The Flower Kings Share Epic New Single ‘The Gods of Rome, Pt. 2’ From Upcoming Album ‘HOPE’

Sep 24, 2026

Swedish progressive rock veterans The Flower Kings have released “The Gods of Rome, Pt. 2,” the second track taken from their upcoming album HOPE, due out October 23, 2026 via InsideOutMusic.

The follow-up to 2025’s LOVE, HOPE stands as both a celebration of the band’s legacy and a bold artistic statement, marking a return to the side-long epic with tracks clocking in at 18 and 28 minutes. “The Gods of Rome, Pt. 2” offers a first taste of one of those mammoth pieces, following the earlier single “In a World of Fools.”

Roine Stolt comments:

“This is one of several parts of an epic piece of music that has been swirling around for some years. I reworked bits and wrote some new lyrics that now have the backdrop of ancient Rome – but act more as a metaphor for modern day powerplay. Every nation and every leader/president want to shine and be remembered as the greatest – expansive dreams often tend to implode however.”

Rather than chasing trends or revisiting past glories, the band have crafted a record that sits comfortably between refined musicianship and fearless ambition. HOPE works as a timely meditation on a turbulent era. Without venturing into overt political commentary, its songs reflect on a time marked by division and fading empathy, while ultimately offering a message rooted in hope and a roadmap to reignite love in our hearts and our society.

Founding member Roine Stolt explains:

“At a certain point in life – you arrive at a place where outside opinions matter less – and the process gravitates towards making an album that YOU yourself would LOVE but would perhaps normally not be viewed as a commercial attempt at all. We, the band – trust YOU, the audience – to be curious and to trust us that we want to bring you a grand glowing adventure.”

The album’s music was written by Stolt and keyboardist Lalle Larsson, with the nearly 30-minute epic “The Gods of Rome” as its centerpiece. Originally conceived from orchestral ideas developed more than a decade ago, the piece took an unexpected creative path, at one point nearly becoming the musical foundation for another Anderson & Stolt project before finding its true home with The Flower Kings. Reimagined for the full band, it uses the imagery of ancient Rome to explore enduring themes of power, conflict and the human cost of ambition.

Stolt and Larsson are joined once again by Hans Fröberg on vocals, Michael Stolt on bass and Mirko DeMaio on drums, along with a number of special guests. Stolt says:

“Like I said 37 years ago – ‘This is the band I will be in for the rest of my days’ – but I wouldn’t dream of us making one of our finest albums ever in 2026!”

HOPE will be available as a limited CD + Blu-ray Digipak featuring Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes by Rich Mouser, a first for the band, as well as a standard CD jewelcase, gatefold 2LP and digitally.

Pre-order HOPE and stream the single: theflowerkings.lnk.to/HOPE-Album