Green Carnation

Green Carnation
Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music
Founded	1990 in Kristiansand, Norway
Founder	Terje Vik Schei (Tchort)
Headquarters	Kristiansand, Norway
Products	Music albums, singles, live DVDs
Website	www.greencarnation.no

Green Carnation is a progressive metal ensemble originating from Kristiansand, Norway, established in 1990. Their musical approach has transformed significantly over time, beginning with a straightforward death metal style on their initial demo. Subsequent releases saw them explore death-doom, progressive doom metal, atmospheric gothic metal, and melancholic hard rock, culminating in the fully acoustic album Acoustic Verses released in 2006. After a 14-year hiatus, the band re-emerged with Leaves of Yesteryear on May 8, 2020, revisiting their gothic progressive metal origins. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they produced and digitally launched the single “The World Without a View” on December 18, 2020.

Formation and early years (1990–2001)

The inception of Green Carnation traces back to Terje Vik Schei (known as Tchort), formerly bassist for Emperor, who founded the band prior to joining Emperor in 1990. The original members eventually parted ways, with some forming the avant-garde group In the Woods....

Their first full-length album, Journey to the End of the Night, was recorded in 1999 and released in 2000 through the German label Prophecy Productions. This debut showcased a doom metal style infused with folk influences. Following this release, several lineup changes occurred; drummer Anders Kobro from In The Woods... joined forces with Tchort. Together, they crafted Light of Day, Day of Darkness, a singular progressive metal composition lasting 60 minutes—ranking among the lengthiest tracks in metal history. The pre-production phase involved Tchort on guitar, Kobro on drums, and Endre Kirkesola handling bass duties, which attracted guitarist Bjørn Harstad (also from In The Woods...) for the final recording sessions. Additional members included Stein Roger Sordal on bass, vocalist Kjetil Nordhus, and keyboardist Bernt Moen (Shining). Released in 2001 by Prophecy Productions in Europe and The End Records in the US, this album solidified Green Carnation’s reputation within progressive metal circles.

Genre branching and new identity (2001–2006)

The band’s subsequent release arrived in 2003 with A Blessing in Disguise, issued via the French label Season Of Mist. This record combined elements of progressive metal and rock with subtle hints of gothic metal and hard rock, signaling a shift in their musical direction. Following recording sessions, guitarist Bjørn Harstad departed due to other professional commitments, while keyboardist Bernt Moen left after touring in 2003 to pursue different projects.

In 2005, Green Carnation unveiled The Quiet Offspring, featuring new members keyboardist Kenneth Silden and guitarist Michael Krumins. Distributed by Season Of Mist in Europe and The End Records in the US, this album embraced a more hard rock-oriented sound and is regarded as their most commercially accessible work. Drummer Anders Kobro was replaced by Tommy Jacksonville, a longtime collaborator of Stein Sordal. Later that year saw the release of the EP The Burden Is Mine... Alone, which introduced Stein Roger Sordal as lead vocalist on its title track—both written and performed by him. Jacksonville also contributed as songwriter and lyricist for “Transparent Me.” This EP served as a preview for their forthcoming material.

Early in 2006, Green Carnation released their fifth studio album, Acoustic Verses, marking a significant stylistic transition by employing exclusively acoustic instrumentation. The record delivered a gentler and warmer auditory experience while retaining their signature progressive and darker elements.

Hiatus (2007–2014)

According to Tchort's commentary in the Acoustic Verses booklet, Green Carnation had intentions to extend "The Chronicles of Doom" trilogy with a follow-up album named The Rise and Fall of Mankind, succeeding Light of Day, Day of Darkness.

In February 2007, the band captured their second live DVD titled A Night Under the Dam, showcasing a full performance of the Acoustic Verses record alongside additional songs. The concert was filmed underneath a 30-meter-high dam in Norway and marked the final release featuring that lineup.

On August 17, 2007, Tchort revealed that the group was disbanding due to financial setbacks and diminished enthusiasm following an unsuccessful tour in the United States. He declared he would

"persist in composing music under the Green Carnation name but likely will not perform live with the band again."

