 |
 |
|
| Green Carnation - The Quiet Offspring |
 Released: 2005 Label: The End Records Cat. No.: Total Time: | |
Reviewed by: Jan-Mikael Erakare, June 2005 Evaluation: What is it? Not having heard any of Green Carnation's previous offerings, nor being familiar with their past sound, I was determined to listen to this disc with unbiased ears. The cover art and libretto made me feel like I was lying on my back in a forest towards the beginning of autumn… still warm, yet only a breeze away from chill… I imagined I was looking up at the canopy, transfixed by the slivers of light as they winked their way to the ground. In utter silence I lay, and then,, suddenly, the light ceased and I was left in the cold and the dark… Analysis: What it is: I'm still scratching my head on this one. I find elements of some early 80s bands (Tears For Fears springs to mind in the chorus of "Purple Door Pitch Black"), and strange comparisons to heavier bands like Non-Fiction and Alice in Chains ("Dead But Dreaming")... "Pile Of Doubt" has a Peter Gabriel vibe to it… remember "Last Crack"? Not really metal, not exactly progressive, this is the measure of the absorption of one's influences into a seamless whole … can you walk away from it and name influences or just feel like you've heard it before without being able to pin it down conclusively? I like it. It isn't heavy but it's weighty. It isn't progressive but it is mutable. The music isn't about instrumental prowess but it's superbly played. The lyrics cast a pall but they don't overshadow the uplift inherent in much of the disc. This is a musical paradox … no, a musical paradigm… Kudos to GC for using clean vocals throughout. Kjetil Nordhus has a powerful baritone, and delivers an emotive performance. Guitars are subdued but omnipresent … not a wasted note, and, with the exception of the beautifully phrased lead-work in "When I Was You," solos are virtually non-existent. Every part is subservient to the big picture, and there is not one self-aggrandizing moment on the entire disc. Summary: Superb in concept and execution, lyrically thoughtful and atmospherically powerful, this is an engaging listen if you have an open mind. Can you name the influences? Rating: 9-/10 (The minus is for the drumming. My only complaint is the almost sedentary feel imparted by the adherence to overly familiar rock/metal phrasing … a little less backbeat and more manipulation of the bar-lines would have raised the excitement level without sacrificing the flow) [4.25/5]> More about The Quiet Offspring: Track Listing: The Quiet Offspring / Between The Gentlesmall And The Standing Tall / Just When You Think It's Safe / A Place For Me / The Everlasting Moment / Purple Door, Pitch Black / Child's Play - Part I / Dead But Dreaming / Pile Of Doubt / When I Was You / Child's Play - Part II Musicians: Contact: Website: www.green-carnation.tk Discography
| |
[Review Index] [Home] [Top]  © Copyright 2005 ProgressiveWorld.net/Jan-Mikael Erakare |