I don't know about you, but when I am hungry, I don't grab an apple, I go for the pizza. Why? Well because with the apple you know what to expect. The pizza gives you so many different tastes with the different toppings that it can be so delicious, yet you know what to expect and it gives you enough of the familiar taste to make it scrumptious. The same can be said for Denmark's MERCENARY. This is their third full-length (the first on Century Media) and their most delicious to date. What we have here folks is some tried and true Danish melodic death, but the arrangements and the choice of toppings make it quite tasty.

The music here is quite complex and full of structure. I believe fans of SOILWORK and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD will eat this up without hesitation. There is a mix of many styles here, among them are the down-tuned guitars, power metal chords and layers, operatic metal vocals, key/piano interludes, death vocals and solos, etc. The difference here is the melodies. MERCENARY's "catchy" hooks are not lifted from some Euro-pop record, they are well conceived and arranged so as to avoid any sense of deja vu. All the musicianship here is top-notch, and the production is crisp and punchy. I dig the change from the 'clean' vocals to the death growls on this slab of plastic, because unlike a lot of other bands, MERCENARY chooses not to use that "back and forth" formula in every song. Where the song warrants it, clean vocals will be used for the entire length, but where they deem necessary, the death rasps will come in. In other words, the band doesn't overuse the growling or straight vocals just because they can.

Check out "ReDestructDead" and "Music Non Stop" as these are my fave tracks, but there is something for everyone here if you listen close enough. However, I do like my pizza hot, and seeing as this disc came out in 2004, and we just now got it, seems kinda like cold pizza to me.

- Murtaugh

OFFICIAL SITE: www.mercenary.dk

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