Artist: Green Carnation
Label: The End Records
Release Date: 3/22/05
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Title: The Quiet Offspring Artist: Green Carnation Label: The End Records Release Date: 3/22/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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5 | ||
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4 | ||
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4 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
This is the third Green Carnation album I've reviewed for Metal Judgment, and it will be the third to get a five-skull rating. I normally detest it when reviewers give the same band a perfect score, album after album, I just can't seem to help myself when it comes to this band. In retrospect, perhaps Blessing In Disguise deserved only four skulls, but that also seems disingenuous, because I still think it's a five-skull album, I just like it slightly less than Light of Day, Day of Darkness, and our subject here: The Quiet Offspring.
"One word review: Brilliant!" Fans of this band should know what to expect, as this album is a logical progression from their last, continuing to evolve their concise (for progressive anyway) and melodic songwriting. These songs are extremely easy to listen to, yet maintain an integrity that can easily be lost in such endeavors. The melodies may be sweet and beautiful, but there is an underlying doom hiding beneath all the aesthetics. Something deadly lurking in the dark, still waters of the pond.
While this album isn't as heavy as their first, there is a thickness on the periphery, not unlike the recent (and brilliant) output from Katatonia. If there's one area where Green Carnation might outperform Katatonia it's in the fact that their songs are more varied, keeping the same theme but attacking it from different angles. If you've been a fan of this band, this may very well be one of your favorite albums so far this year. One word review: Brilliant!
Death's Review:
Ex-Emperor guitarist Tchort and Green Carnation have always followed their own path. This time, the path takes a sharp right turn toward the world of hard rock. Think Opeth, Enslaved, Katatonia, Anathema, and Paradise Lost, U2 and Last Crack. Green Carnation still excel at what they do, and the production, musicianship, songwriting and performances are all first rate. Stylistically, the album is a bit uneven, sometimes sounding dark and relatively heavy, sometimes sound too "hard rock-ish" for my tastes. But whatever your taste, all ears will recognize the quality and integrity with which this album has been forged. And so while I am still not sure how much I'm going to be listening to this album (I'm not ready to put it away, but in this Christmas colored week, The Red Chord is getting more airtime than Green Carnation), but I know enough to know that giving this anything less than 4 skulls is objectively unjustifiable.
"Green Carnation still excel at what they do."
Hel's Review:
Green Carnation have returned at last with a new offering entitled, The Quiet Offspring. Apparently named for a mythical creature (Who among you, with children of course, truly has "quiet" offspring?), with this effort the band has again presented us with a more traditional album. I have to admit, even though they only did it once, when I think of this band I always think of the brilliant single-song opus that was Light of Day, Day of Darkness.
"As usual, the music is impressive." I’ve been really enjoying music of this ilk lately, so I was really looking forward to this album. I was actually surprised to find I was put off by parts of the vocal performance. And even more surprised to realize I was not really even drawn into the album until the fourth track, “A Place for Me.” I was very disappointed that I was disappointed, but I couldn’t change how I felt. And this continues, despite my best efforts to try and get past it. Even with my difficulties embracing it as fully as I wanted to, I recognize that there is a great deal of very good material on this album. I just really had my heart set on “spectacular” and I didn’t quite get it.
As usual, the music is impressive. The songwriting and lyrical content are both interesting and exceedingly well done. I may not love all of the vocals, but one thing about this album is undeniable. It contains brilliance. “Dead But Dreaming” is an amazing track and a highlight of the album. I definitely recommend this highly and as always, I look forward to what comes next. A U.S. tour would certainly be nice. You lucky Canadians will get a chance to see them at Day of the Equinox and I strongly urge you to take it.
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