Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Bolt Thrower > Mercenary > 1998, 12" vinyl, Metal Blade Records > Reviews
Bolt Thrower - Mercenary

Vanquished - 34%

robotniq, May 27th, 2022

"Mercenary" is where many people got off the Bolt Thrower train. The band had taken a four year recording hiatus after "...for Victory" and the world had changed in the meantime. Death metal was about as popular as bubonic plague in 1998. I loved Bolt Thrower but I was underwhelmed by the prospect of a new album. It seemed out of step with the world. The record was greeted with lukewarm reviews from the metal press, cementing my decision to avoid it. I already owned several great Bolt Thrower albums, all of which sounded similar, so why bother with this one?

Listening to this album in retrospect is a wilting, dispiriting experience. This is Bolt Thrower conforming to each of their self-created tropes (i.e., cool cover art, glacial riffs, repeated melodic phrases, lyrics about war, etc). The line-up is almost identical to that on the previous album (Andrew Whale being replaced by a professional session drummer who later played with Squarepusher, oddly). This doesn't affect the sound much. The new guy was capable of playing in a similar style to Whale. However, what does effect the sound is the overbearing sense of lethargy seeping into every riff and passage. This is enough to bury the record because Bolt Thrower always relied on steamroller momentum to create a wall-of-noise effect.

These songs are the product of a band shitting out riffs and melodies and (ahem) bolting them together. Each song seems to repeat several riffs indefinitely without connecting anything to the wider theme. A song like "Laid to Waste" is a good example, riding its melodic hook into oblivion and back. "To the Last..." is an even worse offender, being almost sadistic in its over-reliance on one phrase. There are glimmers of melodic interest at the beginning of "Powder Burns", but these are dampened after repetition before being segued into some awful stock death metal riffs. This songwriting approach removes any sense of impending dread, any emotional content, and any personal connection I could have had with the music.

The half-baked 'groove' riffs are a problem too. Bolt Thrower always had a sense of groove. Previous albums showed the band building imposing grooves into moving monoliths of heaviness (the extended intro to "World Eater" would be the ultimate example). On this album, grooves are plastered onto the songs in a superficial way. Some of them sound almost Machine Head-esque in their obviousness, dating the record to a particular time and place. "Return from Chaos" is a good example, hammering on some of the dullest, groove riffs imaginable. It is a sad state of affairs for this previously supreme death metal war machine who once rampaged across the battlefield with classics like "What Dwells Within" and "Cenotaph".

The final nail in the coffin is the muted, muffled production. Moving from Earache to Metal Blade seemingly resulted in a lower budget (compared to the high-end gloss of "...for Victory"). This probably reflects the fortunes of death metal at the time, the genre being low on any label’s commercial agendas. This is a nothing production, befitting a nothing album. If this was the only Bolt Thrower record in existence then it might be worth hearing, but this is not the case.

A visit at the mother-in-law - 60%

spookymicha666, January 30th, 2021
Written based on this version: 1998, CD, Metal Blade Records (Limited edition, Digipak)

Somehow "Mercenary" is like visiting your mother-in-law alone. Somehow you know everything, it's also okay, but you have the subliminal feeling that something is not right. Only, you don't know exactly what. I think that fits with what I feel when I listen to the CD. I thought it was strange back then, and I still feel that way almost 22 years later.

The first song "Zeroed" starts well, all Bolt Thrower trademarks are definitely present here, fast sawing riffs and the melodies that also appeared on the previous albums in a similar form, the pounding drums and also Karl's voice sounds similarly aggressive as on his predecessors. But there is still something missing. Perhaps it is the expectation that Bolt Thrower can increase again compared to "...for Victory", perhaps also the already heard on the other albums. I think that some routine has crept in on this album, which makes the album a bit bulky and, I'm really sorry, quite dull in places. I have the feeling that Bolt Thrower wanted to play it too safe with "Mercenary" or maybe they had a dry spell in their creativity.

I don't want to say that the album is bad, but compared to previous works, there is a clear drop in quality. What I miss are the steamrollers like "When Glory Beckons", "The IVth Crusade" or "Cenotaph". There are approaches to tie in with such songs ("Return from Chaos" or "Powder Burns", where the band takes over the well-known entrance riff from "Cenotaph" again), but it all sounds a bit like a tired rip-off of old hymns. What is also noticeable is that Bolt Thrower rely much more on mid-tempo songs than on fast-paced songs. Even when the parts could be played a bit faster, like for example in "Behind Enemy Lines", Bolt Thrower somehow remain slightly dragging. Another point of criticism is that the songs are not particularly varied, but rather somewhat lacking in ideas, as I already let slip. A praiseworthy exception is "No Guts, No Glory", here Bolt Thrower sound in parts like in their best time - I wonder why there are not more such songs on the album.

Also concerning the production, a drop in quality can't be negated. If the last three albums were always high class productions, this album sounds somehow bland, colorless and pressureless and somehow as if the band had recorded the songs in a studio papered with egg cartons. The drums are produced too dull and also Karl's voice is nowhere near as impressive and punchy as it used to be.

It can be summed up for Bolt Thrower 1998 that the band have lost the red thread in their songs in a certain way. It all sounds like a lukewarm rip-off of old works, but at least for me they can't really convince. When the CD is over, it's just like visiting the mother-in-law alone, you're somehow relieved and plan another get-together only in the distant future.

