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It’s always a personal
pleasure listening to Mercenary. I’ve been following the band since
2002 that I first listened to “Everblack” which was the band’s
second studio album, and from then I realized that we had to do with a
great and evolving band here.
“The Hours that Remain”
is the new album of the band, after the impressive “11 Dreams”...
that found the bassist/singer Henrik “Kral” Andersen leaving the
band, while they were on writing procession of their new album. That
fact “terrorized” most fans of the band as Henrik was not only a
musician and a singer but also a very good composer. Those who
believed that this was the “end” of Mercenary should immediately
listen to “The Hours That Remain”... this is the best answer that
I can gave them. Surely Henrik wasa very good composer but in order to
make good music on a band you need the help from all the members and
their magical touch of course. When you listen to the new album you
won’t even notice that Henrik is missing here... and I’m not
trying to reduce his abilities by that, but I wanna say that the band
found the strength to stand on its feet and continue in the same
melodic/heavy/atmospheric path without loosing its trademark sound...
and that’s the godamm truth!
The albums sound quality once
again is brilliant as it was once again recorded at Hansen Studios and
produced by Jacob Hansen (Communic, Maroon, Hatesphere, etc.), who
also played the bass on the album. The band finally found Rene
Pedersen to replace Henrik, who also plays the bass and sings. This
album has the best production that Mercenary ever had, till the next
one of course! The songs are simply fantastic, melodic with many
melancholic touches... that in the end creating many icons on your
head and bring out hidden dark and gloomy feelings that we all have at
the bottom of our soul. I just can’t help but listen to the whole
album again and again without skipping a track ‘cause its mystical
atmosphere will be lost... I wish I could just travel in the dark
paths of Mercenary’s music...
Don’t expect to read
twice-told things here because this album is a unique one. I admit
that it’s hard for me to listen to it at any time of the day... I
usually prefer night at a silent place with candlelight... you can
almost see some figures escaping the whole scene... and dancing on the
candlelight walls... redefine me... ‘cause my world is ending...
these are the hours that remain... till...
by Thanos Aggelakis 9/10 | 