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September 7, 2008 |
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01. Redefine Me
02. Year Of The Plague
03. My World Is Ending
04. This Eternal Instant
05. Lost Reality
06. Soul Decision
07. Simplicity Demand
08. Obscure Indiscretion
09. My Secret Window
10. The Hours That Remain
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Nearly every band experiences that one defining moment at some point in their career where their efforts are hailed as a major "breakthrough"; in other words, that one stand-out album that will be remembered. Trying to top that one "breakthrough" is undoubtedly a challenging endeavor for any band. In this case, it's Denmark's MERCENARY, who are back with their new release on Century Media, "The Hours That Remain".
In the big picture, attempting to surpass their pinnacle 2005 album, "11 Dreams", at any given time is going to be extremely difficult, no matter how hard they try. The musical prowess of "11 Dreams" was just too immense to replicate. A large part of its success can be accredited to founding member Kral, who played a major role in the writing department and provided the insane banshee screams that graced the songs. Sadly, Kral left the band in March 2006 and did not participate in the recording of "The Hours That Remain". Despite that, the band carried on and have put forth a noble effort in creating a worthy follow-up nonetheless.
The music contained herein is crisp, soulful and undeniably MERCENARY. Melodic harmonies, multi-layered instrumental precision and intense emotion fill the landscapes of "The Hours That Remain. There are some noticeable differences though. Now the lone soldier performing all vocal duties, Mikkel Sandager has stepped up big time to deliver a more diverse range than on previous albums. In short: he's improved his singing abilities immensely. Opening track "Redefine Me" displays how well Sandager's voice fuses with the chain-driving rhythm and atmospheric guitars. Memorable stand-out track "My World Is Ending" boasts one of the most melodic pieces on the album with Sandager exploding with emotion. The hooky "Soul Decision" and haunting "Obscure Indiscretion" both present MERCENARY at their best before leading up to the musically complex title track.
Unfortunately, Kral's absence is definitely felt on this new album, and though it does not take away from the obvious effort that was put into this recording, you can notice that something is missing. One example, "Year Of The Plague", sees Sandager attempting to recreate Kral's signature demonic screams. Hats off to him, because he really tries (and does a pretty good using his own unique screaming technique), but comes short of unleashing anything that resembles the same intensity that Kral can deliver. This by no means undermines Sandager's talent as a vocalist; he has a powerful, engaging voice and serves MERCENARY's music well.
While not making as big of an impact as its predecessor ("11 Dreams"), "The Hours That Remain" does have the right equipment to carry the band forward. For those who feel that Metal is more than capable of evolving and pushing boundaries (no matter what era we're currently in) while staying within the realm, this album is proof that it is achievable.
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