Groove/Death Metal - 55%

Petrus_Steele, June 23rd, 2019
Written based on this version: 1998, CD, Metal Blade Records (Limited edition, Digipak)

Four years after the amazing combination of heavy-riffing and creative guitar melodies, conquering death growls, improved bass sound, and Andy's drums for the final time in ...For Victory, this album came out and seemingly didn't meet fans' expectations. The production is different; whether it's good or bad, it's not like the rest of the albums before Mercenary came out. The mix is standard and balanced but clearly lacks power. This was also Karl's last album before he left the band and was replaced live by other vocalists and on studio once by Todd Ingram from another pioneering British death metal band, Benediction, on the "successor" album. Andy was replaced by one Alex Thomas on drums.

Quite honestly, Bolt Thrower have always been a solid band, with solid musicians, original, and pioneering. Unfortunately, though, Mercenary is a downgrade because it's long; even for all the songs' length. I liked when ...For Victory returned to the standard and had at least one standout long track, but this album is uninteresting due to how long it is that it looks forgettable. The IVth Crusade was different because it showcased and presented new material. This however... is bad.

Starting with what I liked: Laid to Waste sounds like a classic Bolt Thrower or something from ...For Victory. It's got catchy riffs and the vocals aren't bad. Return to Chaos is quite repetitively rhythmic and simple, but it had context and the music seemed atmospheric (and it used to be the only track I ever liked from this album). It's been quite a while since I've listened to a well-rounded groove track like Behind Enemy Lines. It was actually enjoyable!

Zeroed has a one-minute guitar intro (with the rest of the instruments, of course) that sounds like Black Sabbath. Sure it's got nice riffs and the vocals are slowly progressing in a story-like way, but overall sounds dull. The title track: another one with long intro that as the actual song starts with the vocals it gets nowhere near sounding good. With these two tracks as an example, I feel like some songs are intentionally long and ultimately end up being bad. Same goes for all other songs that are above 5:30 minutes; slow and boring buildups to the actual songs. And would you look at that: Powder Burns continues the legacy of World Eater - and I'm not surprised that it's also bad. Again, riffs are great - the rest is mediocre. I said how groovy Behind Enemy Lines was - No Guts, No Glory and Infiltrator are the opposite of it = BAD. The intro was sweet, but that's it. Simple and predictable.

Mercenary was never impressing to begin with. Same with Honour - Valour - Pride. They're objectively the worst Bolt Thrower albums and you just hear weaker versions of the sung legacy that has been developed throughout the years. If, of course, you liked the two records - more power to you. But CLEARLY any other album but these two from the band offer more than enough. Rating Bolt Thrower below 50% would be an insult, so I think 55% sits fine because there's no way this album will ever grow to become better. Best tracks are Laid to Waste and Behind Enemy Lines.

The Band Marched on, Throwing Caution on the Wind - 84%

bayern, July 26th, 2017

When the three behemoths (Napalm Death, Bolt Thrower, Carcass) of UK death/grind started marching in the late-80’s, it wasn’t very obvious where each of them was going to end up, but with time it became clear that the Napalms wouldn’t dare venture far outside their extreme, brutal stance; Carcass would seldom settle for anything too repetitive and unimaginative and would push the boundaries of the genre(s) incessantly; and Bolt Thrower would be the most belligerent batch with a heavy, doom-laden battle-rousing sound…

both Carcass and Bolt Thrower hit two consecutive creative peaks (Carcass with “Necroticism…” and “Heartwork”; Bolt Thrower with “The IVth Crusade” and “…for Victory”) after which freer experimentation should have become the norm, and indeed the Liverpudians went further down the rabbit hole with the divisive, albeit still fairly enjoyable, “Swansong”. Bolt Thrower settled for the album reviewed here after a 4-year hiatus. I by no means expected a third masterpiece in a row although I was certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the guys (and a girl) wouldn’t surrender to the groovy/post-deathy vogues that took quite a few victims (Entombed, Dismember, Massacra, Sentenced, Messiah, etc.) in the 90’s. I have to admit my conviction in the latter slightly diminished having in mind the lengthy break, but the first notes of the opening “Zeroed” calmed me down big time being the familiar steam-roller rhythm-section which goes on unperturbed, squashing everything around like a tank, Karl Willets’ authoritative guttural tirades ruling over the proceedings. In other words, absolutely nothing to worry about; the good old Throwers haven’t betrayed their fellow soldiers… sorry, fans.

“Laid to Waste” offers the staple for the band blend of heaviness and melody, a marvellous symbiosis that made the previous two instalments so unique and compelling, the delivery picking up speed bit by bit, reaching something of a culmination on “Return from Chaos”, a nice war-like headbanger with an arresting doomy finale, another brilliant trademark of the band. The title-track is a high-octane doomster recalling the Dutch Beyond Belief, and “To the Last…” tries to follow the same model the winds of doom settling in comfortably into the album. “Powder Burns” serves the most infectious melodic tunes here, and its rousing dramatic riffage recalls the title-track from the preceding opus despite the ship-sinking epitaph surrendering the song to the fields of doom again. “Behind Enemy Lines” livens up the situation with marginally more energetic guitars, but it’s “No Guts, No Glory” which starts moving the heads around in affirmative nodding, nothing headbanging mind you, with the obligatory at that stage slower doom-fixated embellishments taking over in the second half. “Sixth Chapter” unleashes another addictive melodic cavalcade as “an appetizer” which puts things back on track, not that they’ve ever been off track, with more dynamic riff-formulas before more gorgeous melodic tunes come overflowing to form a spell-binding conclusion to this admirable heavyweight.

