Green Carnation releases new single "The Messiah Complex"

The title track wanders through an existential desert where rock-solid riffs give way to swirling synth, tracing what GREEN CARNATION frame as the evil root of modern anxieties back to biblical times—fiery double bass drum invoking the wrath of King Herod before the song resolves into its final melody. "Look, there it is / Can you believe it?" Nordhus sings, before later asking, "Would you guide my way if I believe?"

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"'The Messiah Complex' is a standout song in the trilogy," Nordhus says. "The vibe to this song is quite unique for us, but it doesn't take long to recognize that it is still very much a Green Carnation song. Bjørn's guitar work lifts the song up, together with Jonathan's drumming and, of course, Stein Roger's bass and vocals during the bridge."

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A Dark Poem, Part III: The Messiah Complex concludes a trilogy that began with 2025's The Shores of Melancholia and continued on 2026's Sanguis. Where those two records established the band's command of metal, rock and folk, Part III ties the trilogy's ongoing dialogue with Arthur Rimbaud's Ophelia together with heavier strokes of prog, closing with a 16-minute orchestral suite recorded with the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Opera Choir.

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Pre-order & pre-save: https://orcd.co/greencarnationadarkpoempart3

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"The title track from Part III of A Dark Poem is about our need to find external excuses for our behavior," bassist and primary lyricist Stein Roger Sordal says. "This is nothing new, but with our uncritical way of working with our increasingly digital world, we seem unable to cope with the consequences of our actions."

Founded in the early '90s by Emperor's original bassist Tchort, GREEN CARNATION built a cult following on the strength of Light of Day, Day of Darkness, a single hour-long song still regarded as one of metal's most ambitious epics. The band went on hiatus in 2007 before returning with 2020's Leaves of Yesteryear, which welcomed drummer Jonathan Pérez, ahead of the current trilogy's launch in 2025.

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Track list:
1. Unconditional Artificial Chemistry (06:09)

2. The Messiah Complex (06:48)

3. Broken Souls, Common Enemies (08:45)

4. A Dark Poem - Orchestral Suite (16:47)
Full runtime: 38:31

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Country: Norway (NO)

Genre: Progressive Metal

FFO: Opeth, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Pain of Salvation

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Recording Line-up:

Kjetil Nordhus — Vocals

Stein Roger Sordal — Bass, Rhythm Guitars, Lead Guitars, Keyboards

Bjørn Harstad — Lead Guitars, Effects

Endre Kirkesola — Keyboards, Synthesizers, Organs, Effects

Jonathan Alejandro Perez — Drums

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Guest Musicians:

Ingrid Ose — Flute on “Broken Souls, Common Enemies”

Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Opera Choir on “A Dark Poem - Orchestral Suite”

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Live Lineup:

Kjetil Nordhus — Vocals

Stein Roger Sordal — Bass

Tchort — Guitars

Bjørn Harstad — Guitars

Trond Breen — Guitars

Endre Kirkesola — Keyboards

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Production Credits:

Recorded at dUb Studio.

Mastered at Rorysound Studios.

Produced by Endre Kirkesola, Stein Roger Sordal, Kjetil Nordhus.
Mixing & sound engineering by Endre Kirkesola.

Assistant mixing by Bjørn Harstad.

Mastered by Lawrence Mackrory.

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A Dark Poem – Orchestral Suite Credits:

Recorded at Kilden Performing Arts Centre in Kristiansand, Norway.

Performed by the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Kristiansand Opera Choir.

Symphone Orchestra Conductor — Alexander Hanson

Choir Preparation and Conductor — Anne Haugland Balsnes

Mixing & Sound Engineer — Simen Endresen Hefte

Mastering Studio — Rorysound Studios

Mastering Engineer — Lawrence Mackr

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Follow Green Carnation:

‍Bandcamp: https://greencarnationsom.bandcamp.com/

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

‍Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/green2carnation/‍

Twitter (X): https://x.com/Green2Carnation

‍YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vfEaTADayEniT7xbG-XCA

‍Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ZaJhNBAhJ3HjPsWiB9sDc‍

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/green-carnation/72866964

‍Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/8192‍

Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23079

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Available Formats:
CD Digipak

12” Vinyl Gatefold (Black)

12” Vinyl Deluxe Gatefold (Silver and green marbled)

12” Vinyl Deluxe Gatefold (Transparent red and black marbled)

12” Vinyl Deluxe Gatefold (White with black splatters)

12” Vinyl Deluxe Gatefold (Turquoise and black marbled)

12” Vinyl Deluxe Gatefold (Transparent orange and black marbled)

Limited-edition A Dark Poem, Part I-III Colored LP Box Set (Includes Demos & Outtakes)

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