I readily admit that an unhealthy obsession with Sólstafir and Björk has kept my ears fixated on nearly anything to emerge from Iceland, and Carpe Noctem does not disappoint, though the band performs a far more traditional brand of black metal than their countrymen. Brazen, hostile melodies and the bloodthirsting rasp of Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson are the hallmarks of this four track, self-titled EP, and I was fairly impressed by the boxy, dense tone the band emits."Vargsfæðing" fades in with some low register ambience before the cold streams of barbaric riffing commence, gradually transforming into a brighter flash of blood as the vocals begin to share their despotic torment. "Jötunborinn" yet again creates a flow of rime tinged, Norse black metal over streaming, biting melodies, with an eerie breakdown. "Metamorphoses Maleficarum" is longer than both of the previous tracks combined, through it's 10+ minutes you will visit some samples, grim rhythms and another excellent breakdown, complete with beating drums and a nice vocal buildup to the climactic, wintry beast of a riff to come. The finale "Skálholtsbrenna" is another lengthy track with more of the band's cold riffing.
I am yet again impressed by the production on a self-released EP. Carpe Noctem sounds grim and unforgiving, but not like it was recorded in a toilet. These are no strangers to an unforgiving climate and this is reflected in the music. There weren't any riffs on the EP that blew me away, but taken as a whole it's a decent diversion which immersed me in its savagery. At 30 minutes, it's a good length for 4 songs. Will be waiting for the inevitable full-length. If you enjoy this you can snag their previous demo from a link on their MySpace (below).
Verdict: Win [7/10]
http://www.myspace.com/carpenoctemiceland
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