Album Review: Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part III: The Messiah Complex

Album Review: Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part III: The Messiah Complex

Reviewed by Richard Oliver

Norwegian progressive metal act Green Carnation bring their most ambitious project to its conclusion with the final part of their “A Dark Poem” trilogy. Started back last year with the release of the first part “The Shores Of Melancholia” and continued earlier this year with the second part “Sanguis”, the third part “The Messiah Complex” concludes the band’s interpretation of “Arthur Rimbaud’s dreamy ode to Sheakpeare’s tragic Ophelia”. Each part of the trilogy has seen a different aspect of Green Carnation’s sound – “The Shores Of Melancholia” was dark and bleak yet heavy and immediate, “Sanguis” was even darker yet far gentler and introspective and “The Messiah Complex” sees the band at their most vast and progressive and serves as a surprising finale.

The album itself is only made up of four songs but each have their own identity. Album opener ‘Unconditional Artificial Chemistry’ continues the dark and introspective feel of the previous album but with driving riffs and luscious melodies. It is followed by the title track which is far more progressive affair with plenty of twists and turns and an almost psychedelic feel at times. The peak of the album comes with ‘Broken Souls, Common Enemies’ which manages to be the most melodic and heavy song in equal measure with gorgeous vocal lines and luscious melodies mixed with driving riffs and the most aggressive moments of the album.

The big surprise comes in the album’s finale ‘A Dark Poem – Orchestral Suite’ which sees the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Opera Choir perform a 16 minute orchestral piece. It is the boldest piece of music composed by Green Carnation to date and is a suitably epic and emotional finale for the album and the trilogy.

Green Carnation aren’t shy from bold musical statements as shown back in 2001 with their second album “Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness” which was one song an hour in duration. The “A Dark Poem” trilogy has been the boldest project from the band since then and can be seen as the band’s magnum opus and “The Messiah Complex” is a suitably epic conclusion to the trilogy with three excellent songs and a hair raising orchestral piece. Green Carnation have been going a long time but the past couple of years show that they are certainly not resting on their feet. I look forward to listening to the whole trilogy in one sitting and getting the full experience.

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