UNFOLD THE FUTURE

4.5 stars. This is the best FLOWER KING record I have heard so far, and one of the better double albums I have ever had the pleasure of listening to as well.The first thing I noticed after the first spin was how different it was from past releases.The Jazz flavour is prominant, and the band just seems so confident like they can do no wrong. Hence they have no problem going out on a limb and trying new things.The addition of new drummer Zoltan Czorsz, and the relatively new bass player Jonas Reingold forms a powerful rhythm section. Daniel Gildenlow's presence from PAIN OF SALVATION can't be under estimated. Having one of Sweden's greatest talents on board can only add to the confidence and enthusiasm the band must have had going into the recording studio. Roine himself just finished 2 successful records with TRANSATLANTIC. The sky was the limit for this band in 2002. I would encourage anyone who has not read Man Overboard's review of this album to please read it. He got his name from one of the song titles on this record, and his words are a testament to the power of music. Incredible.

"The Truth Will Set You Free" has some extremely meaningful lyrics penned by Stolt. The sound builds. Check out the bass and drums when the sound becomes full. Mellotron 1 1/2 minutes in. Hasse comes in vocally at 4 minutes. The bass is so prominant. The chorus reminds me of YES. More mellotron 16 minutes in. Roine's warm vocals enter the song a minute later as it has calmed down. The calm breaks after a moving passage 19 minutes in. The chorus is back after 20 minutes. A great section before 24 minutes. Check out the drumming ! An excellent keyboard solo from Bodin a minute later. Roine's vocals and a calm are back to end the song. What an epic ! "Monkey Business" has Roine on vocals until Hasse takes over 1 1/2 minutes in. Bodin gives a nod to Stevie Wonder a couple of times. Some aggressive guitar before 4 minutes. Some powerful organ in the ending. "Black And White" features some reserved vocals(Roine) and piano. Slide guitar comes in. Hasse arrives vocally 1 1/2 minutes in. The tempo picks up with some throbbing bass. Xylophone 4 minutes in. I love the drumming after 6 minutes as it rumbles along. "Christianopel" is an instrumental. Lots of atmosphere for over 3 minutes.I really like this. We get a keyboard melody 3 1/2 minutes in with cymbals arriving. So many intricate sounds throughout this one. Excellent track. "Silent Inferno" opens powerfully. A nice heavy rhythm follows. Guitar is ripping it up.This is an inferno alright. But silent ? No way ! Vocals before 3 minutes and with them a calm. I like the sound 5 minutes in and the 1 1/2 guitar solo that follows. Beautiful. It becomes fairly mellow with drums beating away 8 minutes in. A jazzy, uptempo sound 11 minutes in. It gets heavy 12 1/2 minutes in. This is fantastic ! What an ending ! "The Navigator" has an almost classical flavour to it with Roine's words that are designed to help guide us through life. "Vox Humana" features Hasse on vocals with piano. Acoustic guitar comes in. Again the lyrics are so positive and meaningful. I just want to hug someone. Haha.

Disc 2 starts with "Genie In A Bottle", it opens with some good drumming. In between the drum fills we get some beautiful sounding mellotron with piano. Roine is on vocals although Hasse come in around 2 minutes. Roine is back vocally. It becomes almost silent 4 minutes in and then we hear Roine's soft vocals. Some nice guitar 6 1/2 minutes in with organ almost a minute later. "Fast Lane" has this methodical drum beat throughout. The vocals, guitar and organ shine. Daniel is on vocals here. I like this one. Some crazy guitar to end it. "Grand Old World" opens with xylophone before some sax melodies and vocals(Roine) arrive. Light drums. Some beautiful sax melodies 3 minutes in. What a song ! "Soul Vortex" is a jazzy instrumental with some great percussion. Very catchy with intricate sounds that come and go. I love it. "Rollin' The Dice" is a Bodin song(as was "Fast Lane"). Lyrically it's a conversation between the devil and 2 other people, his servant and a young man. Cool track actually. The vocals are quite theatrical at times.The drumming is killer ! "The Devil's Danceschool" is an instrumental composed by Reingold and Csorsz. You can see how these two have influenced THE FLOWER KINGS sound now can't you ? This is mind blowing stuff man. The bass ! The drumming ! The brass ! Jazz at it's best. "Man Overboard" opens with flute, piano and other sounds before vocals and solid drumming come in after a minute. Check out the Latimer-like guitar that comes and goes. Nice. Great track. "Solitary Shell" features piano, strings and reserved vocals.A nice ballad. Devil's Playground is the almost 25 minute closer. Almost as long as this review. This one is obviously a ride that twists and turns throughout. I'll be merciful and not take you on this ride as this review is long enough, but i will say the mellotron before 10 minutes is a highlight, and the guitar during the last few minutes is so emotional, heartbreaking really. An amazing, jaw dropping track.

The fact that this album sits between two of their lowest rated albums makes this rose smell and look even more beautiful, although it doesn't need any help in that regard.