MERCY SCREAMS
Broken Mirrors
[Red Cord Records]
Verdict: 4/10
This summer, Red Cord hit gold with several bands (including A PAST UNKNOWN and PHINEHAS), but they then followed those releases up with some less-than-stellar groups. MERCY SCREAMS would be one of those bands that just doesn’t quite cut it. The best thing about Broken Mirrors is the guest vocals (members of THE COLOR MORALE, THE GREAT COMMISSION, and BEFORE THERE WAS ROSALYN make appearances). Otherwise, this album falls flat along the way. Instrumentally, MERCY SCREAMS do very little to stand out. Rarely did the arrangements strike me as entertaining. The screaming is also on the mediocre side, lacking true ferocity and energy to keep me interested. The overall formula heard during Broken Mirrors has been beaten to death over the years. I’m not one to normally bash a record, but there isn’t much I can say about this band that fans will appreciate probably (except that “White Flag” was actually pretty cool). So, in conclusion, I would only recommend this album to fans that already exist. – By Nathaniel Lay
>Recommended Tracks: “Most Dangerous Game”, “White Flag”
>Release Date: October 25, 2011
>Bottom Line: This one is for the fans. If you don’t already know the band, you probably should keep it that way. You aren’t missing much.