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The single, Only The Children Cry is a bit of an oddity. Only four tracks, two of them reworks, one itself reworked on TTPOT, so the only exclusive song is Who's Life Is It Anyway (sic). The value of this item, which will set you back 10ukp from Lost Horizons, is the vocalist. Mark Thompson-Smith is the guy PM should have held on to...

The title track was reworked on TTPOT, but this is far more interesting version. Thompson-Smith puts real feeling into the song, and shows a vocal range which is sadly lacking in Gary Barden's version. Make no mistake, this is the best version of the song available.

The second track, the grammatically-incorrect Who's Life Is It Anyway, is not available elsewhere and is probably one of the more metal songs Mantis have done. Excellent guitar work, great harmonies and a superb voice. Good stuff.

A Moment In Life is a remake of the Cry For The New World track, with Thompson-Smith once again riding roughshod over the previous version. It is hard not to be impressed by the emotion expressed here.

Final cut, Turn The Tables, is an impressive romp through this old standard. I prefer Bernie Shaw's vocals on this one, but I'm sure that is more due to familiarity than anything else. The singing is excellent, and the song is still the greatest Mantis have ever written. Pity about the unnecessary keyboards though.

Overall, the single provides an interesting listen. It's a pity there aren't a few more new tracks, but I'm not sorry to have paid 10ukp (I know one person who paid 17ukp!!). I think this points us to the singer Mantis *should* have used on TTPOT and Captured.

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