Rose Kemp - 'Unholy Majesty' (One Little Indian) Released 01/09/08

Rose Kemp is firmly part of folk-rock heritage, her parents are Maddie Prior and Rick Kemp from seminal, pioneering band Steeleye Span. She began her musical career touring, singing and even writing with her parents various different projects including Steeleye Span. Releasing her debut album in 2003, 'Glance' she followed her parents footsteps, with acoustic guitars and folky lyrics. Finding her own feet Rose traded her acoustic guitar for an electric guitar taking her on a path of rock, Goth and operatics. 'Unholy Majesty' is due to be released in September through One Little Indian, and see's Chris Sheldon, known for working with Biffy Clyro and Foo Fighters, on producing and mixing duties.

Rose is influenced by many artists and music genres including Black Metal, 70's prog, Tom Waits, Black Sabbath and Kate Bush. Based in Bristol, is from a burgeoning underground DIY scene, which is generally artists who are financially self sufficient from touring. Originally pioneered by American anti-folk acts such as Kimya Dawson and Jeffrey Lewis, to name two - DIY touring has become a new revolution in the UK thanks to the use of the internet to promote and even broadcast gigs, allowing artists to spread the word yet keep costs down. Some enthusiastic fans are even prepared to promote gigs for artists and even give accommodation to the touring artist. Rose has been able to build up a cult following through this method and has allowed her to successfully, and cheaply promote her album.
 
Rose has a unique sound, which is very hard to categorise, her vocal is operatic yet her musical style brings out.phpects of folk and heavy rock. Opening track 'Dirt Glow' sees her highly pitched, yet powerful vocal with comparisons to Amy Lee of Evanescence. Lyrically her songs are mysterious and often terrifying, "....please don't ask/you can read it on his face/the more I speak/the more we are buried alive..". With shouts and chants backed on to heavy rock guitars, the sound is possibly only appealing to the set few fans from the online community. However not to completely dismiss Rose's style, the organisation of her instrumentation is unique and shows tremendous talent.

Future single 'Nanny's World' shows her Black Sabbath influences with old synths and oversized drums, however 'Natures Hymn' shows her folk background with a gentler vocal, lovely harmonies and romantic violin. This song is a real album highlight, simplicity is defiantly best as Rose's stripped back vocal is endearing, with a real Celtic/Caledonia feel to the song, holding comparisons to Thea Gilmore and The Waterboys in this track. Lyrically it feels like a hymn with a real sense of thanking God for the beauty of Nature "... As these wonders hold my Joy/life and duty/Still they cannot keep my eye/from his beauty..".
 
Closing the album with the track "The Unholy", Rose's vocal is softer yet gothic-esque, with a sound that is like a wolf howling in the dark, spine tingling, however leaving you feel unsure if its because of its beauty or out of fear, the song is edgy sounding with odd lyrics " I am the uncharmed/put down the red pen/or I’ll cut your fingers off...". There is no doubt that Rose Kemp has real talent vocally and in instrumental arrangement, however the lyrical content of the songs are dark and occasionally violent. This album is a real step away from her folky background, so if setting herself a million miles apart from her parents is what she wanted, well its what she has achieved.