The Third And The Mortal is one of the first metal bands in Norway that had female singer and it was Kari Rueslatten. After the band broke up, Kari turned to her solo career and released eight albums until now, including the latest one Silence Is The Only Sound. Besides solo career, Kari sings in The Sirens, a band she formed with Anneke van Giesbergem from Gathering and Liv Cristine from Theatre of Tragedy.
Scandinavian folk and metal scene are two seperate world, but Kari decided to exist between those two worlds. Considering her incredible vocal that is undeniably flavored for metal music, it is a peculiar experience to hear it mixed with traditional Scandinavian folk. And it is not just about the Norweigan folk in terms of music, but also when it comes to its narratives, rituals, beliefs, myths and fairytales. All of this is woven in Kari's music, from her debut to Silence Is The Only Sound.
Distinctive vocal is her strongest asset. Almost fairylake, her voice is deservingly in the spotlight and the instruments are there on the album just to add up to the fairytale atmosphere. She wanted to accentuate rural Norweigan tradition and all of th myths that come with it, since she was raised on them. So, the whole record is like a lullaby or musical fairytale that can serve you as return to childhood or imagination of better future.
Silence as the only sound is the result of that throwback, because when we go back to the phase without added sounds, we can only here silnce and nature. Kari sings in a manner to evoke silence and equinimity, stillness and melancholy, and romantic darkness. The album unfolds with downtempo Believer, which shows that this is going to be a confessional autobiography. The basis of the album is a story of growth and personal transformation over the years. Emphasis is on the vocal and, as I said, minimalistic instruments are only there to amplify the quality of Kari's interpretation. Following Chasing Rivers is the only alternative pop number that stands out from the rest of pretty much homogenous record. My favorite is The Harbour as it shows all the richness of Kari's music, and it is also a climax of her confessions. The Parting (Shine a Light) is a beautiful adult lullaby that also serves as melancholic wale up call!
The beauty of Scandinavian folk is in its purity and simplicity, and Kari captured its essence as no other singer from those territories did.
