Customer Reviews

Black Rose: 20 Years Ago-Night of Rehearsal

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the late 70's there appeared a totally bizarre and depraved shock rock band in Denmark. Their frontman was none other than present day Metal icon King Diamond. What this disk contains is what it says. Over an hour of rehearsal time laid down on tape and surprisingly clear and professional sounding. Nothing is edited out here, so you get to hear all the between song antics within the studio. (some of which are pretty funny) Also you'll hear the band mess up and start over. The actual songs themselves are played excellently with hardly any mistakes.
If you like Merciful Fate and King Diamond but have never heard of the King's first band, you may be a bit surprised. The band's style lies somewhere between 70's style Prog rock and Heavy Metal. I hear elements of Early Judas Priest, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Early Genesis, Kansas, Yes, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Black Sabbath. King's voice hadn't developed into the psychotic animal we know and love today. He sounded more like a a hybrid of Alice Cooper and early Rob Halford.
Also the lyrics, while dark, twisted and quite morbid (try Kill For Fun, or I Need Blood), they didn't touch on satanic themes at all. In the liner notes King talks about some of their on stage theatrics, including pig's eyes, blood, and entrails; stabbing baby dolls, setting off bombs, and other disgusting and loony things. So if you like shock rock, prog, or are a major King Diamond fan, check out Black Rose. You'll be enlightened for sure.

This is a great raw raw recording of a practice session for King's first band in 1980. Expertly remastered to hi-fi! The musicians are very good, and the music is great. Just what I thought it would be. The baroque-esque organ really makes the transition from this band's Deep Purple influences to King Diamond's style.
King's vocals are undeveloped at this point, rarely using his falsetto. Based on musicality, he was probably the weak-link in the band, but that makes the album even more authentic. Great guitar-work.
Great original songs, very catchy. Difficult to make out the lyrics, through heavy Dannish accents, some songs might be in Dannish, so only 4 stars.
Lots of goofing around, and the sound of beer bottles being opened during the songs makes for an environmental listen.
They cover "Radar Love" by Golden Earing, and it sounds pretty sweet!

What a surprising release! I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, so if you're a King Diamond buff, you will certainly find something to enjoy. "Black Rose" certainly has many influences, such as the already mentioned Deep Purple, Uriah Deep, Kansas, plus The Doors, Yes, Generation X & the Sex Pistols. It's unlike anything King has ever sung. The recording, is of course, only a rehearsal session, but with the equipment that was provived at the time, it holds up remarkably well. The vocals could have been mixed a little better, but it doesn't distract you from the enjoyment, not many high octaves , either. Love that organ, it certainly gives it a sort of "shagadelic" feel. The band also has an early euro-thrash feel to it, not really heavy or overpowering, but it does sneak in every now and then. A wonderful surprise for Diamond nuts, surely not for fans who just happen to discover the King.

This CD is truly an unearthed gem that finally sees the light of day (or should I say black of night!). It is the stuff that legends are made of. I remember reading interviews or bios about the King back in the eighties and there was mention of Black Rose but never any mention of any recordings that may one day become available. So now we have this, a Night of Rehearsal with Black Rose. Let me say it's like taking a step back from the Mercyful Fate CD Return of the Vampire and seeing what the King was like years before he really started developing his voice. All in all the songs rock and the musicianship is brilliant. The songs are well structured and Kings voice is a nice accent to the music. I wouldn't recommend this to the casual King Diamond fan, but I would definitely recommend it to any true King/Fate fan and even any 70s metal fan of Uriah Heep, or Deep Purple. And to hear King sing a cover of Radar Love by Golden Earring is alone worth the price of this CD!

This is a live-in-the-basement session from King's first band Black Rose. Recorded on minimal equipment the sound is surprisingly good (although the vocals could be clearer). The band sound almost exactly like Deep Purple while King (whose trademark falseto was not yet developed) recall's Ian Gillan with hints of Rob Halford & Alice Cooper. The lyrics are macarbe & mysterious but NOT satanic! Too bad Black Rose never had a proper studio session. They did show potential. All we can do is hear what may have been...

This is the real thing, live recordings, no apologies. If you're a serious King Diamond fan or if you enjoy Deep Purple type early 80's metal this one is for you. I haven't listened to anything besides this CD since I got it two weeks ago! An absolute must for any Diamond/Fate fan!

although the music sounds like deep purple on this release with king singing its a cool piece to add to your collection. there are a few cool tracks on here but i just love how its a rehearsal tape from that long ago that sounds as good as it does.

I agree with most of the positive reviews of this album. Only in addition to the Prog and Early Metal influences, I also hear a little glam and post-punk as well. Like maybe the more psychedelic moments of the Damned or the Stranglers were an influence as well. Anyhow, an ear-opening experience for the King's fans.

While not quite as good as Mercyful Fate or the solo King Diamond band, Black Rose proves fascinating even if the Great Dane wasn't on it. Well he is, and there is not one song here I truely dislike. King's voice is developing, and actually sounds a bit like it does on House of God or 9 because of less falsetto. This is not as shocking lyrically as Mercyful Fate or as over the top as King Diamond's solo band. Thus, it is fitting Black Rose is just that- the beginning of a brilliant career. I can enjoy this album mostly because it comes from King though, not the obscure Black Rose. Hilarious photos, killer music, killer package with liner notes- especially if you're quite the King Diamond fan I am, you can't miss this one. Hail The King, the real King- King Diamond!

The only problem with unleashing a cd like this on the world is that it makes you wish the band had actually put out an album or two instead of fizzling away. I guess there's no real need to complain coz at least we got something from these guys. Black Rose is the kind of band you throw on when you're jamming out to Black Sabbath and Deep Purple albums as opposed to King Diamond and Mercyful fate ones. Little hints of Diamond's vocals and Fate's sound are found, but not much. Diamond seems to be finding himself, shifting from his snarly vocals to a flat out Alice Cooper impersonation and just a pinch of his falsetto. The album's obviously been remastered and touched up, but seems to have the production sound of an old Deep Purple album. In between(and sometimes in the middle) of the tunes are talk between band members....in Danish of course. Hardcore King fans will certainly pick this up, and some will be disappointed. Folks who aren't big on King Diamond but dig that Purple sound might find this surprisingly good. Either way it's worth the time.