LIGHT OF DAY, DAY OF DARKNESS

I discovered this release here in the Archives and specifically in the top 100 list; one day when I didn't have any idea what to buy next, I decided to try to make the top 100 useful and try to get most of the top albums in the genres I prefer; so, while looking in the progressive-metal genre's top 100 list, I found this little wonder among the top 20. I bought it after reading a couple of very positive reviews. But I didn't bought it without any hesitation or doubt: there's a lot of highly-praised releases that I just don't like or that I think are way overrated. So, with some fear of dissapointment, I put this cd in the stereo the other night, and listened...

...and AGREED.

This album is a MASTERPIECE of progressive metal music, and of prog in general. It just blow my mind off. When I saw that the screen said "track 01 - 60:07" I got really worried; I mean, I was sure at some time my concience would begin to fail me or that sleep would try to win over me; you know, 60 MINUTES of continuous non-stop music seem like a little bit too much EVEN for prog. But no sir, NOT AT ALL. I have never experienced something quite like the easiness with which the time just... flew by. I kept seeing the stereo's scren in amazement: 10:00, 20:00, 34:00... and so on, till the 60 minute mark was reached. And never, NOT ONCE did I even start to close my eyes. Why? Because what I heard, was SPECTACULAR.

I won't try a detailed section-by-section review of the "song" because is really impossible, at least not until I've heard this cd like ten more times. But I think I can summarize what the music represented for me in a few words, even after just one listen.

What we have here is a prog-progmetal mix-dream: this is NOT pure prog-metal a la Dream Theater: this is NOT just death metal a la Opeth; this is NOT psychedelic metal a la Riverside; this is not pure prog-conceptual metal a la Pain of Salvation. No... This album HAS IT ALL. We have a lot of pure grinding metallic moments, many passages of death-metal riffs, many atmospheric, spacey moments with psychadelic guitars and keys; we have unusual instruments like Cello and winds; we have quiet passages, we have hard rockin', straight metal passages; moments of rhythmical interest, momenst of the utmost MELODIC BEAUTY. We have everything we were looking for AND MORE. Just to give an idea, let's try a mix made of Pain of Salvation, a but of Opeth, a lot of Tuonela-era Amorphis (a band I consider to be prog in three of their latest releases), a bit of Evergrey (the good stuff, not MMA debacle), just a little of DT, some Floyd, lots of Therion (the orchestral and choral moments).... man, if I keep on naming references in Green Carnation's sound, I'd probably go as far back as some 60's bands... (well, that's obvious: influence goes forward and is "inherited", so if a band is influenced by someone who was influenced by a 60's band, then the first are influenced by the latter, too). But I'd say those are the bands that came to my mind quicker.

And, lest we forget about the performers, we have to say the a word about the musicians themselves: the playing is of the highest level here, with very competent performers in every instrument but specially in the guitars, where mastermind Tchort just shines with sheer brilliance. The singer is quite good, too: he know how to properly SING, with great melodic skills, but he also knows how to growl. Yes, there's some growling to be found here (not too much, thank you Tchort) but it's not of the annoying kind: is a deep, concentrated, obscure and harmless guttural sound that doesn't take away from the quality of the music.

So, in the end, I have to say: this is a 5 STAR ALBUM: it is an ESSENTIAL addition to any prog-metal collection worthy of being called a collection. An outstanding, original, amazing effort that truly represents all that metal is capable of, when conceived and performed by musicians that really know how to extract the last drop of vital fluid out of it.

Recommended to: EVERYONE. Even if you don't like prog-metal or just metal, please give this a try: it has enough interesting features and enough melodic fragments to leave you more than just satisfied.

Not recommended to: Well, I have a problem here.... I'm at a loss for words. I don't have anyone not to recommend this album to. But for the sake of tradition, I just have to find someone. And it is: not recommended for people that aren't able or don't have the time to sit down for a FULL hour to listen to this from beginning to end... IT HAS TO BE DONE THAT WAY.