Band: Midnattsol

Title: Nordlys

Label: Napalm Records

Distribution: Hard Life Promotions

Release date: 28/03/2008

Review: CD

To share their mutual passion for music on the one hand, and Nordic (more specific: Norwegian) mythology on the other, Carmen Elise Espenaes and Chris Hector , also involved with Penetralia (orchestral Black Metal) and Ahab (excellent Funeral Doom), created Midnattsol in 2002. Together with equal-minded spirits, they recorded a first demo tape, which drew attention of Napalm Records . After several months of hard work, they released their debut full length, called Where Twilight Dwells , and the band performed on big festivals such as Wave Gotik , Summer Breeze and The Metal Female Voices Festival , along with an intensive tour with In Extremo . The second full length, Nordlys , meaning ‘Norwegian', was recorded at the Mastersound Studio (vocals) and Klangschmiede E Studio (instruments) with Markus Stock , while the mix was done by Tue Madsen and the mastering at Finnvox . Nordlys goes a little further than its predecessor in both compositions and heaviness. Still the music of Midnattsol stands for Folk Metal with a certain Gothic-alike approach, yet both Folk and Metal are more profound this time - which is a positive evolution! Also Carmen 's vocals have grown a lot. She is one of the better female vocalists in the scene and with Nordlys she does lift the whole up to a higher level. The individual compositions are stronger and more powerful than before and together with the not too clean yet mostly acceptable sound, I can easily say that Nordlys is a much, much better recording than Where Twilight Dwells . For fans of early Nightwish , The Third And The Mortal , Serenity and Storm . Total running time: fifty minutes.

82/100

Ivan Tibos.