The 3rd and the Mortal (alternative spelling
The Third and the Mortal) is a Norwegian experimental metal-band, founded in the city of Trondheim, Norway, in 1992, by Rune Hoemsnes, Finn Olav Holthe, Geir Nilssen, Trond Engum and singer Kari Rueslåtten. The band started out as a doom metal band mixing distorted guitars and heavy drumming with clean guitars and female vocals from Kari Rueslåtten. The band has since then experimented with genres such as progressive rock, jazz and electronica.
The Third And The Mortal were one of the forerunners of the atmospheric metal scene having been one of the first to have a leading female singer, they inspired bands such as The Gathering, Flowing Tears and Nightwish. Their first EP
Sorrow was released in 1993 followed by the album
Tears Laid In Earth in 1994. After Rueslåtten's departure in 1995 the band had Ann-Mari Edvardsen join as vocalist. With her the band released full length albums
Painting on Glass in 1996 and explored an even more experimental sound in 1997 with
In this room.
After an absence of 5 years and the departure of Edvardsen, the band returned in 2002 with
Memoirs, an album with recordings made during previous years. A new female vocalist was found in Kirsti Huke, who is present on the majority of songs, with second vocalist Andreas Elvenes backing her up on a couple of tracks.
Memoirs differs from previous albums by being more electronics based. After
Memoirs the band did a small tour in Mexico City July 19 2002, September and October 2002, playing eight shows in Germany, the Netherlands.
In 2004 the band released
EPs And Rarities. This is a compilation consisting of the
Sorrow and
Nightswan EPs + the b-side of the
Stream single and the bonus-track from the Japanese
In This Room album. In 2005 the band released
Project Bluebook: Decade of Endeavour, which is a compilation album with two new studio tracks, another unreleased song performed live in 1998 and four different live versions of 'Mortal classics recorded on the European tour in 2002.
Line-up
Current members
- Finn-Olav Holthe - guitars, keyboards
- Trond Engum - guitars
- Geir Nilsen - guitars, keyboards
- Frank Stavem - bass
- Rune Hoemsnes - drums
- Kirsti Huke - vocals
Past members
- Kari Rueslåtten - vocals
- Ann-Mari Edvardsen - vocals, keyboards
- Jarle Dretvik - bass
- Bernt Rundberget - bass
Discography
- The 3rd and the Mortal (Demo, 1993)
- Sorrow (EP, 1994)
- Tears Laid in Earth (Album, 1994)
- Nightswan (EP, 1995)
- Stream (Single, 1996)
- Painting on Glass (Album, 1996)
- In This Room (Album, 1997)
- Memoirs (Album, 2002)
- EPs and Rarities (Compilation, 2004)
- Decade of Endeavour (Compilation, 2005)
See also
External links
Norwegian heavy metal musical groupsDoom metal musical groupsHeavy metal musical groupsBands with female lead singersMusical groups established in 1992
The 3rd and the MortalThe 3rd and the MortalThe 3rd and the MortalThe Third and the MortalThe 3rd and the MortalThe 3rd and the Mortal