A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Definitively this is not a bad album, surely superior to the last one ("A quiet offspring"), but for me "Blessing in disguise" is inferior to the first two albums ("Journey to the end of the night" and "Light of day, day of darkness").

The original music of Green Carnation, including splendid female vocalists and melancholic guitar riffs and effects, is almost gone in this album and virtually absent in the last one. I agree with one reviewer that pointed out the band is adopting the normal routine of straight progressive or metal. Just as an example, listen to the drums - the drummer is the same that performed very good and variable sounds in the first two works of the band and in the amazing prog/psychedelic/doom/metal band IN THE WOODS. Unfortunately, now Anders Kobro most of time is limited to more simple and straight drums work (for example, listen to track #8 - "As life flows by"). Perhaps they are expecting for a larger audience.

However, PLEASE, do not misunderstand me: the album is good metal with prog elements, including fantastic tunes like track #2 - Lullaby in winter and #5 - The boy in the attic, and indeed there is not a bad song, but as mentioned above Green Carnation has performed more exciting music in the first two albums. Without a doubt, a good acquisition to any metal or prog fan, but not desperately essential. ***½ stars