In 1999, the French band Opéra Multi Steel contributed to the italian compilation "Storm the Palace-Worms AD MCXVII" with "Laudamus te" taken from their latest album.
Seduced by this OMS track sung in Latin, Guido Borghetti, label manager of Palace of Worms, offers them the production of full album in this Latin vein. The four members of Opéra Multi Steel accept the challenge but decide to change identity by creating a new band for the occasion that will be called "O Quam Tristis..." inspired by the beginning of a verse of the sacred text Stabat Mater. Therefore, the musicians take pseudonyms for this new joint musical project, thus distinguishing themselves from their initial group. Patrick L. Robin (Tomek Ashkénazy Isaac), Franck Lopez (Hugues Dammarie), Catherine Marie (Katrina Koslowska) and Eric Milhiet (Emeric Lenotz) will soon be joined by Carine Grieg, from Collection d'Arnell-Andréa as vocalist under the pseudonym of Anna Virsky. The first album of this side-project, Funérailles des Petits Enfants was released in 2000. It will be followed by three others: Le Rituel sacré (2002), Méditations ultimes (2005) and Les Chants funestes (2008). Curt Emmer, also known as a founding member of the Dark Ambient act Bleeding like Mine from Milwaukee, will design the artwork of the whole albums

"O Quam Tristis..." is an opportunity for its members to give free rein to their penchant for ancient music, Latin language and to pay tribute to three of their most important influences of the moment, namely the French folk band Malicorne and the German formations Qntal and Estampie, among others.

Female and male vocals are predominant in "O Quam Tristis...". The lyrics initially draw their inspiration mainly from the Latin liturgy. Over the albums, the use of secular medieval poetries will become more significant.
The musical basis of the band consists on the use of many ancient or traditional instruments such as recorders, bowed psaltery, mandoloncello, mandola, dulcimer mixed with layers of synths, acoustic guitars and electric bass, all based on electronic rhythms.

“O Quam Tristis…” will perform several times in different European festivals such as the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig (Germany), the Gothic Festival in Waregem (Belgium), Les Anthinoises (Belgium)…
The group will definitively stop in 2008.
This collector limited edition box contains four “O Quam Tristis…” studio albums and a bonus cd containing seven remixes, covers and rare tracks released by the band during its eight years of activity. So…The complete works…!