Yeah, this was one hell of a heavy record the band hitting the top in this department with ease, bending the scales towards doom metal more which was still way more preferable than any fashionable at the time aggro/groovy/post transformations. It was far from a full-fledged doom metal experience, but the band were confidently, and shall I say determinedly, moving in this direction so the final destination should have been reached on the next instalment. “Honour, Valour, Pride” didn’t quite fulfil those expectations moving back to the more aggressive death metal ways of execution also introducing Dave Ingram from Benediction as the able replacement of Willets. “Those Once Loyal”, the band’s swansong, was a masterpiece, almost ranking with the 1992 and 1994 showings, and was more than a dignified farewell to the scene with Willets back in the fold to wrap it on. Again, it didn’t make too many allusions to this doomy “beast” here, but was another true testimony of unparalleled persistence, perseverance, and integrity that the metal field seldom comes across. Yes, the latter is a sad place without Bolt Thrower now, one of its most loyal “mercenaries”, always ready to go into battle be it at the tunes of a funeral doom march, or at the sound of raging death metal “fanfares”.

Immune against betrayal - 82%

Felix 1666, June 5th, 2016
Written based on this version: 1998, CD, Metal Blade Records

Is there any reason why I must write an introduction for the British death metal institution? Definitely not. Bolt Thrower belong to the most reliable bands in the cosmos of extreme metal. I consciously say this in the present tense because I hope that the battalion is still active, although the loss of Martin Kearns in September 2015 was surely a sort of turning point. Yet I do not want to speculate about the current situation of Bolt Thrower. One thing is for sure, it is never a mistake to dig out one of their eight regular full-lengths. So here comes "Mercenary", album no. 6.

I have mentioned the reliability of the band and therefore it comes as no surprise that "Mercenary" also does not damage its integrity. Bolt Thrower enjoy their desperate and accusing melodies, they commute between slow-moving parts and aggressive, gnawing sections, while Karl Willets delivers his well known war poetry one more time. One can call this tried and tested approach predictable, but I don't see any problems as long as the song-writing formula still works. And exactly this is the case. Use the random generator of the CD player and rest assured. This sometimes cunning function has no chance to find a weak track. For sure, some compositions do not achieve the highest degree of excitement. They just represent typical new Bolt Thrower tracks - but connoisseurs know this alone is a quality certification. However, this does not imply that the album lacks of highlights.

The title track offers this dense, dogged approach for what the band is well known. Hopeless lines, intensifying double bass attacks and an ingenious guitar solo create a depressing atmosphere. It is crowned by the melodic yet Spartan one-word-chorus. This ode to the unknown soldier, that much is certain, marks a strong representative of the full-length... and Bolt Thrower have more aces up their sleeves. The most worthy of these aces is called "No Guts, no Glory". Framed by ground shaking cannon shots, the song reveals its lethal effect in an impressive manner. The catchy chorus sticks in the listener's mind immediately, but, surprisingly enough, the same applies for any other section of this death metal tank. Did I say death metal? Of course, Bolt Thrower stay loyal to this style, although it cannot be ignored that "No Guts, no Glory" has, strange as it may seem, a certain pop appeal. "Laid to Waste", to pick out a third and last example, follows a more hostile approach, albeit it also does not lack of the typical flow that Bolt Thrower create with great ease. Once again, it is surprising to see that their riffs are harsh enough to built a heavyweight song fundament and bendable enough to guarantee a certain smoothness.

The mix does not suffer from major flaws. Well, Karl Willets' voice fails to be the dominating component, because the dense guitar sound claims the leading position. But at the end of the day, this is just a matter of taste. From my point of view, "Mercenary" is a strong, homogeneous album and it goes without saying that the band has integrated its signature riff once again (at the beginning of "Powder Burns"). Some might say that the band members are no experts for experiments. So what? They are well-versed in their metier and that's the crucial thing.

Decidedly average - 65%

Dead1, February 18th, 2016
Written based on this version: 1998, CD, Metal Blade Records

Album number six finds British death metal stalwarts Bolt Thrower sounding tired and worn. They had perfected their sound with 1994's …For Victory but now, four years later, found themselves replicating the same formula without as much success. All the elements that make a Bolt Thrower album are there: dense guitars playing groovy riffs and Karl Willets' deep guttural vocals spewing war obsessed lyrics. But there is a certain spark missing that relegates Mercenary to a mediocre affair.

Firstly, the songs just aren't as memorable as on the predecessor …For Victory or 2005's Those Once Loyal. The only song that seems to stick out is "No Guts, No Glory" and even that is an average affair when compared to "When Glory Beckons" or "Lest We Forget" from For Victory.

The performances are satisfactory yet predictable. There is a distinct lack of dynamics and the production is somewhat flat. The album is still listenable, albeit more as background music than an active listening session. Otherwise it all gets too boring too quickly. Some of the problems could be attributed to the even further simplification of their trademark sound.

Perhaps it was a sign of the times. By 1998 death metal had already reached saturation point and the older veteran bands were struggling to stay fresh (e.g. Cannibal Corpse's Gallery of Suicide or Obituary's Back From The Dead.) The album's distinct mediocrity may also be a result of obvious band turmoil, with vocalist Karl Willets obviously wanting out.

Ultimately this is an album for completists. First time listeners would find it better to check out …For Victory and Those Once Loyal or for those interested in a more grind base approach Realms of Chaos.

