It seems totally absurd that I’ve never done a RED album review before. Laughable. I’m such a huge fan of the band, I even give their albums away as birthday gifts, you know, to share the joy. Now that you know how I feel about the band, you’re probably concerned that this review is going to be so one sided, that you won’t buy it out of principle. Oh, and I’m sure you’re convinced I get a smidgen of their distributor’s marketing budget, or something, since I’m so vocal about the lot of them – you know, to drive profits. The only perk is that I get to listen to the entire album without paying for it, so I think that’s a win, but since I’m really familiar with the group, it stands to reason that I might actually say something so truthful about OF BEAUTY AND RAGE that it will surprise you. I’m trusting for the latter here, and you deserve my best, so here goes:
I’m not madly in love with Of Beauty and Rage. I’m not. Maybe I need to give it more time to soak in. It’s RED, so even the non-fan will admit they are the real deal. They remain a tight, hard-rock band that honours God and their fans with a level of professionalism that will put many other bands to shame. They have the credentials; they have the Grammy nominations and they have the album sales and they have the fan base, and the #1 radio singles, and they have those strings…be still my racing heart! Release the Panic was orchestra and strings free for the most part, and although that was my favourite album out of the previous 4, it was only a few months later that we saw Release the Panic: Re-Calibrated; a 6 song mini release that reincorporated the orchestral backing and those strings and a few other bits of production brilliance and of course, the final bit of input from drummer Joe Rickard.
Of Beauty and Rage sees a full album return of the strings and the orchestra that many love, but with it, a level of darkness that smacks of pain, hurt and, well, rage. I was discussing this album with a music crazy friend and we agreed unanimously that the music is very heavy. Not only in guitar sounds, but in emotional weight. Of Beauty and Rage is an emotional expression that somehow draws you in, and it is impossible to do another activity while listening to this album. It requires a lot of the listener. It’s like a steam train journey, where you can’t sit back and look out the window at the view; you are in the engine room, shoveling coal. You can’t help but wonder what has made Michael, Anthony and Randy just so frustrated, but when you get that the album portrays the depths of rage and despair and then the light of redemption, you have your “aha moment”. Of Beauty and Rage is not really very new, in terms of RED’s overall sound, as the screams of Michael Barnes are there as you’d expect but sounding all the more desperate. The return of Rob Graves in production is a pleasant twist, and the fact that this is RED’s first fan-sourced release is something to mention, but the freedom of being independent hasn’t really produced anything too wayward. Why move away from a working recipe, right? The album tends to drag on a bit and I had to take a break more than once on several listens through the hour long album. Oh yes, and also look out for the accompanying graphic novel that will add to your OBAR experience.
All in all, where some are saying this is the best RED album ever, this reviewer is struggling. But, when it comes to RED, the bar is so high, and the expectations even higher, and I’m not blown away by Of Beauty and Rage. As a RED fan, it’s in my collection; but I might not be reaching for it as often as Release the Panic or Innocence and Instinct. I will however be heading straight to the standout tracks, Of These Chains and Darkest Part, and I love the instrumental, Ascent.
Rating: 6/10
Here’s the single Darkest Part, my stand out track.