GREEN CARNATION

GREEN CARNATION
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE (2003)
320 KBPS

Those expecting a sequel to 2001's monumental "Light of Day, Day of Darkness" were surprised to say the least. Tchort and company took their uncanny songwriting abilities in a somewhat different direction, crafting an album with separate songs (a definite change from "LoD,DoD"s 60-minute track) and only incorporating movements or echoes from their previous effort.
Having said that, "A Blessing in Disguise" is equal parts hard-rocking and beautiful. The opening song, "Crushed to Dust" says everything in the title. Both catchy and aggressive, the song starts the album off on a very positive note, giving the listener a hefty taste of guitar-crunch and twangy keyboards. From the very start it is apparent that Tchort has left his northern, forest home and embraced the life of a modern-day headbanger. There is even a part of the song (beginning at 3:07) that sounds shockingly like something you'd find in Metallica's "ReLoad" (but no worries - it lasts for only about 15 seconds).
So, let's breathe for a moment now. "Lullaby in Winter" - again, a song whose title perfectly describes its sound. It begins with clean guitars and a march-like snare drum, leading into Kjetil Nordhus' delicate and vulnerable voice. "Writings on the Wall" showcases Green Carnation's razor-sharp guitar-work, and "Into Deep" closely resembles "LoD,DoD"s epic sound, combining strings with particularly hurtful vocal passages.
The beauty of the album is that no two songs are alike. Unlike "LoD,DoD"s segues that would often get mistaken for repeated riffs, "A Blessing in Disguise" is composed of absolutely unique songs that stand alone perfectly. In fact, if I were to give each song a rating, only two songs would fall short of `excellent', namely the excessively melancholic "Two Seconds in Life", and the somewhat lackluster closing track, "Rain". Besides these less-than-stellar pieces, the album is a true accomplishment for a daring and courageous band. Progression, indeed.

1. Crushed To Dust
2. Lullaby In Winter
3. Writings On The Wall
4. Into Deep
5. The Boy In The Attic
6. Two Seconds In Life
7. Myron & Cole
8. As Life Flows By
9. Rain