Hessian Soldiers Hold The Line - 70%

televiper11, August 28th, 2014
Written based on this version: 1998, CD, Metal Blade Records (Limited edition, Digipak)

Coming at a time of high turmoil within the band, Bolt Thrower's Mercenary is that rare album in their discography that merely satisfies: it holds the lines but doesn't advance what had previously been a relentless conquest. The problems here are manifold: personnel issues led to the ousting of Andy Whale and a new drummer who was still acclimating to BT's intensely singular rhythmic style. Couple that to Karl Willet's tenuous status as vocalist and you have a volatile mixture at the start. What amazes me though is that despite these issues, Mercenary is a solid listen. Weak for Bolt Thrower but still better than a lot of similar artists of the era.

One quibble right out the gate is that Mercenary is the first Bolt Thrower release to not feature a new elevation in sound, style, or structure. With each previous release there had been an acculturation, a new ornament of war, and that progression sadly halts here and begins to accrete. The For Victory formula is in full-effect once again but with diminishing returns in terms of songwriting. The absolute best tracks still rip, like the ultra-catchy "Laid To Waste," which features one of BT's all-time best grooves (and I love the little hi-hat accents the new drummer busts out in it). Another winner is the anthemic "No Guts, No Glory," which still features heavily in BT setlists because the chorus shades into timeless memorability. The title track too takes a moment to establish itself with a very catchy, very evil sounding riff. Hooks like these are what make BT so powerfully inclusive despite being an intensely hostile death ensemble. These tracks have a sense of urgency about them that the others seemingly lack. This overall lethargy I attribute somewhat to the band instability as the remaining songs are just kinda staid. Karl's vocal performance is sadly lacking as well. He was called in to record these over the just-ousted Martin Van Drunen but if I'm honest, despite Karl's voice being a huge factor in the overall BT sound, I kinda wonder how MVD would've handled these tunes.

Finally, the jump to Metal Blade may have made financial sense for the band but from a production standpoint, it was a mistake. None of their Metal Blade releases sound as good as their Earache ones. The production on this is pretty weak: the guitars lack bite and one doesn't get that overall filthy distortion sound from them. The bass is evident but not well-captured and the drums sound is hollow on the toms and double-bass with a papery snare sound. And again, despite all this, the album is still an okay listen. I wouldn't recommend it as a jumping-on point but if you've exhausted their best records (which to my ears are inexhaustible) than Mercenary will sate your thirst for more Bolt Thrower but it also ties Honor, Valor, Pride for honors at the bottom of their discography pile.

Your ears Laid to Waste - 93%

SadisticGratification, May 13th, 2013

When one thinks of classic Bolt Thrower releases, "Realm of Chaos", "IVth Crusade" and "Those Once Loyal" most often come to mind and Mercenary more times than not is lay by the side as a relic of a time when death metal was in decline and Bolt Thrower were going through a turbulent time in the band. It's almost as if the album never had a chance from it's conception, like an under privileged kid striving to be more this album screams for your attention but due to stigma's perpetrated by some the album is often looked over. Mercenary isn't only a good album but it's absolutely amazing and one of the best in a fine discography such as Bolt Thrower's.

Mercenary may have slowed down compared to it's predecessors and the production values may seem more polished but that can't take away from this album's overall epic feel and heaviness. There is a nice sprinkling of melody throughout but done so very tastefully that Bolt Thrower don't venture into the realms of melodeath. The opening track "Zeroed" does a very good job of starting off this album. No shit taken, a nice blast off and a track that really gets everything going. The guitar tone on this song and throughout the album is cleaner than previous Bolt Thrower releases but still crunchy in typical Bolt Thrower fashion you will recognise this as an atypical Bolt Thrower release straight away. All the features are there, big heavy hitting riffs, nice bassy sound and Karl Willets excellently pronounced and deep vocals.

Some of the strong points in this album are when everything grinds to a halt and slowly builds up again. Like in "Laid to Waste" the intro riff is a blast from the past and wouldn't feel to out of place on "IVth Crusade" or "...For Victory" but at a certain point everything comes crashing down and a more groove oriented riff takes over before frenetically speeding up accompanied by Karl Willets roars before settling back down into the groove. This type of riffing is evident throughout the whole album from "Return From Chaos" middle section onto the main body of "To the Last" into the frantic riff fest that is "No Guts, No Glory" it is a prominent feature throughout yet rarely feels overdone.

The lead guitar on this album can be described as tasteful and melodic without too much technicality. I really like the simplicity of the leads on this album, they're not easy by any stretch of the imagination but they're not overtly technical and long gone are the days of frantic dissonant solos of yesteryear. Everything is tight and neat and well done, it's hard not to appreciate the solos and leads when they kick in.

In the lyrics department Karl really excels again. One thing Karl Willets was always able to do well is write a damn good lyric about war, he has it down to a tee, he makes them flow well with the songs and knows when to really roar to accentuate a particular word. This is evident in every single Bolt Thrower release except for "Honour, Valour, Pride" where Karl is not in the band, that release only further compounds Karls lyric writing prowess. The best example of this on the album is in the title track, not only do the lyrics flow well throughout the song but if you read the lyrics in the booklet you'll see what I'm talking about, very intelligent and very well written. The album closes in truly epic fashion. "Sixth Chapter" has a final closing section not so dissimilar to the closing section of the song "...For Victory" but this song is intelligently placed to finish off this album, a bid farewell.

I find it hard not to be impressed by this record, I never understood where the hatred came from. I nearly stayed away from this album based on some people's opinions. It is a worthy addition to the spectacular discography of Bolt Thrower. It has the signature Bolt Thrower sound and all the bells and whistles associated with a Bolt Thrower record and in this humble reviewers honest opinion it is no worse than any of the previous records.

