A day late and a dollar short my mother always used to say to me but hey, I only have so much room in this column per week. Anyway, at least by reviewing Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult’s debut a week late you know it’s at least available in stores now, right?
Dr. Midnight & The Mercy Cult are an extreme super-group featuring Hank Von Hell of Turbonegro, Tim Skold (KMFDM, Marilyn Manson, Skold), Anders Odden (Satyricon, Celtic Frost), Audun Stengel (The Kovenant, Apoptygma Berzerk), and David Husvik (Extol). Whew! That was a mouthful.
If you’re expecting Doctor Midnight to sound anything like the sum of its’ parts then you’ll be sadly disappointed here. I Declare: Treason is not industrial metal, it’s not dance, it’s not black metal, and it’s not party rock. This is straight up heavy metal. Really good heavy metal.
I Declare: Treason starts with “You Are God-Intro” which features an industrial beat that sounds a lot like Brad Fiedel’s unmistakable theme from The Terminator. If you wanna influence me at all, use a sample from The Terminator and I’ll be sold. Just sayin’.
“Sign My Name” and the title track definitely set the tone for the album and both feature sleek production from Skold (Who produced the entire album) and some major riff wars from Odden and Stengel.
If I had to compare Doctor Midnight to any band out today, it would have to be with Emigrate, the side-project of Rammstein’s Richard Z. Kruspe. Kruspe and Hank Von Hell have similar vocal deliveries and both albums share sonic similarities even though Doctor Midnight takes the lead for heaviest of the two bands.
If you look in my upcoming novel How To End A Heavy Metal Album (Coming Fall 2011 through BlerdBooks!), “Victorious” will be the prime example of one of the most badass ways to finish a debut. The riff train keeps chugging straight through the end with no less than 3 breakdowns that are more dynamic and thrashier than its predecessors.
I Declare: Treason is a solid debut from a band that I can’t wait to hear more from. If you’re a fan of any of the above bands or just plain old heavy metal, then check out Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult!
I Declare: Treason is available now from Season of Mist.