The 3rd and the Mortal

The 3rd and the Mortal (alternative spelling The Third and the Mortal) were 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 vocals from Kari Rueslåtten. The band went on to experiment with genres such as progressive rock, jazz, ambient, folk, and electronica.

History

The 3rd 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 1994 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 on July 19, 2002, along with eight shows in Germany and the Netherlands during September and October 2002.

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 their last album Project Bluebook: Decade of Endeavour, which is a compilation EP 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.

Members

Last known line-up

• Rune Hoemsnes – drums (1992–2005)
• Trond Engum – electric and acoustic guitars (1992–2005)
• Geir Nilsen – electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards (1992–2005)
• Finn-Olav Holthe – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards (1992–2005)
• Frank Stavem – bass guitar (2002–2005)
• Kirsti Huke – vocals (2002–2005)

Former members

• Jarle Dretvik – bass guitar (1992–1994)
• Kari Rueslåtten – vocals, synthesizer (1992–1995)
• Bernt Rundberget – bass guitar (1995–1997)
• Ann-Mari Edvardsen – vocals, keyboards (1995–1997)

Discography

Studio albums

• Tears Laid in Earth (1994)
• Painting on Glass (1996)
• In This Room (1997)
• Memoirs (2002)

Singles

• "Stream" (1996)

EPs

• Sorrow (1994)
• Nightswan (1995)

Demos

• The 3rd and the Mortal (1993)

Compilations

• EP's and Rarities (2004)
• Project Bluebook: Decade of Endeavour (2005)

Various artist compilations

• "All Sewn Up - A Tribute to Patrik Fitzgerald" (2009) - The 3rd and the Mortal feat. Attila the Stockbroker : "Paranoid Ward/All My Friends Are Dead"^[1]

References

External links

• The 3rd and the Mortal website
• The 3rd and the Mortal discography at Discogs
• Ann-Mari and Monika Edvardsen
• Tactile Gemma - project from Ann-Mari and Monika Edvardsen
• Atrox - Schizo-metal with Monika, a sister of Ann-Mari Edvardsen
• The Soundbyte - solo project of guitarist Trond Engum
• Calmcorder - solo project from Rune Hoemsnes
• The 3rd and the Mortal @ Encyclopaedia Metallum