Everblack

Everblack is Mercenary's second album, an ambitious work fusing death metal's aggression with the melody of clean vocals. With the arrival of vocalist Mikkel Sandager and his keyboardist brother Morten, the band underwent a major transformation. The twin-vocal style, in which Kral's death growls and Sandager's clean vocals intertwine, was established here. The style, balancing heaviness with melody, also shows the influence of Nevermore. It is a rewarding record where rawness and catchiness coexist. Heavy yet melodic songs like "Everblack," "Seize the Night" and "Bulletblues" line up. Production was handled by Jacob Hansen, with whom they would work for a long time afterward. The cover art was created by Travis Smith, known for Opeth and Katatonia. An important work on which they leapt from a mere death/thrash band into something of their own. Previously a solid death/thrash band, here they acquired a one-of-a-kind identity. Building on death metal's aggression while boldly taking in melody and drama, it laid the foundation for the Mercenary to come.