ALBUM REVIEW: Battle Scars – Kings Of Mercia
Hard rock outfit, KINGS OF MERCIA, are back with their second record Battle Scars. The band itself started out as a project by Jim Matheos [FATES WARNING] who had begun writing songs when word got out and he soon found fellow band member Joey Vera [also of ARMOURED SAINT] joining, along with fellow artists Simon Philips [THE WHO, TOTO] and Steve Overland [FATES WARNING].
With the new record, Overland has stated it to be an example of KINGS OF MERCIA evolving as a band and goes outside the expectations of hard-rock. Something that he knows that both new and old fans will appreciate as, in his own words, “People think you can pigeonhole rock music fans, but they just like good songs and good music.”
Now, innovative in the way of experimenting and trying out different styles? Sure, they’ve done that on several tracks, but for the most part things stay rather stereotypical in the realms of their hard rock meets classic rock sound. Not to say that it’s a bad thing, as the music itself is enjoyable and fun to listen to, especially if you’re looking for the perfect thing to soundtrack a workout session when you need something to give you a burst of energy.
Another slight criticism is that some songs feel a little too long in that they lose the impact that they were originally going for. For example, during their song Between Two Worlds, things start out strong with an introduction that sounds cool and badass with its incredible guitar riffs, giving you that energy we mentioned earlier. However, by the end things feel a little dragged out and we’ve lost part of the ‘oomph’ that we felt in the beginning.
Yet we still have songs that truly shine and standout on the record. These include the title track, a moody and melancholic number that one can picture a crowd of hands holding up lighters and swaying along; Aftermath, which appears to experiment with electronic sound effects that mimics, and is soon taken over, by a strumming guitar that is accompanied by a deep bass that causes a resounding “ooo” to go around the room; and closing track Angels & Demons, that starts out as a soft folk rock song, the kind that gives the energy of someone saying, “Gather around the campfire and listen to my tale,” before thing kick off with the full band as said tale becomes epic and action-packed.
Battle Scars is an enjoyable rock album to help soundtrack your afternoon. Whether you’re working, relaxing or working out, this will be the perfect motivation.
Rating: 7/10
Battle Scars is out now via Metal Blade Records.
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