. Fading Away
2. Past
3. Into The Unknown
4. Do You Know My Name?
5. Past Gone
6. Grass
7. Season of Pain
8. Die to the Flesh
9. Walking For Miles
10. Satan's Calling

When this first came out I didn't like it at all. I don't know why. After the crappy Crazy Little World Randy returns to the stoner rock that all us fans dig. I think the production is somewhat muddy here. Also it might just be me, but the songwriting seems just a tad tired as well. I mean you've got the song "Past" then a few tracks later "Past Gone." Um.... would it really been hard to come up with better names for these songs? Anyway, despite all that I quite enjoy this album now. Not as good as Healing but worth having in your collection.

Useless Fact: This would be Randy's last album under the "Rose" name. He would go on to have some other bands, one called Mothership, that were more alternative rock.

Rose - "Healing"

Rose - Healing

1993, Intense

1. R.I.P.

2. Fallen

3. When I Let You In

4. Seeds of Sorrow

5. My Lies

6. Hooked

7. Healing

8. D.O.P.

9. Demons

10. Never Enough

11. On My Knees

Randy's second release is not quite as heavy or dark. It has more of a 70's stoner/doom rock vibe, but the Danzing vocals are still present. The riffs are very simple and the production seems pretty stripped down... at least to my ears. This is an underrated classic I think. Some of the highlights being "When I Let You In," "Never Enough," and the acoustic closer "On My Knees." This is readily available for cheap so check it out!

Useless Fact: Some of the guys that play on this record went on to play for Mad at the World on The Ferris Wheel record.

Rose, Randy - "Sacrificium"

Rose, Randy - Sacrificium

1991, Intense

1. Pain

2. Oppression

3. Fire

4. I Was Alive

5. Wicked Ways

6. Black Harvest

7. Marshmallow Land

8. Walls of Hate

9. Death

10. Sacrificium

I'm a huge fan of Randy Rose. Don't care whether he's in Mad at the World or doing his own thing - I usually love what he puts out. I got this solely because I loved the songs on M.A.T.W.'s Boomerang so much that he did. It's a lot heaver than M.A.T.W. The album is full of dark, slightly-goth, doom rock songs. Randy's voice is a dead-ringer for Glen Danzig and/or Jim Morrison. Most of the songs are mid-paced which is not a problem because they have a little groove and swagger to them.

Useless Fact: The album features almost the entire Rose family helping Randy out in some way, shape, or form.