Green Carnation
The Quiet Offspring

"The Quiet Offspring" is the fourth studio work by the Norwegian band Green Carnation.

The anticipation for this new work has been intense both from the critics and the numerous fans that the band has managed to win over in recent years; this is thanks to their previous work, "A Blessing In Disguise": a masterpiece of atmospheric prog-metal.

This new work will help us answer the following question: "Was "A Blessing In Disguise" an isolated glimpse of compositional brilliance or are we witnessing a band now firmly established in the European music scene?" After numerous and repeated listens of "The Quiet Offspring", I've come to the conclusion that the correct answer is the latter.

First of all, I want to inform the fans that this new work by the band deviates from their previous album. However, this will not surprise or shock anyone too much... because changes in style and direction are nothing new for Green Carnation. We can therefore describe the new album as having a sound that is certainly harder and more direct compared to "A Blessing In Disguise"; however, this does not mean that the melancholic parts (a basic element of Green Carnation's music) that are so appreciated by fans will be missing... after all, we are talking about a record with an indisputably high level of emotionality. In many of the songs, it will be possible to notice how the classic sounds of '70s prog have been mixed with raw guitar riffs, almost as if wanting to connect to the harder works of Opeth and Pain Of Salvation. As I previously stated, this album is much faster and more powerful than its predecessor(s); songs like "The Quiet Offspring", "Just When You Think It's Safe", "The Everlasting Moment", and "Dead But Dreaming" will know how to hit and stun you with a barrage of granite and well-developed riffs.

Some fans, on the other hand, will have difficulty recognizing the hand of Green Carnation behind tracks such as "Childs Play" and "A Place For Me". To prevent misunderstandings, let me clarify right away that when I said this is a prog-metal band, I didn't necessarily mean you would find impressive guitar solos or intricate piano parts; here it is the group as a whole that stands out... "The Quiet Offspring" is a great proof of how a band can be well-blended in making music. The album is far from being boring or similar to the works of groups that engage in complex virtuosity on their instruments which sometimes (sometimes) do not stand the test of time. Returning to us; if you expect me to indicate a song to listen to first or cite my favorites... I apologize, but I won't be able to do it, because all the tracks in this work are really good and all capable of creating a perfect atmosphere; but beware... this album is not at all easy to understand. Only after many careful listens will you be able to discover the true value and quality of this "The Quiet Offspring".

Well, after this work, we can finally fully affirm that Green Carnation belong to the elite of music! Let yourself be surrounded and captivated by the magic of their music, and you will not be disappointed: it is definitely one of the best albums of 2005.