“Kiss the Carpet” and “Lights” are your brooding post-punk taken to an extreme, trudging along at a pace that would make a snail seem exciting. They lack the intriguing menace and subtle hooks of The Sisters of Mercy‘s album material to keep attention, and they quickly fade from memory despite seeming to go on forever.

“Valentine” is the highlight of The Reptile House E.P., a gothic rock interpretation of The Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs.” Instead of being a rehash, it gains unique value by shimmering in a different way. “Venus in Furs” is meditative and spiritual, while “Valentine” is mysterious and dangerous. Vocalist Andrew Eldritch gives the song a nice dynamic towards the end with his sudden loud growling of the lyrics. Burn is a cool little satanic goth rock song with its backwards vocals effect. Recommended to fans of gothic rock, but that wouldn’t be so without “Valentine.”