Carnation is now forging its own path.
Having recently gone independent, the Belgian band led by Simon Duson (vocals, ex-Prematory), Yarne Heylen (bass, Crime Scene), Jonathan Verstrepen (guitar, Striking Death, ex-Incinerate), Bert Vervoort (guitar, ex-Warbeast Remains), and Vincent Verstrepen (drums, Predatory Void, ex-Hämmerhead), will release their fourth album, Symphony in Flesh, in 2026.
The five guys hit hard right from the start with Blackmouth, the opening track that delivers an abrasive, quintessentially Old School sound in the purest Death Metal tradition whether through the HM-2-boosted riffs, Simon’s screams, or even drums whose mix further amplifies the overall aggression. Every note cuts through like Péter Sallai’s album cover art (Bloodbound, Crematory, Kataklysm, Powerwolf…), and the same goes for Flesh Eating Frenzy, a slightly shorter track that emphasizes anxiety in its leads where its predecessor had opted for a melancholic touch. Symphony in Flesh takes a little while to get going with a slightly longer intro, but the heaviness of the title track and its catchy riffs more than make up for it, skillfully weaving in a wonderfully haunting solo before Kingdom of Dreams drives the point home with sinister tones that perfectly complement the obvious violence. The infectious groove also runs rampant in the rhythm section, but you’ll encounter unexpected and thoroughly delightful majestic keyboards that contrast with the brutal march toward Labyrinth of Silence and its gentle introduction, which colors the riffs, giving them a certain intoxicating serenity while remaining thick and abrasive. The pace picks up again with Towards Death, which also offers a touch of technicality in its piercing leads, while still staying true to the furious Old School approach just like on Twisted Visions, which, though slower, remains within the most scathing realms of Death Letal and will also have us headbanging. Note the touches of harmonics that perfectly capture the song’s title by lashing our brains, then we slow the pace for a moment with Boundless Pathways and its intro, which literally sounds like the last moment of respite before the apocalypse and which is sure to answer the call with a devastating, full-throttle approach. It’s rare to see Death Metal songs that are longer than ten minutes, but Carnation rose to the challenge with Legacy of the Forefathers, shifting from pure aggression to much more melodic passages, even ethereal ones, or those with a touch of clean vocals. This demonstrates not only the band’s ambition but also the resources they’ve invested to leave a lasting impression, occasionally even veering toward Black/Death Metal.
By going independent, Carnation took a big risk, but I was confident in the musicians, given their previous releases as well as the recent live shows I’d seen. I wasn’t wrong: Symphony in Flesh is a true treasure of Old School Death Metal, but it also knows how to surprise, especially on the final track.
95/100