Introducing: Bore Thrower - 52%

autothrall, February 6th, 2013

One might presume that, coming after the longest studio hiatus Bolt Thrower had taken since its initiation, the British battalion might have discovered some means by wish to refresh itself, innovate its tried and true, formidable formula. Four years wasn't a whole lot of time, granted, and after the productivity of their 1988-1994 period (5 albums, EPs and live recordings, touring, making a name for themselves), they were well deserved of a pause in the action, but once Mercenary at last arrived, I was rather shocked at just how bland an experience it proved to be. I have long described the record as '...For Victory with most of the life sucked out of it', and that holds up 15 years later, as I still struggle to extract any value whatsoever from this...

What we've got here is a selection of even more simplified-than-usual Bolt Thrower groove riffs, which might have been reorganized from earlier songs, or really belonged to just about any boring mosh oriented groove metal act of the 90s to come along in the wake of a Pantera or Machine Head. Add to these a pitiful few old school death metal tremolo progressions with double bass, and a handful of those majestic melodies that dominated ...For Victory, and phone the whole fucking shebang in. That's Mercenary in a nutshell, the nadir of this band's career, and the first landmark in a decade plus span of mediocrity post ...For Victory that often has me questioning why so many hold the band up as some bastion of consistency. This is quite easily the least amount of effort they've exhibited on any full-length, with a fraction too much repetition of unworthy riffs, a vocal performance that is entirely dry and monotonous, drums that feel far too relaxed against the meatier rhythm guitar tone, and bass lines so disinterested and ineffectual that I very often forget they're even a part of the album. I can count the number of Mercenary's quality guitar progressions on my testicles, pre-orchidectomy.

One of these is in "Behind Enemy Lines", and the other is the central melody to "Power Burns", which is quite understandably a favorite among this track list. Yet even there the damn notes are repeated too often that it struggles to hold up. Elsewhere, the material fails to leave any impression on the conscience. Bolt Thrower were no strangers to incorporating slower, trudging chord and mute patterns into their tunes from as early as the first two records, but their they at least felt crushing, oppressive and visceral. The guitars in tracks like "Return from Chaos", "Laid to Waste" and "Zeroed" basically just sound like beefed up reruns of their older songs, with no memorable note sequences and a predilection towards boring accessibility. Snail paced grind for pub metal mules, and even when they get some half-assed momentum building, the riffs are continuously recycled, and it seems Mercenary is fresh out of ideas. Even the most 'death metal' moments on the album smack of the mid-90s mediocrity of what Six Feet Under and Obituary were releasing.

The lyrics are essentially also retread from themes the band had beaten to death; but while that was probably to be expected, Willetts might have at least delivered them with some punishing panache. It almost feels as if the band woke him up one morning while hungover, too disaffected to care, and had him record his lines regardless. 'Guys, do I have to do this right now? Aww, alright.' Mercenary would have sounded just as lackluster without him. Perhaps the one area in which the album doesn't completely fuck off is Ewan Davies production, if only because he pulls such punch from the limited palette of guitar riffs. Granted, the drums, bass and vocals are nothing at all to write home about, and the album by nature lacks the brightness of its predecessor, but it's certainly forceful when cranked through a decent pair of speakers. Unfortunately, the usual Bolt Thrower brawn here is betrayed by the dull songwriting, and they seem to have transformed temporarily into another casualty of the 90s. It's not the worst album I've heard from a death metal band of this period, but reeks mildly of contractual filler. No wonder Karl took off after this.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

It's Bolt Thrower. Enough said. - 80%

enshinkarateman, May 14th, 2010

Let's make one thing clear right off the bat: Even the worst Bolt Thrower album is still miles ahead of the best output of most other bands, and "Mercenary" is no exception. However, it seems as if the consensus of the metal community is that this album is a sub-par piece of work brought on by some unfortunate circumstances that surrounded Bolt Thrower at the time, namely lineup problems as well as the general state of metal in 1998. This could not be more untrue, because "Mercenary", while not a masterpiece, is still a solid slab of death metal that blew away much of the competition in the late '90's. When one thinks of the state of metal in the '90's, it's a wonder that Bolt Thrower managed to hang in there and create nothing but uncompromising death metal in an era of alternative and rap-influenced "metal" acts.

Unusually, the first track of the album, "Zeroed" is rather weak by the rest of the album's standards, but the second and third songs quickly pick up the pace , intertwining quick beats with slow, crusty riffs that keep the song's pace varied for a more refreshing listening experience. These songs set a pattern for the rest of the album, which doesn't deviate too strongly from the formulas present in these initial songs. The songs all clock in at roughly five minutes, and all are chock-full of riffs that live up to Bolt Thrower's mighty reputation.

Although a groove permeates throughout this album, it's not groove in the sense that it's overly repetitive, nor that it sounds anything like "groove metal" bands like Machine Head. Rather, the groove allows the listener to get caught up in the sludgy riffs and bang their head until the song is over, all while completely losing track of time, allowing the songs to go on for four to five minutes without getting stale. Before the listener knows it, the album is already over, and the ability to make low-tempo riffs so powerful is an ability that Bolt Thrower has always excelled at. The guitar tone is absolutely crushing on this album, like all Bolt Thrower albums, and enhances the riffs to the point to where they're absolutely bludgeoning, so keeping this album away from children and pregnant women would probably be a good idea. There aren't too many guitar solos on this album, although they aren't really necessary within the confines of the songs themselves. There are, however, several melodies that are played over the riffs, most prominently in the title track (which also features a superb guitar solo towards the end of the track).

