THE FLOWER KINGS - Banks Of Eden

A new Flower Kings album is a whole event by itself, a reason good enough for every fan to celebrate. The band is the brainchild of Roine Stolt, an artist well known for his works in Transatlantic, Kaipa, and numerous other projects and appearances, and this new release took five years to see the light of day. It's really hard to try and tag the style of music, maybe we destroy some of the magic, but let's just try to do so, for those that haven't had the experience of listening an album of the band. First of all, lets say that the music might seem easy to explore but complexity is the key point here, and it finds it's way to every aspect of the album. From the melodies, to the song structures and composing, everything is complicated but tempo changes and rhythms are shifting in a very natural way, and won't mind the listener, even the most freshman. The majority of the arrangements are lengthy, with the top being a 25 minute opus, where the band truly overcomes it's abilities, and leaves the listener amazed. All work here has been carefully crafted, and the performance is simply outstanding. Whether it's slower and melodic parts, or when the band hardens it's sound a bit, everything is so well performed, that both new and old fans of such music will love and grin with pleasure. The keys are excellent also, blending perfectly with the guitar melodies, and along with the gentle vocals of Roine Stolt create some stunning soundscapes. In general it's really hard to find words to describe the feelings you get when listening this, as it is to find flaws and things that could be done better. Give this album some time, it's not an easy listening. It needs hours and hours, it needs your mind focused, as it will reveal some if it's secrets as the music unfolds. Progressive Rock at it's best.

10/10