Mercenary - Soundtrack for the End Times (2023)^{Release ID: 47651}

I wish I had dived into Mercenary's discography a little earlier. They've made a lot of stupendous classics before a 10-year gap. Did the band make a massive comeback in their new album Soundtrack for the End Times (nice title, though far too relatable)?...

Well, the band still have their signature epic melodeath sound with background keyboards. However, they seem to be moving farther away from their 2000s power metal influences, in favor of more modern pieces of groove/metalcore. You might expect that from the fact that the band no longer have half of their classic lineup. The vocals by Rene Pederson make the band sound a little more Linkin Park than power metal. Although everything's a little more simplistic, they do it all with the strength they still have.

"Burning in Reverse" starts the album OK. It shows that melodeath can be bright and modern instead of as dark and doomy as Hinayana. I would definitely want more of the next track "Heart of the Numb" and its guest appearance by Matt Heafy of Trivium. Then comes a true highlight, "Where Darkened Souls Belong". Wow, this another song I can consider the best of Mercenary even after just a week of diving into the band's material. Nothing different, but this 7-minute track is well-structured. From the keyboard intro onwards, you get everything including mighty grooves, the best harmonic soloing here, and a perfect catchy double-chorus. I'll definitely continue playing this as many times as I want, it really strikes like lightning! "Through This Blackened Hatred" sounds as heavy as The Haunted while having a subpar catchy chorus.

"Anthem for the Anxious" is an anthemic standout that is certainly worth your time. "A Darker Path" has a dark blend of heaviness and melody, though it sounds closer to the melodic metalcore of Miss May I, Bury Tomorrow, and Parkway Drive. "Become the Flame" is a more Trivium-like standout, so much so that Matt Heafy should've made a guest appearance here as well, maybe also Devin Townsend. "From the Ashes of the Fallen" sounds like something Atreyu could've done, though it doesn't have any problems despite sounding less impressive in every listen.

"Black Heart, Dead Tissue" is one more beautiful highlight, practically blending together the melody of Unearth, the darkness of Insomnium, and a bit of heavy technicality from Within the Ruins. Then we switch to the thrashy melodeath of At the Gates in "Black Blood Soil", which sounds cool but doesn't add a lot. There's some epic-sounding orchestra in "Beyond the Waves" but it just doesn't match the quality of that other 7-minute epic.

So their new album Soundtrack for the End Times really kicks up the band's modern influences. If you don't mind a bit of the aforementioned bands like Linkin Park, The Haunted, Trivium, and At the Gates, you have good moments to enjoy there. But if you prefer to stick strictly with Mercenary's 2000s classics, you might wanna stay away....

Favorites: "Heart of the Numb", "Where Darkened Souls Belong", "Anthem for the Anxious", "Become the Flame", "Black Heart, Dead Tissue"