Mercenary
Formed: 1991
From:
Alborg,
Denmark
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Mercenary News
Below is our complete Mercenary news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 1 - 20 of 96 1 2 3 4 5 Last
Mercenary Announces New Tour Dates
Danish melodic death metal act Mercenary has announced a European headlining tour in support of upcoming release, “Through Our Darkest Days.” The tour will feature support from Omnium Gatherum - full dates are listed below.
“Through Our Darkest Days,” the group’s seventh studio album, is scheduled for North American release on July 30th via Prosthetic Records. Recorded with longtime collaborator and friend Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Heaven Shall Burn) at Hansen Studios in Denmark, the album will include what the band describes as “a combination of our latest material with a lot of the more traditional melodic and melancholic elements of previous Mercenary albums.”
The album cover art, available below, was completed by Mnemic guitarist Mircea Efrfemie (Soilwork, Illdisposed) and “symbolizes a darkness we have gone through as a band, which we feel we have finally been able to put behind us. The title of the album is meant very positively and thematizes both the journey through existential darkness as a general theme and the ability to break through it. The lyrical universe is very much about making the most of life and not getting caught up in negativity.”
5/30 Geiselwind, DE – Beastival
6/1 Oberentfelden, CH – Borom Pom Pom
6/2 Pilzen, CZ – Metalfest CZ
8/30 Leipzig, DE – Hellraiser #
8/31 Munchen, DE – Backstage Club #
9/1 Pratteln, CH – Gallery #
9/4 Bucharest, RO – The Silver Church Club #
9/5 Budapest, HU – TBA #
9/6 Wien, AT – Escape #
9/7 Brno, CR – Melodka #
9/8 Berlin, DE – Magnet #
9/11 Vosselaar, BE – Biebob #
9/12 London, UK – The Underworld #
9/14 Stuttgart, DE – Club Zentral #
9/15 Eindhoven, NL – Dynamo #
# = With Omnium Gatherum More...
Omnium Gatherum Announces European Tour
After having played tours in Japan and the band's home country of Finland to promote new album "Beyond," Omnium Gatherum is now ready to hit the European roads again this August/September along with Danish act Mercenary. The currently confirmed dates are:
30.08.2013 DE - Leipzig - Hellraiser
31.08.2013 DE - München - Backstage Club
01.09.2013 CH - Pratteln - Gallery
04.09.2013 RO - Bucharest - The Silver Church Club
05.09.2013 HUN - Budapest - tba
06.09.2013 AT - Wien - Escape
07.09.2013 CZ - Brno - Melodka
08.09.2013 DE - Berlin - Magnet
11.09.2013 BE - Vooselaar - Biebob
12.09.2013 UK - London - The Underworld
14.09.2013 DE - Stuttgart - Club Zentral
15.09.2013 NL - Eindhoven - Dynamo More...
Mercenary Completes New Album, Artwork Revealed
Danish melodic death metal act Mercenary announced that work on the band's seventh album is complete. The album will be entitled "Through Our Darkest Days." Mixing was completed on April 23, 2013 at Hansen Studios with long time collaborator/producer Jacob Hansen. The album is set for release through NoiseArt Records on July 27th (EU) and a week later in the US via Prosthetic Records.
The album's cover artwork (shown below) was created by Mircea Eftemie (guitarist of Mnemic), who recently created covers for Soilwork, Illdisposed and others.
The band commented on the cover: “Last year when we were busy with pre-productions, we considered reaching out to Mircea to ask if he'd like to give our new cover a shot, because we liked his recent stuff and wanted to try someone with a fresh approach. Against all odds, however, he actually beat us to it and contacted us first with the exact same offer, so it very much seemed as a collaboration that was meant to be.
"After a few sketches, we quickly locked on to the main motive of the cover below, which we felt was both iconic, mysterious and not least, oddly disturbing. Most importantly perhaps, we also felt that Mircea's artwork had managed in a natural way to combine something fresh with the style of our older album covers and their dark and atmospheric vibes.
"As our new album is very much a combination our latest material with a lot of the more traditional melodic and melancholic elements of previous Mercenary albums, we felt that this was a perfect visual expression of Mercenary's sound and identity in 2013.
The cover symbolizes a darkness that we have gone through as a band, which we feel that we have finally been able to put behind us. The title of the album is meant very positively and thematizes both the journey through existential darkness as a general theme and the ability to break through it. The lyrical universe is very much about making the most of life and not getting caught up in negativity.” More...
Mercenary Posts Studio Diary Part II
Danish modern metal act Mercenary posted the second in a series of in studio videos featuring the recordings for the new album, yet untitled, which is due out on July 26, 2013 via Noiseart Records. More details on the album are expected soon. The first report can still be viewed over at this location.
