Swedish orchestral Post-Rockers EF celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album Give Me Beauty… or Give Me Death! on November 28th with a deluxe edition via Pelagic Records, who remained “Humble in Triumph” while popping champagne for their 300th release in the label’s history.

I’m always a bit reluctant when it comes to “deluxe editions,” because too many bands tend to play the </i>“we found lost tracks from the sessions”</i> card, only for it to turn out that they’re essentially reselling the same album with one or two extra songs, often tracks that were probably left off originally because they simply weren’t good enough. Well… Give Me Beauty 20 is nowhere near that kind of release.

The band explained that they decided to revisit the album because of the limited resources they had in their early days, especially in terms of studio production:

“When we recorded the originals back in 2005, we didn’t know much about arrangements, nor did we know many musicians who played strings or brass. We also didn’t have enough money to rent a studio for more than three days, which forced us to rehearse hard and record all the songs live with minimal retakes.” — Niklas Åström

This context clearly highlights the band’s evolution, particularly on tracks like “Noll”, a bonus song that wasn’t included on the original release. It is far from filler; on the contrary, it has become one of my favorite tracks on the record. Given their limited resources at the time, I can easily imagine that they felt the song wasn’t fully realized, which may explain why it was left out. That said, this 20th-anniversary edition feels like pure bliss to my ears.

The album opens with “Ett”, an instrumental piece that serves as a solid foundation for the emotional journey ahead. It touches on themes found across the emotional spectrum: beauty vs. despair, hope in darkness, transcendence and catharsis, and more. With expansive guitar soundscapes and wind instruments in full bloom, “Ett” is immediately soothing. You know right away that you’re in for something special.

The second track, “Misinform the Uninformed”, addresses a topic that has long divided Post-Rock listeners: vocals. What’s up with that? Personally, I think Pelagic Records artists, starting with The Ocean Collective, have more than proven that there is a place for vocals in Post-Rock. They have a real instinct for it, and EF are a perfect example.

“Say why / Tearing stars apart / And say why / I’m tearing stars apart / And show how / We replace the sky / And save me”

Here, the vocals clearly lean toward a Sigur Rós–like direction. Elsewhere on the album, particularly toward the end of “Noll”, the intensity ramps up with band-shouted vocals reminiscent of Silver Mt. Zion. I absolutely love this moment, though I wish that tension had continued to build a little longer. Instead, it releases into Hello Scotland, which stands on its own as a towering 12-plus-minute journey, powerful in its own right.

There’s a deeply rooted melancholy throughout the entire album, present both in the music and the lyrics, but it hits me most strongly in this line: “Heavy winds won’t bother us / It won’t break no trees, it won’t break no bones”

To me, it makes me feel like they just want it to be real — just like life. There is no such thing as a wonderland… but when you keep strong, it’s worth it nonetheless.

Next comes “Final Touch / Hidden Agenda”, which in some ways recalls Do Make Say Think, particularly through its strong bass lines, think Bound or And Boundless, but with added moments of fragility.

</i>“He Came, He Stayed, He Fell”</i>, the second instrumental track, feels like an emotional release leading toward the album’s conclusion. “Tomorrow My Friend…”, another 14-minute piece, feels noticeably lighter than the rest of the record. Even with its layered guitar landscapes and heartbreaking lyrics, the mix feels clearer and brighter. The closing track, “… We’ll Meet in the End”, maintains that lighter touch while introducing a more melancholic tone. Interestingly, the band has stated:

</i>“We’re all grown up now, but we’re emo kids at heart. The EF story is mainly about being friends — or a family — sticking together. Our songs are about broken hearts, hopeful changes, seasons changing and the moods we experience with that, mental illness.”</i>

While reading the lyrics of this song, I personally felt a sense of betrayal in the narrative:

“And I’ll, and I’ll stay down here / Come on, hate me, and I’ll lay down, down, all smiling here / Through your room and through your place / Who are you? A friend?”

It’s an intriguing way to close the album. Somehow, it feels like the wounds may still be fresh and I sense a little bitterness still, at least in my own interpretation. I’m still unsure whether that “smile” is mocking or arrogant, or if it says “I’m at peace, and it’s okay.” But perhaps that’s the point: some wounds are difficult to revisit, yet it’s often through revisiting them that true healing begins.

I’d be curious why they didn’t put “Noll” at the end, it would have given the album a very different sense of closure. But anyway, I like albums like this, ones you finish listening to and still have questions. They make me think about life, about my own life… about wounds I may not have made peace with yet. That is absolutely what music should be, in my opinion.