The Flower Kings’ Roine Stolt on taking the Swedish prog-rockers back to the future for the uplifting By Royal Decree

Guitarist and vocalist Roine Stolt of Swedish progressive rock group The Flower Kings performing live on stage at Scala in London, on December 8, 2019.
(Image credit: Will Ireland/Future)

Roine Stolt moved backwards to progress for his Flower Kings’ latest double album, By Royal Decree. While prepping the band’s 15th full-length, the Swedish prog great had been remixing a series of Nineties-period Flower Kings records for an upcoming set of reissues. That nostalgic look back also included rediscovering decades’ worth of unused recordings he had tucked away. He liked what he heard.

“I was listening back to music we did 20 years ago, and music I’d done even before that. I could feel there was something different. Some of it felt more exciting – maybe not as professional, almost childish,” Stolt suggests of riffs he found while combing through digital file folders of song ideas, some of which are finally coming to pass on By Royal Decree

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Gregory Adams

Gregory Adams is a Vancouver-based arts reporter. From metal legends to emerging pop icons to the best of the basement circuit, he’s interviewed musicians across countless genres for nearly two decades, most recently with Guitar World, Bass Player, Revolver, and more – as well as through his independent newsletter, Gut Feeling. This all still blows his mind. He’s a guitar player, generally bouncing hardcore riffs off his ’52 Tele reissue and a dinged-up SG.