No matter what stylistic path they take, Green Carnation have never shied away from grand, gloomy statements.
Founded in the early '90s by Emperor's former bassist Tchort, the Norwegians quickly amassed a cult following thanks to one of the most ambitious epics in metal history. Even before going on hiatus during the mid-2000s, the ever-evolving auteurs still flashed a flare for the dramatic by performing their acoustic verses underneath a mountain dam. However, there was one tale - or three, to be exact - that continued to elude them. Until now. With A Dark Poem, Green Carnation have finally finished their masterpiece.
The idea for an album trilogy stems from Green Carnation’s earliest yesteryears, but the first part of A Dark Poem cites various passages from across their illustrious cannon…

The Doobie Brothers' third long-player was the charm, their most substantial and consistent album to date, and one that rode the charts for a year. It was also a study in contrasts, Tom Johnston's harder-edged, bolder rocking numbers balanced by Patrick Simmons' more laid-back country-rock ballad style. The leadoff track, Johnston's "Natural Thing," melded the two, opening with interlocking guitars and showcasing the band's exquisite soaring harmonies around a beautiful melody, all wrapped up in a midtempo beat – the result was somewhere midway between Allman Brothers-style virtuosity and Eagles/Crosby & Nash-type lyricism, which defined this period in the Doobies' history and gave them a well-deserved lock on the top of the charts. Next up was the punchy, catchy "Long Train Runnin'," a piece they'd been playing for years as an instrumental – a reluctant Johnston was persuaded by producer Ted Templeman to write lyrics to it and record the song, and the resulting track became the group's next hit.