Check out part two here:
Mercenary Issues Recording Update
Denmark's Mercenary has checked in with the following update about recording a new album:
"We are very excited to announce that we have entered Hansen Studios a while back, and have begun the recordings of our 7th album.
"Peter Mathiesen has already recorded all his drum parts, and he has done an absolutely amazing job! We will be posting some video diaries from the studio; here is the first clip. ENJOY!" More...
Mercenary Posts "The Black Brigade" Road Video
Denmark's Mercenary has posted performance footage online featuring the band playing "The Black Brigade," which can be found below. Mercenary also commented:
"We're happy to announce our first show in 2013 at the new 'Beastival' on May 30th - 1st of June 2013 in Geiselwind (Germany) with among others Kreator, Wintersun & Satyricon. More info at this website.
"Moreover, we're happy to present a small special something for you in the form of a 'fan-made' road video for the track 'The Black Brigade' filmed in the summer of 2012. It was made by our friend, Don G, whom we've previously cooperated with for the cover of 'Metamorphosis.'
"He kindly filmed and edited the vid for his own sake but we thought it was way too cool not to share with you. More footage from the Basinfire Festival (Cz) performance will be used for another video coming in early 2013 - and who knows, maybe we'll also have some cool info on a new album by then... Until then, enjoy a roadtrip with The Black Brigade!" More...
Mercenary Issues Album And Tour Update
Danish metallers Mercenary have issued the following update about working on a new album and lining up festival appearances:
"Things are busy at Camp Mercenary these days! We are currently recording the pre-production of our 7th album, which is a very exiting process, and since the release of 'Metamorphosis' in February 2011 we have been touring massively and we have a lot of great experiences under the hood already with this line-up.
"In March we went to Russia for the first time ever and played a headlining show for a venue filled with exited and anticipating Russian fans. (See short video documentary below) All in all, we are truly grateful for the warm welcome we have received, and we look forward to many more great experiences with all our amazing fans!
"The plan for the summer tour is ready, and it is with great pleasure that we can announce that Mercenary has been confirmed for the following festivals in 2012:
18/5 Day of Decay (DK), Aalborg
30/6 Basinfire (CZ)
04/7 Nibe Festival (DK), Nibe
02/8 Danmarks Grimmeste Festival (DK), Aarhus
"See you out there! Horns!"
You can also check out a tour video from Moscow in the player below, or find a gallery from the band's Moscow show at this location. More...
Mercenary Writing New Material
Mercenary will be heading out for two Russian live shows in March, and the band has also begun writing new material for an upcoming release. Mercenary commented:
"We're happy and proud to kick off 2012 in a great way by announcing our first ever shows in Russia this March! We are psyched about performing in both Moscow and St. Petersburg - and to sample large quantities of the excellent and cheap vodka! Russian Tour Dates:
03/24/2012 - MOSCOW - RELAX CLUB
03/25/2012 - ST.PETERSBURG - ORLANDINA
"Moreover, we have begun to meet up this month to write new material for the follow-up to 'Metamorphosis' from 2011. We feel that this new incarnation of Mercenary got off to a perfect start last year with great response from fans and the press and a lot of great shows, not least two amazing tours with (among others) Symphony X, Nevermore and Dark Tranquillity. We can't wait to write and release the next album and get out on the road again!
"The most perceptive of our fans might have noticed that we have only been joined by drummer Morten Løwe for a few shows in 2011. Morten was unable to commit to our touring schedule, so we had the excellent drummer Peter Mathiesen fill in. As we have a great chemistry with him musically and personally, we have asked him to join the band as a regular member. He has already played more than 50 shows with us and is well integrated in the band, so please give him a warm welcome and buy him a beer the next time we play in your hometown!
"We are one - The Black Brigade!"
Omnium Gatherum Updates Tour Schedule
Finland's Omnium Gatherum has checked in with the following update about the band's upcoming tour dates:
"Hello folks, after the hot rockin' awesome & successful festival summer and European tour with Rotting Christ, Omnium Gatherum will hit the European shores with 'Neckbreakers Ball 2011' European tour trek together with Dark Tranquillity / Eluveitie / Mercenary / Varg / Gurd and before that OG will do a 12-date extensive Finnish co-headlining run together with the fellow Finns, Medeia."
