With their sixth album Pinocchio, piano-driven post-rockers We Stood Like Kings from Belgium cross a ridge line and fully embrace their boldest transformation in 15 years of existence. Heavier, more direct, this new record marks a true turning point which the band readily calls “We Stood Like Kings 2.0.”

Where crescendos once unfolded like patient tides, Pinocchio now raises sheer cliffs. Guitars carve out sharp, commanding riffs; drums erupt in seismic bursts; layers of distorted synths thicken the sonic horizon to the point of ignition. And yet, at the heart of this newfound density, the band’s signature poetry remains intact, like a stubborn ember glowing beneath the ash.

The neoclassical piano, by turns diaphanous in its melancholy and nearly untamed in its ferocity, acts as an emotional compass within the amplified storm. One might imagine Chopin venturing into post-metal territory: delicate motifs colliding with towering walls of sound, crystalline arpeggios suddenly swallowed by electric detonations.

In this new era, the art of the crescendo does not disappear, it intensifies. Layers stack up with unprecedented determination, silences grow rarer and heavier with meaning, and every ascent seems aimed at a more vertiginous summit. Pinocchio renounces nothing of the past; it magnifies its contours, sharpens its contrasts, and transforms fragility into raw power.

“This really feels like We Stood Like Kings 2.0. It might be the record we’ve always wanted to make,” says pianist Judith Hoorens. With evocatively titled tracks like Fire Eater, Attila of the Sea, and Dead Blue Fairy, the 50-minute concept album Pinocchio revisits the timeless tale of Pinocchio through a dark lens of betrayal, manipulation and power play.

Having earned critical acclaim for their live soundtracks to cult silent films like Koyaanisqatsi and Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, We Stood Like Kings have cemented their place as pioneers in the genre, performing over 400 times across 20 European countries. In addition to their film work, the band has ventured into reinterpreting classical masterpieces on their album Classical Re:works, offering contemporary renditions of pieces like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Debussy’s Rêverie.

Pinocchio marks the band’s boldest musical evolution yet, a record written purely for the sake of the music itself. “For the first time since we began in 2011, the visuals were crafted around our music, not the other way around. I think this sense of freedom really comes through on the album,” says Judith Hoorens. Cinema shows, under the title Pinocchio Revisited, feature animated visuals by Cartoonbase Studio, based on the striking black-and-white and vivid colored illustrations of the renowned Belgian artist Carll Cneut.

A major factor in the album’s forceful sound is its meticulous and extended recording process. “We took the time to get things right and surrounded ourselves with people we trusted completely: Belgian producer Laurent Seys (Lost Frequencies) recorded and produced the drums, while French engineer Rémy Deliers (Gojira) handled the mixing and mastering,” explains the band. With its richly layered production and immersive sonic landscapes, Pinocchio clearly stands as We Stood Like Kings’ most powerful and best-sounding album to date.

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Out on April 10, 2026 via Kapitän Platte.
Distributed by Cargo Records and A Thousand Arms.

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