The Mezmerist - The Innocent, The Forsaken, The Guilty

Shadow Kingdom Records, Release: September 3 2013. This is a reissue of two EP's. One from 1983 featuring Tommy Mezmercardo - Vocals / Guitars, Roger Abercrombie - Bass, Bill Ward - Drums. The second from 1985 featuring Tommy Mezmercardo - Vocals / Guitars, Steve Conrad - Bass, JR - Drums.

First will explore the songs from the 1983 EP. The opening song The Forsaken is unique in its delivery, while it is an intro of sorts in does paint a picture of disaster and conjuration, to be honest I was not sure what to expect and found myself captivated in its tentacles. "Dead Ones Cry No More",  high style vocalization like Mercyful Fate or very early Judas Priest is predominant. The production is extremely good considering this was captured in an era of analog recordings. "Arabian Nights", feeling all the nostalgia with every note, any metal psychedelia roots were surely planted by this band. This track transcends through time and you can still feel all its energy even listening to it now. "Victim Of Environmental Change", sure is an interesting title and goes to show the more things change the more they stay the same, catchy riffs and engaging bass fills stick in your mind. I really enjoy how well the rhythm section meld together with fluid chemistry. The guitar player has a long and engaging solo. Not complex, just fun and jamming, I miss those kinds of elements, unlike today's guitar players that seem to go for super technical and complex arrangements, don't get me wrong, I enjoy that too, but its good to hear something that just rocks the fuck out with more improvisation- its good to hear that style for a change.

Onto the 1985 EP, starting with, "Kingdom of the Dead", if Black Sabbath, Candlemass and Led Zeppelin had a child this track would be it. Even early Iron Maiden like "Killers" album should be noted. "The Jam Song", just like the title implies is exactly what you'll hear. Progressive from riff to riff. Never a dull moment in this song that goes for about eight minutes forty five secs. The final installment is "No Family, No Friends", very catchy riffs, they remind me of one of the first Flotsam and Jetsam releases- No Place For Disgrace era. In conclusion, this is a great piece of nostalgia and should be explored by metal fans of both new and old generation. 
~Artemortifica

shadowkingdomrecords.bandcamp.com 




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