Omnium Gatherum's upcoming shows are asf ollows:
"Vuoroin Vieraissa" - FINNISH TOUR 2011
27.08. Monttu, Pori
02.09. DOM, Helsinki
08.09. Henry's Pub, Kuopio
09.09. 45 Special, Oulu
10.09. The Rock Pub, Kokkola
15.09. Lutakko, Jyväskylä
16.09. Suisto, Hämeenlinna
21.09. Klubi, Tampere
23.09. Rytmikatti, Kouvola
24.09. Bar Soho, Porvoo
30.09. Klubi, Turku
01.10. Rytmikorjaamo, Seinäjoki More...
Death Angel Pulls Out Of Neckbreaker's Ball Tour
San Francisco thrash metal veterans Death Angel have posted the following statement online, announcing their decision to pull out of the upcoming "Neckbreaker's Ball" European tour.
"Due to what we feel is an incredible opportunity that has arisen for the band, Death Angel is forced to pull out of this year's Neckbreaker's Ball. We are not at liberty to discuss the details just yet, but as soon as we are, another announcement will be made and we hope that all of our true fans, any true metal fan really, will understand our decision. We will miss the opportunity to once again rock out for European fans, but we will make it up to you in the New Year with a surprise live set and tour that will blow your minds!"
The tour is set to feature appearances from Dark Tranquillity, Eluveitie, Varg, Mercenary and Omnium Gatherum. The dates for the tour are listed below. More...
Prosthetic Records Releases Summer Sampler
Prosthetic Records has launched a new downloadable sampler on their Facebook page. The free sampler features new songs by The Greenery, Scale The Summit, Book of Black Earth, Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire, Last Chance To Reason and Black September in addition to tracks from some of Prosthetic's best-known heavy-hitters. Here's the complete tracklisting:
1. Holy Grail - "Call of Valhalla"
2. Scale The Summit - "Whales"
3. Animals As Leaders - "CAFO"
4. Last Chance To Reason - "Upload Complete"
5. The Acacia Strain - "The Hills Have Eyes"
6. The Greenery - "Crimewave"
7. Trap Them - "The Facts"
8. Book of Black Earth - "Cross Contaminated"
9. Neuraxis - "Asylum"
10. Black September - "The Forbidden Gates Beyond"
11. Withered - "Extinguished With The Weary"
12. Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire - "Lower Than Life, High As The Sky"
13. Dragged Into Sunlight - "Boiled Angel"
14. The Funeral Pyre - "Seeking Flesh and Bone"
15. Skeletonwitch - "Submit To The Suffering"
16. Mercenary - "The Follower"
17. Antagonist - "Sasha Grey"
Mercenary Member Joins Midnight Chaser
Mercenary's Sven Soderlund has announced that he has joined California hard rock/heavy metal act Midnight Chaser as its new guitarist. Soderlund commented by saying;
'Playing in Midnight Chaser has brought back a lot of cool memories of when I listened to NWOBHM style metal when I was 14! I think that playing in a traditional style metal band has made me appreciate how simplicity in riffs can really be challenging because you're not always keen to it. Playing so fast all the time, you're losing some of the feel to a large degree."
Mercenary To Play Headbanger's Ball Tour
Mercenary has checked in with the following announcement about performing on the upcoming Headbanger's Ball tour:
"It is official! Mercenary has been confirmed for the special 5-year edition of the Danish Headbanger's Ball Tour together with none other than thrash-masters Artillery & Hatesphere. What better way to celebrate Mercenary's 20th anniversary?"
Additional details on the tour are available here and the currently announced dates are as follows:
09-09-2011: POSTEN, ODENSE
10-09-2011: VOXHALL, AARHUS
16-09-2011: STUDENTERHUSET, AALBORG
17-09-2011: FERMATEN, HERNING
23-09-2011: BADEANSTALTEN, SLAGELSE
24-09-2011: THE ROCK, KØBENHAVN
30-09-2011: TOBAKKEN, ESBJERG
01-10-2011: GODSET, KOLDING More...
Neckbreaker's Ball Tour Teaser Posted Online
A teaser trailer has been posted online for the upcoming Neckbreaker's Ball tour, which can be viewed below. The tour will feature Dark Tranquillity, Eluvietie, Varg, Mercenary, Death Angel, and Omnium Gatherum.
A listing of dates and an update from Dark Tranquillity about the tour can be found at this location.
Dark Tranquillity Comments On Neckbreaker's Ball
Dark Tranquillity has issued the following update about the upcoming Neckbreaker's Ball tour:
"Greetings darklings, it's time again to bring our music to the road and to the ever hungry European audiences. Starting October 28, we'll be headlining the Neckbreaker's ball tour, which will treat the audience to a six-band metal overdose for three weeks. Needless to say, we're pleased and excited about being part of such a diverse and interesting line-up, and we'll do our utmost to ensure very special shows each and every night. See you there!"
