Within the boundaries of melodic rock
US purveyors of melodic rock, Merciana appear to fit very firmly within their genre, something that will charm the fans but leave many of us a little weary.
Title track 'Let It Begin' is brimming with aggression that's restrained and pumped through the spasmic guitars and edgy vocals. Like a less hardcore version of Hell Is For Heroes the 'Let It Begin' and 'Half-Shut Eyes' race along, trying their best to epitomise dark, roaring post-hardcore but sadly falling a little short of the established mark.
'Spit- Through The Skin' is a mass of cut off, spat out vocals culminating in a melodic chorus with dual vocals adding that stellar touch. There's a nice tense pause for a moment of soft guitar ringing out before the typically emo vocals and guitar burst back in, writhing and protesting.
'Raise The Bottle' drowns you in more of the same, with throat-destroying vocals and pulsing percussion forcing the tune in your ears. 'Anvil Chorus' has a harsh enough name, but rotates around a throbbing beat and mellow, melodic chorus that renders the build up in the verses almost unnecessary.
'Stagnant' begins with a haunting keyboard tune and curious intermittent percussion, drawing the listener into what becomes another tune steeped in chiming guitars and changes of pace that pick up on the anxious atmosphere.
There's something too restrained about some of Merciana's tunes, like the kids who buy pre-scuffed jeans; the aggression is too mediated, undermining the sound they're trying to produce and ending up closer to emo than "heavy driven rock with a post-hardcore edge". The tunes are very eloquent and tight, but they don't have the kind of unbridled anger that they could have and unfortunately don't push many boundaries.