Kscope has pulled some “stunts” before by re-releasing albums with bonus discs or even has double disc “budget” releases. So it’s not a surprise that they re-released TesseracT’s “Polaris” album with a bonus disc called “Errai.” “Errai” features 4 songs stripped down and it really WORKS!

The beneficiaries of this are vocalist Dan Tompkins and drummer Jay Postones. Tompkins dynamic vocals have much more room to breathe and you really hear what he can do. Postones drums sound amazing and so clear without all of the layers of guitars on top of them.

I was very critical of “Polaris” when it came out but this made me go back and re-visit the whole album. It turns out that I really like it now! The album is indeed a grower. These versions give the listener a chance to hear another side of the band and the songs. My one complaint with “Errai” is that they didn’t rework the whole album. Hell, I would have LOVED to hear “Phoenix”!!

The issue I have with Kscope doesn’t detract from how great this EP is. If you haven’t bought “Polaris” yet, make sure you get the version with “Errai.” If like me, you already have it, you might be forced to buy it again. I don’t like that Kscope takes advantage of the fans like that but since the quality is this high, it’s somewhat forgivable.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:
1. Survival
2. Cages
3. Tourniquet
4. Seven Names

Label: Kscope