21. Green Carnation / Light of Day, Day of Darkness [2001]I'd seen DTF chatter about this for a long time, but never took the step to commit 60 minutes to a single song - until they were announced to be playing it at PPUSA in 2016. Naturally, I needed to sample it.
The opening chord sets the sombre tone and ambience that is deserved for the story about to unfold. And or the next 60 minutes, you are enveloped in a kaleidoscope of sounds that surely captivates anyone with the good sense to listen to this song/album. What is amazing is the fact that it manages to hold your interest - more than just holds your interest, for it truly mesmerized me… and still does to this day. I mean, how can it not? This song has every element of story-telling and musicianship one would expect in a concept album - and a whole host of things I would normally not love, for its riffs are what most would consider goth or doom-metal, and then there's those pesky growls - but in this instance (as I've always said), I can appreciate them (sacre bleu!) when they're tasteful, minimal, and with a purpose. But the music transcends its own style. And the lyrics/story. I mean, :'( the roller coaster of emotions that Tchort takes the listener on with this album are unparalleled.
I don't suspect that Green Carnation is normally my cup of tea, but wow is this song/album something else. Inspired by the death of founding member Terje Vik Schei's (Tchort) daughter and dedicated to his son, this is a wonder to behold. I suppose it didn't need to be a single track, but it is what it is. There are quite clearly different sections to the piece.
- At the 4:45 mark, we get the first of many different angry and aggressive riffs - and this one will become centrepiece of the music.
- The symphony makes its first appearance just before the 11 minute mark
- At 13:20, the music goes full tilt, and the spoken style of the lyrical melodies are chilling.
- The tone turns sombre and dark again around 17 minutes, and then in a sense becomes a bit of it's own poetic lullaby at 21:45 - both musically and lyrically.
- Then picks up again at 30:20 just to come to the end of the first act with a very a distinct 'pause' in the album at 32:40 for everyone to just kind of exhale and take a moment (nearly 15 minutes of moments), including a glorious 2-minute guitar solo towards the end of those moments
- At 47 minutes , it's as if the band says "Ready? Cuz you better buckle up bitches, time to finish this bastard off", building up to the concluding reprisals that will close out the album.
- The final 4 minutes just reeks of the motif of lighting up a smoke after a glorious climax - while tugging at the heartstrings one final time with samples of Tchort's baby.
When watching it at PPUSA, I was sitting with Nick, and he clearly had not done the advanced research I'd done. About 15 minutes into the performance, he nudges me to show me his phone - it was an Amazon check-out receipt of the CD. This album is definitely worthy of "instant purchase" status.
Fave Song - yes
P.S. You'd think with a writeup this big, it would rate higher. Maybe it should. But the song/album is so powerfully emotive - moreso than any other album on this list - there was a lot to say.