Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part III: The Messiah Complex
Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part III: The Messiah Complex
Season of Mist
Release Date: 04/09/2026
Review by Oli Gonzalez
7.5/10
Green Carnation have never been one for convention. Their 1hour long single track opus “Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness” will tell you that. Their debut. Now 25 years into their career, they find themselves at the finish line of yet another ambitious project. The conclusion to the trilogy of “A Dark Poem” albums. Anxiety may be creeping in now, the kind you get when you begin watching a movie and realize you haven’t seen the first movies beforehand. Though this is no problem here; you can dive straight in and appreciate a progressive metal masterclass.
‘Unconditional Artificial Chemistry’ showcases Green Carnation’s signature attributes as a band. Whilst the guitars and bass are locked in on rhythmic duties, it’s really the keyboards that drive the band’s sound, adding the dark and mysterious atmosphere. The drums remain simple but effective, making way for this melodic focal point. Though ‘The Messiah Complex’ gives more opportunities for Stein and Bjorn to showcase their skills on the lead guitars, occasionally breaking formation for lead burst or sneaky lick.
‘Broken Souls, Common Enemies’ feels like the peak of the album on multiple facets. Vocalist Kjetil takes the limelight with his vocal prowess. The byproduct of listening to this is that you may find yourself singing ‘SYN-ER-GY’ out loud on multiple occasions. Like I did. Multiple times. A nod to the infectious nature of this chorus. Aside from ballad-like choruses, things get darker and heavier with the distortion pedals engaged and the guitars adding more bite and crunch. Still, Kjetil remains the light in the darkness with his more soothing melodic vocal tone juxtaposing nicely against this. Though the sprinkling of heavier growls add the expected yet necessary bite to the composition.
A near 17 minute orchestral finish wasn’t on my bingo card! Even the band admitted not many people expected this. Utilising the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, close your eyes and you’ll think this could double up as the score for a movie! It could! Though this serves as an empathetic reminder; always expect the unexpected from Green Carnation. So, what’s next?
TRACKLISTING:
01. Unconditional Artificial Chemistry
02. The Messiah Complex
03. Broken Souls, Common Enemies
04. A Dark Poem – Orchestral Suite
LINKS:
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