EPS AND RARITIES

This album is a compilation of the first two EPs from The 3rd and the mortal plus two extra tracks. Tracks 1-4 are from the "Sorrow" EP. Tracks 5-8 are from the "Nightswan" EP. Track 9 is the B-Side from the "Stream" single. Track 10 is the bonus track from the "In this room" album.

As it is, this is surely the best album from the band, although it doesn't feature many studio album tracks. The first 4 tracks featuring Kari Ruelslatten on vocals are simply outstanding. "Grevinnens Bonn" and "Ring Of Fire" are two atmospheric metal songs, "Sorrow" is a beautiful acoustic piece and "Silently I Surrender" perfectly completes this part.

For the rest of the album, Ann-Mari Edvardsen takes on the vocals. Except "Elephantine Waltz" which belongs to the "In this room" era, all other songs were recorded prior to the "Painting on glass" album, which gives them a great balance between the metal feel of "Tears laid in earth" and the experimental sound of the later albums. "Neurosis" is simply the best song written by the band: it starts slowly then turns heavier before totally breaking into a long experimental part... but the best is yet to come with the amazing outro (I could listen to the last two minutes of the song over and over). "Depth Of Memories" is a classical T3ATM songs. "The Meadow" is maybe the weakest song on the album. "Vavonia" is an alternate intro for the song on the "Painting on glass" album. The last two songs are simply a remix of the "Horizon" song (the original is, of course, one hundred times better) and the bonus track from the "In this room" album (a good song but not one of the best ones). Overall, an excellent addition to the studio albums.

Rating: 89/100