 | MERCYLESS Sovereign Evil XENOKORP 23 October 2020 |
Overview
When done recording latest album « The Mother of All Plagues » before geting it mixed and mastered, MERCYLESS decided to record a few bonus tracks, their first ever recorded cover versions, paying homage to the band’s influences back in the mid ’80s when bands like HELLHAMMER, VENOM, POSSESSED or MOTÖRHEAD got iconic frontman Max OTERO to form his own and spit at the face of Christ and religious belief as a whole.
Four songs got recorded, nearly live, in the rehearsal room chanelling the essence of the ’80s evil with their raw and brutal sound and interpretation. There are flaws and mostakes, the sound is as crude it can be but the spirit has been captured and transcended.
Exclusively available as bonuses to the « Sovereign Evil » collector versions of the album, those four covers are now available to a larger audience as the « Sovereign Evil » digital EP.
Forever… Rival of the Nazarene!
Track List
- Third of the Storms (originally by HELLHAMMER)
- In League with Satan (originally by VENOM)
- The Exorcist (originally by POSSESSED)
- Go to Hell (originally by MOTÖRHEAD)
Line Up
- Max OTERO – Guitars & Vocals
- Gautier MERKLEN – Guitars
- Yann TLIGUI – Bass
- Laurent MICHALAK – Drums
Credits
- All guitars on « Go to Hell » by Stéphane VIARD (former MERCYLESS guitarist)
- Mixed at PSYKRON studio by Philippe REINHALTER
- Mastered at VAMACARA studio by HK
- Executive Producer: Nicolas Williart for XENOKORP Records
 | MERCYLESS The Mother of All Plagues XENOKORP 21 August 2020 |
For Fans of
DEATH, PESTILENCE, IMMOLATION… Overview
On the 33th year, the 7th gate opens, bastard son dies at last and MERCYLESS spits its darkest album ever on the face of his p(ri)ests that contaminate mankind since way too long.
Seventh album in 33 years, the aptly-titled “The Mother of All Plagues” amidst those troubled pandemia times even though it’s been written and given its title back in 2018 already, is the proof, if any was needed, that already deep in its fourth decade, MERCYLESS still rages on, stronger than ever before, against the crucified one and the holy ghost, releasing their darkest and most hate-filled album ever ; most probably their best since cult 1992 debut “Abject Offerings“!
Comparing religious belief to the infection of minds and the contagion spread by clergies to a plague, “The Mother of All Plagues” is standing fierce, proud to have been, equals to the horned one, banished from Heaven, calling on the infected masses to break their mental chains and bring back with them the severed head of their oppressor.
Produced at VAMACARA studio (OTARGOS, LOUDBLAST, SAVAGE ANNIHILATION…), “The Mother of All Plagues” is darker and rawer than any of the band’s previous releases, adding to the songs’ oppressive and hateful feel, an even darker dimension, topping it all with outstanding artwork courtesy of Nestor AVALOS (BLOODBATH, DARK FUNERAL, BLUT AUS NORD…).
Forever … rival of the Nazarene!
Track List:
« The Mother of All Plagues »
- Infection
- Rival of the Nazarene
- Banished from Heaven
- Bring Me His Head
- Contagion
- Laqueum Diaboli
- Descending to Conquer
- Inherit the Kingdom of Horus
- The Mother of All Plagues
- All Souls Are Mine
- Litany of Supplication
« Sovereign Evil » bonus LP / CD
- The Third of the Storm [HELLHAMMER cover]
- In League with Satan [VENOM cover]
- The Exorcist [POSSESSED cover]
- Go to Hell [MOTÖRHEAD cover]
Line-Up
- Max OTERO – Guitars & Vocals
- Gautier MERKLEN – Guitars
- Yann TLIGUI – Bass
- Laurent MICHALAK – Drums
Guests
- Stéphane VIARD (ex-MERCYLESS), guitar solo on “Laqueum Diaboli” and all guitars on « Go to Hell »
- Florent SANTINA (ABYSSAL ASCENDANT), guest solo on “The Mother of All Plagues”
- Michel DUMAS (AGRESSOR) and Anthony DERYCKE (CATACOMB), guest solos on « All Souls Are Mine”
Credits
- « The Mother of All Plagues »: Mixed at VAMACARA studio
- “Sovereign Evil” mixed at PSYKRON studio
- All songs mastered at VAMACARA studio
- Artwork by Nestor AVALOS
- Layout by Emmanuel PLISZKE
- Executive Producer: Nicolas WILLIART for XENOKORP
- All songs reproduced with kind permission of LES EDITIONS HURLANTES except all “Sovereign Evil” songs by their respective publishers