The Flower Kings are definitely one of the most popular bands within the progressive rock movement today; they are also the most active band in the genre with new releases every year. This is their tenth studio album, well eleventh if you count the album that started it all, “The Flower King” by band leader and main composer Roine Stolt! The rumours had talked about an album that should take the band back to the more melodic and symphonic side of things, close to the sound of the bands first two albums. This statement is absolutely correct and also something that makes me very happy, because in my book this is the way I think that they should sound. They have with their two previous albums moved closer and closer to how they sound now and I must say that I quite enjoy those albums, but this is something extra and in my book their best album since “Stardust We Are” back in 1997!
Opening track “One More Time”, the end section of “Love Is The Only Answer”, the ballad like “Trading My Soul” and the title track are my favourites after three spins. The only thing that really differs from the first great albums is that the melodies and compositions isn’t as great as back then and the feeling of déjà vu appears more than once, otherwise I do think that The Flower Kings are back where they belong.
