Releasedate:   03-04-2026
Label: Seasons of Mist

For a long time, Green Carnation has been defined by their readiness to take on enormous tasks. The Norwegian prog bards for 30 years now have moved from the guns blazing intensity of Part I to a work of profound, undeniable intimacy with “Sanguis”, the second part of their A Dark Poem trilogy.

Sanguis finds the band far out at sea, struggling with internal storms, whereas the first album, “The Shores of Melancholia,” felt like a great opening statement. Rich and evocative, Endre Kirkesola’s production displays a balance between delicate organ and piano swells and meaty riffs and double bass. On the final track, “Lunar Tale,” Ingrid Ose’s calming flute lends a layer of shining beauty to a prevalent bleak scene.

Stein Roger Sordal’s lyrics, which are raw and probably the most vulnerable and honest of his career, are the album’s emotional center. Sordal’s childhood and his complicated connection with his father are strikingly depicted in the 9-minute title track, “Sanguis,” which stands out. For “Loneliness Untold, Loneliness Unfold,” Sordal sings to the microphone in an uncommon move, giving a raw and stripped performance. The songs sound comforting despite their melancholy because of the smooth transition between Sordal’s words and Kjetil Nordhus’s vocals, which is a monument to their 30-year creative collaboration.

Sanguis is a masterwork of progressive metal that renounces technicality. By removing the filters and concentrating on bloodied wounds, Green Carnation has produced a bleeding-heart core that suspends listeners beautifully until the end of the trilogy.

Line up:

• Kjetil Nordhus: Vocals
• Stein Roger Sordal: Bass/Lyrics/Vocals
• Bjørn Harstad: Guitar
• Endre Kirkesola: Keyboards/Producer
• Jonathan Pérez: Drums

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenCarnationNorway/

Bandcamp: https://greencarnationsom.bandcamp.com/album/a-dark-poem-part-ii-sanguis