The tour, which also features Eluveitie, Death Angel, Mercenary, Varg, and Omnium Gatherum, has the following tour dates:
Oct. 28 - München, Germany - Backstage
Oct. 29 - Linz, Austria - Posthof
Oct. 30 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Majestic Music Club
Oct. 31 - Wien, Austria - Arena
Nov. 01 - Budapest, Hungary - Club 202
Nov. 02 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Cvetlicarna
Nov. 03 - Milan, Italy - Live Club
Nov. 04 - Klagenfurt, Austria - Messehalle
Nov. 05 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
Nov. 06 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
Nov. 07 - London, England - Electric Ballroom
Nov. 08 - Paris, France - Bataclan
Nov. 10 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
Nov. 11 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
Nov. 12 - Geiselwind, Germany - Music Hall
Nov. 13 - Hengelo, Netherlands - Metropol
Nov. 14 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
Nov. 15 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
Nov. 16 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
Nov. 17 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
Nov. 18 - Berlin, Germany - Postbahnhof
Nov. 19 - Dortmund, Germany - FZW
Nov. 20 - Hannover, Germany - Faust
Mercenary Posts "Incorporate Your Demons" Clip
Mercenary has posted a brief video clip online discussing the special bonus track "Incorporate Your Demons" on the U.S Edition of the new album "Metamorphosis." You can check out the clip below. The album is due out March 29th in the U.S.
Mercenary Tour Report Available
A new tour report from Danish death metal act Mercenary has been posted online. You can check out the report, couresty of bassist René Pedersen, in the player below.
Thaurorod Announces Nummirock Appearance
Thaurorod has been confirmed to play the mid-summer metal festival Nummirock, which is set to take place from June 23rd - 25th, 2011. Other confirmed artists at Nummirock include The Haunted, Legion of the Damned, Amorphis, Eluveitie, Before the Dawn, Teräsbetoni, Norther, and more. For more information on the festival, head over to this location.
In just a few days Thaurord also starts the Power of Metal tour with Symphony X, Nevermore, Psychotic Waltz, and Mercenary. The currently announced dates are as follows:
25.02.2011 DE - Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn
26.02.2011 DE - Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle
27.02.2011 BE - Antwerpen, Hof Ter Loo
28.02.2011 FR - Paris, Elysee Montmartre
01.03.2011 FR - Toulouse, Phare
03.03.2011 ES - Barcelona, Apollo
04.03.2011 FR - Lyon, Transbordeur
05.03.2011 IT - Florence, Viper
06.03.2011 CH - Pratteln, Z7
07.03.2011 IT - Milan, Alcatraz
08.03.2011 LU - Esch zur Alzette, Kulturfabrik
10.03.2011 SI - Ljubljana, Cvetlicarna
11.03.2011 DE - Munich, Backstage
12.03.2011 AT - Wien, Gasometer
13.03.2011 AT - Wörgl, Komma
14.03.2011 HU - Budapest, Petoefi Hall
16.03.2011 DE - Frankfurt, Batschkapp
17.03.2011 DE - Hamburg, Markthalle
18.03.2011 NL - Amsterdam, Melkweg
19.03.2011 DE - Geiselwind, Music Hall
20.03.2011 NL - Tilburg, 013
Mercenary Posts Entire New Album Online
Mercenary has issued the following announcement about streaming the band's entire new "Metamorphosis" album online:
"Here it is ladies and gents! Exclusive streaming of the whole of our new 'Metamorphosis' album via our good friends Metal Hammer Germany! The stream will be available this week only. Spread the word! Listen to the whole album here!"
The "Metamorphosis" track listing is as follows:
1. Through The Eyes Of The Devil
2. The Follower
3. In A River Of Madness
4. Memoria
5. Velvet Lies
6. In Bloodred Shades
7. Shades Of Grey
8. On The Edge Of Sanity
9. Black Brigade
10. Incorporate Your Demons (bonus track)
Mercenary Streaming New Song Online
Mercenary is set to release the new album "Metamorphosis" in North America on March 29th through Prosthetic Records. The band has issued the following announcement about streaming a new song from the album online:
"Check out the new track 'In a River of Madness,' exclusively available for streaming from our Facebook page. This is one dark, angry, fast & epic S.o.B.! Listen to In a River of Madness here!"
The "Metamorphosis" track listing is as follows:
1. Through The Eyes Of The Devil
2. The Follower
3. In A River Of Madness
4. Memoria
5. Velvet Lies
6. In Bloodred Shades
7. Shades Of Grey
8. On The Edge Of Sanity
9. Black Brigade
10. Incorporate Your Demons (bonus track)
