A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia

Green Carnation are back with their seventh album, five years after the fantastic Leaves of Yesteryear. These Norwegian veterans play a brand of progressive metal that is neither flashy nor plagued by the tastelessness that plague the modern prog scene. Instead, they thrive on emotive songwriting that leans on the gothic and melancholic, reminiscent of bands like Paradise Lost. This album marks the first of a planned trilogy exploring themes of inner conflict and strife.

As expected, this is an immersive and resonant listen. The band conveys bleak self-reflection with dynamic contrast, weaving delicate, almost gentle passages with heavier, doom-laden segments soaked in Kjetil Nordhus' expressive vocals. This is showcased on the opening duo, "As Silence Took You" and "In Your Paradise," while "Me, My Enemy" slows things to a haunting crawl before "The Slave That You Are" breaks through. The latter track stands out as Green Carnation channel their darker past with guest vocals from Enslaved's Grutle Kjellson and incorporating black and death metal elements seamlessly into their prog framework.

Shores... is a strong, emotionally rich album that will resonate most with listeners who value atmosphere and depth over technical showmanship. If you are fascinated by speed, ridiculous tempo shifts, blinding solos and high-pitched wails, you will not get that here. My only gripe is with the production, which is a touch too polished and sterile, but other than that, this is another high-quality effort that should satisfy fans of both progressive and gothic metal.