It's well known among Bolt Thrower fans that vocalist Karl Willlets was unsure of whether or not he wanted to stay in Bolt Thrower at the time this album was released, but you'd never know it based on his performance on "Mercenary". His growls are just as deep and manly as they've ever been, securing his reputation as one of the best death metal vocalists of all time. His vocals are the perfect counterpart to the war-infused music of Bolt Thrower, and any of their work would be most appropriate for any war-themed movie or video game. The rest of the band is able to bring their A-game as well, as every instrumentalist is able to contribute to the Bolt Thrower sound in a way that benefits the album substantially.

If there is a flaw in this album, it's that many of the songs end with a fade-out or with a held chord that drags on the song length for 30-45 seconds longer than it should, although these are minor offenses when compared to other bands who do the same thing and don't have music as solid as Bolt Thrower's. And yes, some may say that the album does have somewhat of a monotonous feel to it, but Bolt Thrower always abided by the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought, and the simple fact that the album maintains a consistent feel should not put off any fan from checking it out. While "Mercenary" isn't the best Bolt Thrower album, it's still a great death metal album with an unfair reputation that owes itself to being listened to.

This review was originally written for Examiner.com and can be found at its original source here: http://www.examiner.com/x-44499-San-Antonio-Heavy-Metal-Examiner

Flawed but still lethal - 80%

JamesIII, February 24th, 2010

As it has been previously stated, the late 90's were not an excellent time for Bolt Thrower. Line-up shifts and a vocalist who didn't know if he wanted to stay or go, Bolt Thrower found themselves in a worrisome situation during that time. All of this would play into an album like "Mercenary," one which isn't as warmly recieved by their fans as its predecessors, particularly "For Victory" and the widely regarded masterwork, "IVth Crusade." In fact, "Mercenary" isn't discussed hardly at all amongst fans, instead pushed aside for those favored albums.

One could guess that fans choosing not to talk about a certain album would mean its mediocre at best, not necessarily bad nor great, as both of those usually warrant discussion. Instead, "Mercenary" seems like the forgotten child of Bolt Thrower's catalog, managing to get a "meh" out of fans instead of "wow," the reaction that is usually seen upon hearing "IVth Crusade" for the first time. I personally view this album in a different regard, possibly due to my sentimental attachment to it. For one, it was the first Bolt Thrower album I ever encountered and heard, not to mention the album that actually got me into death metal, a genre I thought I would never like. One spin of this war-laden mid-tempo machine proves that not all death metal is about flying guts and mindless gore, nor that its vocalists sound like they are regurgiating their intestines on record, a lesson I learned several years ago when I first heard the contents of "Mercenary."

As I have broadened my horizons with death metal and more specifically, this band, I've come to realize that there are better things out there than "Mercenary." I'll even admit it seems to be rather lacking when compared to previous efforts (and with "Those Once Loyal," more recent as well) but it manages to contain what you'd expect out of this band, thus making it a reliable effort. It doesn't seek to forge any new paths, instead sticking to the same formula of songwriting the band had been doing for a while. I don't consider such consistency a bad thing, though perhaps a comparison could be with "Mercenary" and Bolt Thrower's general catalog that could be made with Dark Tranquillity in recent years. Not that their music is similiar, but everyone basically knows that DT's "Character" and "Fiction" releases were basically remakes of "Damage Done." "Mercenary" has that same feel, like you've heard it all before on other albums (or vice versa in my case) and instead of listening incredibly, this album manages to listen well.

This same feeling is encountered on the instrumental front. Both the drums and guitars are just as heavy as they ever were, but upon comparison to more celebrated works they don't have much power behind them. Tracks like "Laid to Waste" and "Behind Enemy Lines" both pound away like relentless artillery fire, but neither one has much of a lasting effect. They seem to drift on without a whole lot happening, and while both commendable songs they just don't seem to know where they're headed. Karl Willets manages to pull off a respectable performance, but again, not as noteworthy as other releases. The bassist in Jo Bench is pretty much removed as well, but this is nothing new in Bolt Thrower's catalog as it wouldn't be until "Those Once Loyal" that we really knew she was there anyway.

Despite that, the production is quite good and maintains an edgy sound that fits Bolt Thrower and this style very well. This also allows some of the better tracks like "Zeroed," "Powder Burns," and the title track to unleash the usual shell shock that this band is known for. The sound quality is distinctly better here than previously, and had "IVth Crusade" has this level of quality in the production, it would be an ever greater gem than it already is. I feel this aspect helps to save this album from being even further down on the totem pole, as it allows the recording's better moments to truly stick out.

While I doubt that "Mercenary" will ever be a celebrated Bolt Thrower release, its certainly nothing worth mocking. In fact, its a good listen, just not anything truly spectacular. As others have said, it does become a bit monotous on repeat listens which makes the desire to hear it in its entirety sometimes hard to come by. Even with my sentimental attachment to it as my first Bolt Thrower album, I usually find myself selecting about half of the tracks for a playlist, as opposed to hearing the entire thing. That said, I suggest Bolt Thrower fans do keep an eye out for it, as it possesses all the qualities you want out of this, they've only done it better on other releases. Still, it contains reliable songwriting and music and for diehard fans of this group, remains a must listen.

