If you think the King of Sweden comes from Sweden, that is only partially true. Because as it turns out, there is also a King of Sweden who comes from Finland. I am referring here to the newly discovered Finnish retro progressive rock band King Of Sweden that recently released their third album. The new album, Interregnum, is the successor to the first two albums, The Training (2021) and Out Of The Tunnel (2024). King of Sweden was founded in late 2019 by guitarist and singer Sampsa Nelimarkka, drummer Janne Savela and bass player Erkka Heinila. The trio had played together in the past with Sampsa Nelimarkka playing the bass and Erkka Heinilä playing the guitar. This time they decided to switch instruments with each other and immediately found their sound. Ultimately, with an additional keyboardist and a change in the rhythm section, a lineup was formed that you can also hear on this new album. To avoid any confusion, I will list it: Sampsa Nelimarkka - guitar, vocals, saxophone Joni Raikaslehto - bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals Tomi Raikaslehto - keyboards, percussions, guitar, backing vocals Elias Ojutkangas - drums, backing vocals Guest musician: Jan Tiusanen - flute (on Father Of Soup and Recursion) The title of the album Interregnum refers to the turbulent and uncertain times the band went through due to multiple lineup changes since its formation in 2019. The album title Interregnum comes from Latin and literally means "interim reign" or "interim period" (the time span between the abdication or death of a king and the arrival of a new monarch). Although the band King Of Sweden has not given a specific conceptual interview regarding the exact background of this choice, the title aligns with the band in two logical ways: The band name: With a band name like King Of Sweden, a historical and royal term such as Interregnum is a direct, thematic nod to the concept of kingship. It probably also has someting to do with the themes of the songs. The album deals with themes surrounding transition and transience. The second track, Breath, describes the fleeting and temporary nature of life. An 'interregnum' symbolizes precisely such a temporary transitional phase in which everything lies open. As for the music you can say that the album combines retro-prog and art rock with influences ranging from classic hard rock to epic soundscapes. The album lasts a total of 40 minutes and contains four tracks. They sound creative, energetic, and as atmospheric retro-prog work where there is a fine playful balance between complex rhythms and melodic passages. You can describe the music as technically sophisticated with constant tempo changes and time signature shifts. As usual, I will delve a bit deeper into how the songs sound individually and who might have musically influenced them. Movie Night - An energetic, guitar-driven prog track with clear influences from old-school hard rock bands like Uriah Heep and Deep Purple, combined with the sound of Yes because of the strong bass parts. The song ends with an amazing synth solo. Breath - A quiet, peaceful ballad which might have been influenced by Yes. The keyboard parts absolutely sound amazing on this piece of music. Father Of Soup - A dynamic track that opens in a complex 11/8 time signature inspired by the work of King Crimson from the 80s. Again strong bass parts can be heard here in the style of earlier mentioned Yes. Also the rhythm parts sound a bit like this band. The song ends as a ballad. Recursion - An epic, 20-minute closing piece full of tempo changes, heavy bass lines, beautiful Mellotron parts and melodic guitar and keyboard solos. At the same time wild instrumental rides, atmospheric post-rock guitars, and moving, quiet folk interludes. You can hear a strong rhythm section and melody. The influences are here from Rush amongst others. This epic might be regarded as the absolute highlight of the album. But perhaps in doing so, I would be doing the other songs a disservice, and that is really not the intention. As far as I'm concerned, the album Interregnum by King Of Sweden is one of the most striking new discoveries of 2026. I really enjoyed what these four Finnish musicians presented on this album. Their mix of old-school retro prog and hard rock with elements of contemporary prog works perfectly for me. Highly recommended for anyone who can find something to appreciate in this musical mix and loves bands like Rush, Yes, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep. I am already looking forward to what these Finnish musicians will present on the follow-up to this amazing album. Probably another masterpiece of royal progressive rock. But probably released with a different lineup because, in all likelihood, only band leader Sampsa Nelimarkka remained in the band after the release of this amazing album. ****+ Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
