tracklist:
01. Into The Sea Of Dark Desires
02. World Hate Center
03. 11 Dreams
04. reDestructDead
05. Firesoul
06. Sharpen The Edges
07. Supremacy v2.0
08. Music Non Stop
09. Falling
10. Times Without Changes
11. Loneliness
12. 11 Dreams (3-D Mix) (Bonus Track)
13. 11 Dreams (Radio Edit) (Bonus Track)

prodused by Jacob Hansen (Hatesphere, Raunchy)
label: Century Media (2004)

Mercenary lineup



It looks like we have another heavy hitter on our hands! With the release of "11 Dreams", Denmark's MERCENARY have achieved outstanding musical greatness by creating one of the most sophisticated, most inspirational pieces of work ever to be offered up to the metal masses. Long have the Scandinavian countrymen (and country women in some instances) been dominating the world of metal, but it's not often that we see one band that possesses the sure capability to single-handedly deliver a finished product that literally fuses a multitude of genres (and sub-genres) together into one such as this. For MERCENARY themselves - Mikkel Sandager (clean vocals), Kral (death vocals/bass), Jakob Molbjerg (guitars), Martin Buus (lead guitars), Mike Park (drums), and Morten Sandager (keyboards/piano/backing vocals) - it's just second nature, as the band make good use of versatility in their music. Trust me - talent like this just does not grow on trees. You either have it or you don't, and these guys certainly DO have it.

Though the band made some waves with 2002's "Everblack" (on Hammerheart Records), MERCENARY's Century Media debut, "11 Dreams", far surpasses anything they have ever previously done. It combines all of the elements that make a good metal album GREAT - solid song architecture, aggressive instrumental work (guitars, drums etc.), deep lyrical content, and powerful vocals (in this case, a strong balance between clean and hard vox). Factor in the band's unique sound/style and you will hear first-hand why this earns its place in winner's row.

Embracing strong core technical elements in the vein of such fellow Euro-acts as DARK TRANQUILLITY, RAUNCHY and IN FLAMES, "11 Dreams" is exactly what the metal community needs at this point. In addition to being a superb choice for the avid metal fan, this disc is a perfect candidate to bridge the gap between metal and non-metal genres, essentially holding great potential to convert many to the more aggressive side of music (can we say METAL?!). As the album title suggests, the band venture through 11 atmospheric tales of intense emotion and dark landscapes that take the listener on a voyage into vast whirlwinds of deep thought and melancholy. Opening the gate to this dreamscape is the haunting keyboard-dominated instrumental, "Into The Sea Of Dark Desires", immediately followed by "World Hate Center" - a mind-ripping, aggressive track creating the horrific hallucination of rising hatred and the weakening foe. Musically, the band hit the target right on the mark - killer drumming, ripping guitar riffs/solos, great keyboard work, and the vocal trade-offs between clean chords-man Mikkel Sandager and screamer Kral (also the bassist) are stunning to say the least. Mid-ranged tracks, "11 Dreams" and "reDestructDead" explode with spiraling melodies from start to finish and Sandager's powerful, soaring vocals really hit the highs and lows perfectly. Buus executes some very impressive leads in this one. "Firesoul" (clocking in at just over 7 1/2 minutes) is another great example of what Sandager and Kral can do when they combine their talents together, with Kral screaming louder and with more ferocity than a banshee. The players really shine here as well - both guitarists provide some killer riffage/solos, and the rhythm section could not be tighter than this. Some female vocals emerge near the end, which adds in some more favorable ambience to the song. There are a few ballads here as well. "Sharpen The Edges" is a haunting story about a killer's obsession with becoming "one" with his victim - his own knife. "Times Without Changes" is a beautiful slow piece, with Sandager's clean voice blending in sequentially with the keys and guitar. The song then carries right into "Loneliness", which carries a steady killer rhythm throughout. I have to mention "Supremacy v2.0" for its raw aggressive feel, and the very groovy-sounding "Music Non Stop". Versatility is the key word here, and I think it was a great idea that MERCENARY added this track into the mix. It's not a "metal" song per se, but the catchy beat and chorus really give it that extra appeal.

For the most part, when I dissect an album, there is always something there (whether it be minor or not) that may cause a percentage point or two to drop down from the 100% mark, but that is just simply not the case here. I seriously cannot say one bad thing about this album. It's perfect, really. All of the songs are arranged extremely well; the band's musicianship is of the highest grade; the lyrics are very well written (thanks to multi-talented Kral); the production/sound quality is superb; the artwork is killer.... I can't say enough good things about this because, yes, it's that damn good. MERCENARY have gone above and beyond even their own capabilities. It would seem that the band put quality before quantity here, placing larger emphasis on the songwriting. MERCENARY have scored the game winner here, so if you like metal with substance, don't delay and pick yourself up a copy of "11 Dreams". I can assure you that you won't be disappointed in the least.
(By Tony Antunovich "MetalEater.com"
January 28, 2005)

Rating: 10/10