The trend of the year at Metaldays was to end each day with a black metal band on the second stage. On the first day, that band was Diamond Head. Which isn't a black metal band at all, but since they had Behemoth closing the main stage, I guess they wanted some variation. Not so on the second to last band on the second stage though, which brought us deep into a Carpathian Forest.
This is a name that keeps popping up every which, when, and where, and yet, they have never been seen or heard by this particular site. This was about to change…

“Good evening! You have the trees, you have the mountains. It's perfect!”
- Roger ‘Nattefrost’ Rasmussen (vocals)

In the growing darkness, the sound of a lone piano filled our ears, as our eyes were fastened on a stage with odd masks on the drumkit and the mic stand - and of course the robed man showing his naked crotch to the aforementioned drumkit.
The man was none other than Nattefrost, vocalist of Carpathian Forest, it would turn out, and it would also turn out that the drumkit wasn’t the only thing he would be exposing himself to. No, the audience would likewise be privy to said crotch, and his Nordicly pale behind.
At the same time, the rest of the musicians looked blackishly evil. This was genuinely confusing.
I mean, honestly. Was this supposed to be a joke, as in intentionally? Or was Nattefrost just drunk out of his mind? Having no prior knowledge of the band really didn’t help me understand what was going on. And yet, with all of his dancing and obscene behaviour, it seemed the band managed to invoke quite a party.

“Okey dokey, Slovenia! I can’t hear you! Let’s go to hell!”
- Nattefrost (vocals)

Yeah, on the ground level, one of the wildest moshpits I’d seen was rumbling around, stirring up heat and dust, and it only grew wilder as the bizarre frontman took one of his many tours in the security pit. Apparently, people were getting into this, and weren’t afraid to show it.
I decided it must be meant as a joke, of sorts, even though parts seemed quite serious. I mean, musically, there was nothing comical about the band, but a few of the strands of lyrics I managed to make out certainly didn’t seem all too serious.
In a way, it sounded like an unholy mix of a bit of Motörhead, a bit of Suicidal Tendencies, and a whole to of what the hell?!

I honestly can’t say that I grew any wiser about the band after this experience. It’s my sincerest belief that this is not supposed to be taken seriously, but after one visit, I can’t say for sure. Either way, if you’re open for a weird experience, Carpathian Forest has got you covered!

Setlist:

Theme from Nekromatik (music by Hermann Kopp, Bernd Daktari Lorenz & John Boy Walton)
Knokkelmann
Rock’n Roll Glory Hole
Likeim
Bloodcleansing
I Am Possessed
All My Friends Are Dead (Turbonegro cover)
Carpathian Forest
The Suicide Song
He’s Turning Blue