It's been three years since the release of "The Grudge", and even as I'm writing these lines I still cannot claim to have figured out what it is that I find so attractive about the music of Mortiis. I was never a huge fan of Industrial Rock/Metal (see Ministry) and most of my friends can easily verify how annoyed I become after five minutes of being exposed to the sounds of electronic music, so what's the deal here? Well, something tells me that today is not going to be a day of great revelations either and to be honest with you, this is not at all important. The fact remains that "The Grudge" made such an impression on me that I was quite looking forward to see what the next effort of this eccentric Norwegian would be all about.

Much as I respect Mortiis' musical choices and feel naturally inclined to support any such artist in his hard quest of self-expression, I have to mention how disappointed I felt when I realised that "Some Kind Of Heroin" was nothing more than a collection of remix versions of the majority of the songs that were originally featured in "The Grudge". It's been three years since the release of the latter and I am sure that Mortiis' followers must feel thirsty for some new songs, but what they are offered instead is a sixteen-track CD featuring, amongst others, four different versions of "The Grudge" and three of the hit track "Gibber". This is a collection of remixes that could easily have accompanied the original release as a bonus CD on the limited version of the album.

Well, now that I have explained what my general attitude towards this release is, let me talk to you about all the reasons that made me enjoy listening to "Some Kind of Heroin", the most important of which is Mortiis' ability to work and present a melody in various different ways, all of which end up having something unique and interesting to offer. Take, for instance, the different vibe that you get from the [Gothminster Mix] of "The Grudge" in comparison with the [David Wallace Remix] - the former gives the impression of being surrounded by a dark aura, whereas the industrial elements of the latter makes it come across as more powerful and commanding.

Another good example is based on the differences between the audience-friendly version of "Broken Skin feat.Stephan Groth [Septic Wound Mix by XP8]" with the more club-orientated "Broken Skin feat.Stephan Groth [Funker Vogt Remix]", both of which are cleverly arranged and suitable for the average Mortiis fan. There are two remixes that really stand out in my opinion to the point that they deserve a special reference: "The Worst In Me [Extraction Mix by In The Nursery] - a song whose beautiful and at the same disturbing piano theme qualifies it as the most emotional composition of the album, and also "Deacadent & Desperate [Thera**** Remix by Dope Stars] - a version that is based on the heaviest, most chaotic riff that you should expect to hear in this album.

There is a great battle taking place inside of me regarding this album: I strongly believe that Mortiis should be more preoccupied with writing new material rather than trying to cash in on the popularity of past compositions. Then again, there are some really interesting ideas presented in "Some Kind of Heroin" whose quality is such that it makes it hard for me to reject this release altogether…Ok then, here it goes: if you are a fan of Mortiis' music, you will probably want to get your hands on this collection of songs - for all the rest, a word of warning: ask yourselves if this is indeed the ideal release to introduce you to Mortiis’ music, because I know a lot of people who will have a few objections.

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Review by John Stefanis