No Guts, No Glory. - 60%

Perplexed_Sjel, November 17th, 2007

'Mercenary' is a full-length that highlighted a period in time when Bolt Thrower fans were seemingly unhappy. The band had parted ways with several artists and Karl Willets didn't seem to know if he wanted to stay or go. Turbulent times have always followed this band, where ever they roamed, where ever they raged war on the death metal scene. I think 'Mercenary' signifies a time when fans had started to get sick of it. Change in terms of musical direction is one thing, but constantly changing the outfit wasn't healthy. It shows through on this particular full-length, unfortunately.

'Mercenary', although not my idea of a mediocre full-length, by any means is just lacking. It came at a bad time, as I said. The following full-length also received mixed reviews as time went on. I think as things have settled down and the band seem to be hitting some form, Bolt Thrower's era between 1998 and 2001 has actually been better received since the arrival of 'Those Once Loyal'. People are seemingly realising that perhaps all this change was for a good reason. This album isn't a monument to Bolt Thrower's power. Although the vast majority of their albums sound reasonably similar in sound, 'Mercenary' doesn't feature as many gut-wrenching riffs and the consuming power behind every instrument appears jaded, perhaps due to the denser production, whereas on later albums things opened up a bit more.

Bolt Thrower needed a wake up call, and perhaps this was it. 'Mercenary' is by no stretch of the imagination one of the poorest death metal full-lengths you will ever hear, but it's not the greatest. 'Mercenary' tends to get overlooked whenever a discussion about Bolt Thrower rages on. It's got a different sound to it, that's why. The production of this full-length appears to be different to any other the band have produced. It took four years to eventually get around to making 'Mercenary', so one has to wonder what occurred during that time. The percussion is another side to 'Mercenary' that lets it down.

Andy Whale was relieved of his duties at a Bolt Thrower member and it's clear to see. Whilst Alex Thomas is an accomplished drummer, he doesn't stand up to the tall task confronting him here with some of the drumming sounding quite static against the controlling riffs, a la songs like 'Behind Enemy Lines'. It would seem the very name of Bolt Thrower was too much for him to comprehend, though he doesn't put in what you would call an abysmal performance, he just doesn't have Bolt Thrower in his heart. Where the percussion used to act as a bomb dropping with every hit, it now takes a step back and the cymbals and snare sound fairly timid, again shown perfectly on 'Behind Enemy Lines', which actually has some decent riffs. It's as if the percussion is a retiring war veteran. It's no longer able to stand the test of time and must give it. The percussion is effected by this thick production.

The lining of the sound of the guitars, whether it be the lead, or the rhythmic, is just too heavy for the percussion. It's one side that become overshadowed by the heavy riffs and this is another new addition to Bolt Thrower's game on 'Mercenary'. The riffs are just as heavy as ever, but they're not as powerful. They sound intimidated and tired. They pack no real punch and the mere fact that two rhythmic guitars are being used already takes Jo Bench out of the equation. The bass is thick, but it's not prominent. It's no longer that creeping barrage behind the rest of the music. It's scared of war, it's not Bolt Thrower.

There is the odd occasion when we get a glimpse at the old powerful style that blended war with rhythm, but it's hidden in-between the mediocrity of some of the songs, which is a shame. Tracks like Mercenary and Behind Enemy Lines sound more upbeat. The production isn't quite as relaxed. It's on edge and that's the style that suits Bolt Thrower. The lyrics seem to point to something I said earlier, which I found quite odd:

"Freelance veteran
Ask no forgiveness
No tears, no regrets
Mission completed"

Bolt Thrower are that freelance veteran and had seemingly completed their mission by '...For Victory'. Some would have thought that this full-length signalled the end of the Bolt Thrower they once knew, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. As time goes by, I'm sure this full-length will grow in stature. It's old sound which is purely driven on by melodic solos will delight many, for sure. The vocals aren't on top form either. Karl Willets took a break from Bolt Thrower and it shows. It's like they're not acting like a team. It's all about individual performance.

lacking - 80%

morbert, June 12th, 2007

Let me start by saying ‘Mercenary’ isn’t a bad album. It just didn’t live up to expectations and the Bolt Thrower quality standard. Of course between 1994 and 1997 there had been a few line-up changes, but in my opinion that’s not really an excuse. Eventually Karl Willets came back and provided the vocals for this album and drummer Alex Thomas does a good job.

Two key elements, intensity and melody, were what Bolt Thrower was all about. Especially those two elements were missed at certain important points on this album. The pace was once again decreased after their more brutal ‘For Victory’ album but this time the album lacked some critical catchiness or melody to compensate. Nor were there songs that can – afterwards - be considered classic in their discography although maybe ‘Zeroed’ and ‘No Guts No Glory’ stand out a bit here.

The result was an album that proved to be Bolt Throwers impression of background-music. The individual songs do come more alive when played at random order with songs from other albums or between songs from other artist for that matter, which proves that the quality of the material wasn’t actually ‘bad’ but as a whole the ‘Mercenary’ concept just didn’t have enough variation to stay interesting the whole length.

Monotony Killed The Mercenary - 66%

orionmetalhead, May 7th, 2007

Bolt Thrower is a band more often cheered than jeered however "Mercenary" doesnt get full cheers from this listener. Although it is an extremely heavy tome, the music refuses to instill much energy or excitement in my metal craving mind. The nine tracks all have their respectable moments but listening to "Mercenary" in full is, for me, slightly tedious work. As much as I want to be lost in the groove, songs such as "Zeroed", "Laid To Rest", and "To The Last..." simply dont pull me in.

