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MERCYLESS “Those Who Reign Below”
MERCYLESS “Those Who Reign Below”
By Dr. Abner Mality
France’s MERCYLESS are for sure one of the OG’s of death metal. Yet somehow they haven’t gotten the respect that is surely their due. Every one of their records that I’ve heard has been outstanding and “Those Who Reign Below” is no different. But somehow deathcore stuff and SANGUISUGABOGG get all the attention. Where is the justice?!
This is yet another killer example of pure early 90’s death with riffs that can last for days and grooves that will shake your skeleton loose. It is very much in the tradition of the first three DEATH records, PESTILENCE and MORGOTH. The songs are more than just simple riffs beaten into the ground but they also cannot be considered technical. They just flow. Every song here has at least one hook that will make you sit up and yell “FUCK YEAH” and several have way more than one. I use “Phantoms of Cain” and “Chaos Requiem” as great examples of mixing morbidity with mayhem. The vocals are very much in the Evil Chuck/Martin van Drunen sphere of phlegmmy but comprehensible growls...they fit the music like a glove. And the guitar solos are understated but excellent, adding to the song but not overpowering it.
I wouldn’t call MERCYLESS filthy or cavernous death metal, but they retain the morbid edge and the lyrical subject matter here seems to match. In every way, this is a tribute to the great early years of the genre. And these dudes have been there slugging away since that time. Please, get out there and put some hard earned money behind “Those Who Reign Below”. It is very deserving of such support.
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