THE FLOWER KINGS: Manifesto Of An Alchemist (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Despite his 62 years of age, Roine Stolt is unstoppable. After releasing an album this summer with his new project, The Sea Within, he is back at the end of the year with a new album. Hardcore Flower Kings fans were eagerly awaiting the return of their favorite band to the forefront, and for good reason, the Swedish band had not produced anything since 2013 and its album "Desolation Rose". But this "Manifesto Of An Alchemist" is more like a Roine Stolt solo album, as evidenced by the name with which it is signed: "Roine Stolt's The Flower King".

The accomplished multi-instrumentalist composed the entire album on his own and provided most of the vocals, guitars and keyboards himself. Like a prog star, Stolt has surrounded himself with a real dream team of musicians of international stature like Hasse Fröberg on guitar, Jonas Reingold on bass, Michael Stolt on bass and vocals or Marco Minnemann on drums, with whom he worked on the Sea Within album in particular.

Musically, the melodic dimension occupies a preponderant place on the opus as the presence of three purely instrumental tracks suggests. The maestro's paw is evident on 'Rio Grande' which reminds us of Transatlantic's "Kaleidoscope" era with its changing ambiences dear to the seventies, while the twirling 'The Alchemist' is a pure jazzy product totally crazy and unbridled. The interventions of Rob Townsend and his soprano saxophone sometimes refer to the famous "The Holy Drinker" released on Steven Wilson's album "The Raven That Refused To Sing", an album on which Marco Minnemann is on drums!

This alchemist's manifesto also contains some more accomplished and developed titles such as the imperial "Ze Pawns", a grandiose piece with a predominant classical and symphonic dimension reminiscent of Kayak's last album. As often, let's underline the heavy work on the keyboards and the contribution of the very appropriate guitar phrasing. 'High Road', the longest track with its twelve minutes, is also one of the album's highlights. We find there the different gimmicks of the king of flowers, changes of atmosphere, juxtapositions of sections initiating new dynamics. Stolt's work with Jon Anderson from Yes is particularly noticeable at the end of the song, especially in the guitar touch, which strongly reminds us of the legendary English band.

As the Swedish musician confesses, the songs are written in a "very unorthodox" style. Some riffs were even used before the release of the Flower Kings' first album in 1994! This certainly explains why some transitions lack a little binder or feeling to really catch the ear, even after many listening, a rather recurrent criticism in the mouth of fans.

Whatever the case, "Manifesto Of An Alchemist" is a varied album, where each song is a separate adventure in which Roine Stolt takes us on a journey. If the album does not necessarily seem to be unanimously accepted within the progressive sphere, the fans of the Swedish band will undoubtedly find it interesting... - Official website

THE FLOWER KINGS

MANIFESTO OF AN ALCHEMIST

INSIDEOUT MUSIC

PROGRESSIVE ROCK