Not gonna lie, I did a double-take when I saw that Green Carnation’s fantastic Leaves of Yesteryear came out five fucking years ago. And what a different time that was. We were balls-deep in Covid hell, I was living in a 600 square foot apartment in one of the hottest shit holes on earth, and I had a completely different job than I do now. But I didn’t mind any of it because I had my beloved Leaves of Yesteryear, which I still talk to staff about regularly. They love it. Many fans considered Green Carnation’s 2020 release a return to form for the band, and A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia continues where its predecessor left off. But it also incorporates everything we’ve ever known of the band’s catalog. Returning to the days of Light of Day, Day of Darkness, the band sets out to tell us a new story. Instead of accomplishing it in a single, one-hour song, The Shores of Melancholia marks Part I of a three-part series. This is one hell of an undertaking, but I’m here for it.

The sole purpose of The Shores of Melancholia is to set the tone of the trilogy, using its lyrical content and progressive nature to lure you in without answering any questions. The answers will come later. Throughout this first part of the trilogy, you’ll explore grief and inner turmoil, all the while trying to decide if you should headbang or hang your head in utter despair. More than the previous record, there are tracks here that are a total mind-fuck, transitioning endlessly between grooving riffs, melodic passages, and sadboi atmospheres. This does give a sense of return to Light of Day, Day of Darkness, with its numerous riff changes and progressive elements. But that’s where it ends. This is a different Green Carnation these days. A band that honors its legacy but refuses to become stale.

A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia by Green Carnation

For example, the album opens with two groovy numbers that take those elements from their rocking 2003 release, A Blessing in Disguise, and shove loads of details into them. “As Silence Took You” begins the album with a dark, slow-moving introduction that evolves into an effect-laden blanket of bassy licks and soft vocals. When the chorus arrives, the true strength of Kjetil Nordhus’ voice rings in the clouds. After following this pattern for a while, it evolves into an attractive chug that amplifies the energy and takes this sad song into even darker territories. Lyrically, this song has hit me hard lately, being that I lost my father suddenly a couple of weeks ago. Like the lyrics state, I never got to say goodbye as silence took you. But as far as groovers go, the follow-up track takes the urinal cake. With various slapping riffs that get your noggin’ rockin’, the chorus stands out for its very folky attitude. It’s a perfect blend and a song I find myself repeating constantly.

While the two opening pieces get the juices going, the two that close the album take you down into a dark place. The atmospheres that introduce the title track are massive, sucking you into melancholic bliss. It also has the biggest, most beautiful chorus of the record. The best part of the song is the hauntingly gorgeous, yet rather simple guitar lead that resonates throughout. While “The Shores of Melancholia” might be the strongest of the album, the closer, “Too Close to the Flame,” is the most progressive. This epic number is a rollercoaster ride of emotions—at one point sinister, at other times uplifting and foot-tappable. It also has plenty of those patented chugs Green Carnation is so good at utilizing when introducing new builds. But I can’t end this review without talking about the album’s literal black sheep. We haven’t heard black metal rasps in Green Carnation since Nattefrost’s contribution on Light of Day, Day of Darkness, but you are not prepared for “The Slave That You Are.” This song uses Enslaved’s Grutle Kjellson on vocals, while, sometimes awkwardly, the band fuses old-school black metal with progressive sound. While not uncommon for Enslaved, the progressive elements of Green Carnation make it a wild ride.

The only track that doesn’t grab me as strongly as the others is “Me, My Enemy.” Lyrically, it does a great job fitting the theme. But it’s ballady pace with spacey Pink Floydish effects takes me out of the mood a bit. Though it’s a shocker to go from this track to the aforementioned “The Slave That You Are.” It’s difficult to measure the greatness of an album that is only one part of a trilogy without knowing the final result. But, as this album stands, Leaves of Yesteryear is a stronger record as a whole. But, again, the day all the pieces come into place, this trilogy has the potential of being the most adventurous endeavor the band has ever taken. There are a lot of surprises on this new album, which I appreciate because if you look at the band’s catalog, no two records are the same. Based on this record alone, I’m quite excited to see how this plays out.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Season of Mist
Websites: greencarnationsom.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/greencarnationnorway
Releases Worldwide: September 5th, 2025

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