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.
