Description

Black vinyl with lyric insert. Limited 500 copies

The second and final album of Ceremonial Oath – the band from which superstars In Flames, Tiamat and Hammerfall have emerged. This original version of Carpet has been sold out since the late 90s. Ceremonial Oath was basically the premiere melodic death metal band, laying the blue print for many, many acts to follow. Carpet features Anders Friden on vocals and former In Flames and Dark Tranquillity guitarist Anders Iwers. I will be honest and say the instruments are played in a kind of sloppy manner at times. Look no further than the cover of Iron Maidens Hallowed Be Thy Name for this. There are lots of twin leads in that song and the guitarists seem to have some trouble keeping time with each other. The produce ranges from somewhere between primitive and the standard for a release at the time (think Lunar Strain). It can be muddy and dirty at times. This might totally bum people out and maybe Im strange but to me it actually gives the album more character. The band provides 7 good songs on Carpet. Tomas Lindberg of At the Gates lends vocals for The Shadowed End, One of Us Nightshade, and Immortalized. For the rest of the tracks Anders does the vocals. This is pretty interesting practically giving half the tracks to each vocalist and it does a lot mix things up in that department. I would have to say I prefer Anders songs on Carpet though. The last track on the album is Hallowed Be Thy Name and its a really great cover. The band plays at a faster speed than the original which gives it urgency. The intro riff to Immortalized oddly sounds like something Metallica has or would have done in their old Thrash days. Even the mini solo sounds like Kirk, perhaps it is just an influence shining through. Someone mentioned the intro to Dreamsong having a metalcore like intro, though that same metalcore intro would be said to sound like a melodeath riff, funny stuff there. The song has an extremely catchy bridge that I could listen to over and over with a cool little solo. Another favorite is The Day I Buried. Its full of harmonized leads sometimes played at a more frantic pace. It also has some pretty good riffs within as well as some galloping moments. I also enjoy how at times the double bass is more pronounced giving it a heavier touch. Overall Carpet is a pretty good album. Im sure some people will be scared away by production (its really not that bad) or the at times sloppy musicianship but as I said earlier, it gives the album character. It has two of my favorite melodeath vocalists and some pretty good riffs and solos with a sweet cover. I think more people should definitely give Carpet a look. The Gothenburg craze of the mid and late nineties was in full force when this album was released, therefore leaving little desire on part of the band members to record anything after this album.

Track listing:
1. The Day I Buried
2. Dreamsong
3. Carpet
4. The Shadowed End
5. One of Us / Nightshade
6. Immortalized
7. Hallowed Be Thy Name-Iron Maiden cover