Early reviews — the album drops September 4. The Norwegians close their A Dark Poem trilogy, and the advance reviews border on genuflection. Sonic Perspectives pulls a 9.8/10 in the « Essential » tier, files the record among the near-perfect albums, and hopes not « to wait another twenty-one years to hear a record of this caliber ». Ever Metal (7.5/10), more measured, still calls it « a progressive metal masterclass ».
The consensus crystallizes around the ending: « A Dark Poem — Orchestral Suite », 17 minutes with the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, hailed everywhere as the record’s peak — « a beautifully and sensually woven piece » (Sonic Perspectives), a conclusion that « could double up as the score for a movie » (Ever Metal). Four tracks, 38 minutes, zero fat: the trilogy works, per Sonic Perspectives, like « a thoughtfully scripted miniseries ».
After a Part I at 78/100 and a Part II at 87/100, everything suggests the finale will aim just as high — the AOTY aggregate isn’t open yet, and we’ll update the score after release. Meanwhile, the gap between the ecstatic 9.8 and the composed 7.5 says one thing: nobody disputes the achievement, they only debate its scale.