First on my list of cheers is the production on Bolt Thrower's sixth album. For the most part, it is fantastic. Occasionally the production doest lack. The rhythm tracks are absolutely beautiful; packed with tone and texture. Jo Bench is a bit too low in the mix and I would have sincerely loved to hear her bass lines more prominently displayed. Baz Thompson and Gavin Ward's tone is fantastic - each so distinct yet in wonderful harmony with each other. Some of the lead work doesn't really shine through the mix though and is a bit hard to hear. What should have been heard easily becomes merely a subtle detail. A prime example would be "Laid To Waste," during the bridge into the first verse.. That lead should scream but simply yells unemotionlessly instead. Similar moments mimic this particular example throughout the album. Karl Willets is in prime form and delivers nicely; his comprehendable growling both recognizable and powerful. The production helps wonderfully also. One jeer, and a major jeer at that, must be given for the drum tone. It is just not powerful at all and sounds somewhat hollow in just about every song. This may be a major reason why the songs just dont grab and choke me.

The musicianship is great for the majority of this album. Both Baz and Gavin deliver rhythmically and Jo follows though as stated previously, somewhat inaudibly. Baz also handles the solos throughout the album which can be described as good solos though mostly unmemorable outside the context of the songs. Once again, I found the drumming unremarkable. Although possibly due to the production, Alex Thomas' playing falls short. It lacks the overall energy and vitality that I demand metal drumming to contain. Although he can't do much to make nine songs with very similar tempos completely seperate entities, (the songs slow in a way they all sounds like one quite large song) the songs definitely could use some increased variance drumming-wise.

Even with somewhat lacking drum production and playing, an album is ultimately only as good as the songs and athough his album has some winners, most are filler. Opener "Zeroed" has some good riffing and "Mercenary", the title track is also quite good. "No Guts, No Glory" is my personal favority witih "Powder Burns" being a close second. Neither however is completely satisfying. "No Guts, No Glory" is quite a builder of a song though the charge never amounts to much. I found myself imagining what I would ideally want to go in the places that were lacking. Maybe this is why I enjoyed these songs so much? I experienced a similar infusion of what I would have played and what was actually there in "Powder Burns."

What the whole exists as, is in fact, a monotonous album with little to offer aside from occasional good riffs and catchy melodies. The album does leave a dent but is my no means a monster album. Bolt Thrower would have done better to quicken the pace in one or two songs and throw some tempo variety into the album. Some half decent tracks help the album along though they do little to save it from the downing characteristics. Mercenaries are known for going into a warzone and unleashing hell however Bolt Thrower's "Mercenary" simply goes in, kills one or two enemies and then half runs, half walks out.

Ahhh, Bolt Thrower. Thou art too good. - 96%

SculptedCold, January 27th, 2006

If Bolt Thrower were composed of five paraplegic midgets, they'd still be able to kick our asses. If they were forced to perform live with no instruments, they'd still ram our heads right through the nearest wall while slapping desks, twanging rubber bands and growling along to Bench's improvised ass-blaster basslines.

Bolt Thrower exist to kick our asses, and as we head 'into the killing zone' with Mercenary, they succeed admirably. Although all of Bolt Thrower's albums (and indeed songs) after Realm of Chaos share a very homogenous style, something about Mercenary just sounds like the artillery of Bolt Thrower greased, loaded, aimed, and firing on all fucking cylinders. The production is second-to-none; gone are the thin Scott Burns-like buzzing guitars wafting all over Warmaster and IVth Crusade. Gone is the super-slick, punishingly heavy and almost characterless sound on For Victory. Mercenary grooves along between those two with a warm, bottom heavy furnace of guitar roarings; bubbling, clear bass; punchy, concise drum hits; and the storm of Willets' growls nestling into the guitars: not overthrowing them. It is a sound that is both clear and heavy, yet just raw enough to feel like it's got some real balls to it.

Sound is nothing without the music, but Bolt Thrower cannot disappoint on this album. If it wasn't for Realm of Chaos, this would easily be Bolt Thrower's best collection of songs in terms of sheer riffage and malevolence, and is certainly the best example of their pure death metal style now. A fine variation of tempos are catered-for, with slow numbers like Return From Chaos and Mercenary being lumbering but not redundant or pedestrian; the former instead conjuring some of the best Bolt Thrower opening chug since World Eater, the latter offering sinister mood-setting melody as it works its way into that grandiose, piston-driven engine kind of a song we know Bolt Thrower have perfected. On this album seemingly not a band to relax on the trodden path, they speed things-up with some of Bolt Thrower's best loved scorchers; Powder Burns and No Guts, No Glory blaze with aggressive, fast, yet chunky riffs and excitable soloing; their quality attested-to by their being live staples, and forced to stay there by fan requests!

Although by this time Karl Willets' growl had lost a little of its edge, it detracts nothing from the quality of the album, and he was in fact on good form this close to his first departure from the band; there's a gruffness there that is probably just fatigue but, suitably, is quite fitted to Mercenary's atmosphere. Also working in its favour were the talents of Alex Thomas on this, his only recording with the band. His style progresses the straightforward, grinding but otherwise restrained efforts of Andy Whale, but scales it back even further; restricting the pummelling double bass to less frequent song sections (and thereby increasing a song's potential impact) and adopting in the interim a delicately measured and minimalist approach that just teases with the idea of real groove. It is Bolt Thrower's most solid album in the drum department (although not their most unique; Andy Whale's insanity on Realm of Chaos forever claiming that accolade.)

All told, Mercenary has very few frills. However, Bolt Thrower demand attention nonetheless because there are simply no other Bolt Throwers; no-one else since Obituary has ever sounded so heavy and relentless with so measured and unhurried a death metal sound. Temperance, thy name is Mercenary!