The planned album The Rise and Fall of Mankind was indefinitely shelved; after the hiatus, the title was ultimately discarded without any official release schedule.

Reunion (2014–present)

Green Carnation announced their comeback on February 20, 2014, scheduling a second A Night Under the Dam event for July 31, 2014, while also indicating readiness for festival appearances and concerts. A brief documentary chronicling their reunion was made available on the Norwegian platform Eternal-Terror.

The band made their debut at ProgPower USA in Atlanta on September 10, 2016, delivering a complete live rendition of "Light of Day, Day of Darkness" to a sold-out audience. This show garnered widespread praise and is regarded as one of PPUSA’s most memorable performances.

On August 24, 2018, Green Carnation released their third live album, Last Day of Darkness, available on DVD and CD through Prophecy Productions. The recording originated from a November 26, 2016 concert at Kristiansand’s Kilden Centre.

Following a fourteen-year studio album hiatus, they unveiled their sixth full-length record titled Leaves of Yesteryear. The title track was issued as a single accompanied by a music video on March 5, 2020. A live listening event took place on YouTube on May 6. Co-produced by Green Carnation and Endre Kirkesola, the album was released on May 8, 2020 via Season of Mist, with mastering completed by Maor Appelbaum.

On November 13, 2020, the single "The World Without a View" was digitally released along with a streaming video through Season of Mist; it became available for digital purchase on December 18.

December 2021 saw a remastered version of their 2006 album Acoustic Verses reissued featuring updated artwork and bonus material. This was followed by the release of "Time in a Bottle," a cover version of Jim Croce’s classic tune.

On September 5, 2025, Green Carnation launched A Dark Poem, Pt. 1: The Shores of Melancholia.

Studio albums

Year	Title
2000	Journey to the End of the Night
2001	Light of Day, Day of Darkness
2003	A Blessing in Disguise
2005	The Quiet Offspring
2005	The Burden Is Mine... Alone (EP)
2006	Acoustic Verses (re-released in 2021)
2020	Leaves of Yesteryear
2025	A Dark Poem, Pt. I: The Shores of Melancholia

Additional Releases

Year	Title	Format
1991	Hallucinations of Despair	Demo
2004	The Trilogy	Box Set
2004	Alive and Well... In Krakow	Live DVD
2007	A Night Under the Dam	Live DVD
2018	Last Day of Darkness	Live DVD/CD
2020	The World Without a View	Single
2021	My Greater Cause	Single
2022	Time in a Bottle (Jim Croce cover)	Single

Present Members

Terje Vik Schei (also known as Tchort) – guitars (1990–1991, 1998–2007, 2014–present)
Stein Roger Sordal – bass guitar, vocals, guitars, harp (2001–2006, 2014–present)
Bjørn "Berserk" Harstad – guitars, slide guitars, ebow (2001–2003, 2006, 2016, 2019–present)
Kjetil Nordhus – vocals (2001–2007, 2014–present)
Endre Kirkesola – keyboards (2001, 2016–2017, 2025–present)
Jonathan Pérez – drums (2016–present)

Past Members

Christopher "C:M." Botteri – bass (1990–1991, 1998–2001)
Anders Kobro – drums (1990–1991, 2001–2005)
Christian "X" Botteri – guitars (1990–1991, 1998–2001)
Richart Olsen – vocals (1990–1991)
Alf T. Leangel – drums (1998–2001)
Bernt A Moen – keyboards, piano (2001–2004)
Øystein Tønnessen – keyboards, piano (2004)
Michael Krumins – guitar, theremin (2004–2007, 2014–2017, 2022)
Tommy Jacksonville – drums (2005–2007, 2014–2016)
Kenneth Silden – piano, keyboards (2005–2007, 2014–2016, 2017–2025)

Touring Musicians

Ole Vistnes – bass guitar (2005, 2022)
Anne Marie Almedal – vocals (2006)
Trond Breen – guitars (2022– )

Related Artists

External Links

[ Green Carnation @ AllMusic.com]