I'm actually hearing this E.P. for the first time after being enthralled by the group's Dreams full-length, and I'm glad tha this is the case. I say this because had I heard this first, I would have focused more on the primitive black metal elements rather than the progressive metal undertones that flow throughout this release. Not as focused nor as inspirational as Dreams, The Trollish Mirror nonetheless holds it's own power, being an over the top spectacle of guitar lines, frenetic drumming, and frost-laden vocals, not bad for a group of guys with an average age of about 16 here. The bottom line is that this is an exciting 22 minutes of music, rife with creativity from a band that is rapidly becoming one of my favorites to hear. I know why this is, Amsvartner incorporating a lot of breaks, and a healthy sense of melody, but it's also thanks to drummer Alfred Johansson, who plays in a style similar to Reed Mullin of 80s era C.O.C., having a reckless abandon and the chops to guarantee that what he attempts will succeed. This results in a lot of half-time/ double-time changes, maybe frustrating to some, but to me, it works because while it breaks things up but maintains the overall flow of the song. Fuck, I just like it because it's a young band who decided to play from their heart instead of taking the easy route and forming a carbon copy of a popular established band, which is what we need if metal is to truly "return". Seek these guys out over what's presented to you in the local mall, you'll be happy that you did.