The Mercury Arc – Paint The Sun Black
Germany has given us many great things: Ludwig Von Beethoven, Albert Einstein, and the most famous condiment, Ketchup. However, you might want to add a very little known band to the list called The Mercury Arc. These Germans have just released their new album titled Paint The Sun Black and are planning to take the world by storm. And let me tell you – a storm is a’comin.
Paint The Sun Black starts out like a shotgun blast to the skull. “Collision Course” opens the album with such ferocity that it will be hard to match. Beautiful keys set the tone with marching band style drum work, then all hell breaks loose. The Mercury Arc hit you will absolutely nasty vocals and massive guitar brutality. TMA come off as an insane combination of Demon Hunter, old Bury Your Dead, and Raunchy. Dennis Diehl’s heavy vocal is almost identical to Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter; where his singing voice is a mix of Clark (Demon Hunter) and Brandon Saller (Atreyu). So obviously this dude has some serious pipe-age! The song is fast paced, brutal, but yet melodic when it needs to be. A totally amazing track!
The first video and single off the album is for “Evil Echo.” I have to say this song really took me by surprise because it’s almost danceable at times, but is still absolutely brutal. From the opening turntables, TMA will grab you with just how catchy, yet different they are. The guitars are crunchy, thick and extremely groovy. Diehl is spot-on vocally, with a great mix of both heavy and melodic vocals. At the end of the track, they bring in German rapper IEON to add even more flavor. With IEON’s addition, TMA bring a new style and sound similar to a brutal Rage Against The Machine or Reveille. This track is SICK!
With tracks like “Kings Of Kingdom Gone” and “The Illusion Of Balance,” TMA seriously take advantage of your senses. “Kings Of Kingdom Gone” just brutalizes you with amazing dance-like rhythms that are perfectly mixed with heavy grooves and technical balance. Honestly, I’ve never heard anything like it in all my years, that’s for sure. “The Illusion Of Balance” is fast, frantic and heavy as hell! Right out of the gate, you are hit with a metalcore beat that pounds you in the face – just in time to be smooched with immensely melodic vocals.
Another cool thing about TMA is that these dudes aren’t slouches, either. They bring some serious technical aspects to their music. They offer a great mixture of bounce, heavy, melodic and even technical, at times.
“Purest Grey” is a song that I could see TMA trying to push as a radio song. It is filled with turntables, keys, and big choruses. It seems the band take a completely different direction with this song, especially for an album that is this brutal. It’s pretty cool, but it does seem to be a small hiccup for a cd that rolls along at such a fast pace.
Once again, your ears are graced with beautiful keys and killer turntable work in “Silence Is A Blessing.” Don’t let the beginning fool you though – this song is completely hellacious. TMA bring nothing but pure anger and aggression with their brutal musical backdrop and mean ass vocals. The song does have a good mixture of melody as well. But don’t be mistaken – this song is like a fluffer on a porn film…just nasty!
The Mercury Arc are an anomaly of a band. They are the kind of band that I love to run across, and truly enjoy listening to. They are able to create a landscape of destruction, while fields of beauty lay just on the other side. TMA really show that musical creativity is still alive and well in a time when the industry seems stale and stagnant. Like the famous German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once said, “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.” Let me tell you, this album is pure genius!
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15 Comments
December 4th, 2009 at 9:34 am
These guys absolutely rip. I love Evil Echo. I'm DEFINITELY buying this album.
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May 10th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Lee or Daryn, do you guys know how I could possibly get my hands on this gem? I have tried all my connections and I cant find anybody that can get it for me. It doesnt show up in their computer systems. I found it on amazon but it was in German so I couldnt read anything. There was another spot on amazon that was mp3 format. I dont want to download it. I want to get an actual copy with the disc and case with artwork. Any chance you could point me in the right direction and help me out?! I would really appreciate it. I have been wanting this cd BAD!! These guys are incredible. Thanks fellas!!
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May 10th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Hey Jakester whats up,
I talk to Thomas (turntables) quite a bit and I have an email into him now to help you out. As soon as I find something out, I promise I will let you know
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May 10th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Lee you da man!! Whatever you can find out would be sweet! I hope to hear from you soon. Again thanks and you guys never seize to amaze me here!! THE BEST SITE EVER!!!!!!!
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May 19th, 2010 at 7:11 am
Hey Jakester, just wanted to let you know that I talked to Thomas and the band are sending me a few cds. So as soon as I get them, I will email you and get all your info!
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May 19th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Wow Lee! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I cant believe how much you go above and beyond. I dont know what to say man…….THANK YOU!!!!!!
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August 4th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
I totally agree with the 5/5…I never saw this cd coming, so when I first heard it back in December '09, I was totally in a state of shock that this band was SO GOOD, and I had never heard of them before (I spend countless hours searching for new bands). One of the best of 2009 in my books for sure!! Stand out tracks for me are "Paint The Sun Black", and "Arm The Hopeless" but honestly, every song could be the best track on a lot of other albums released this year, that's how good this is!
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October 23rd, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Still love this album. Definitely one of the better finds from 2009 and 2010!
[Reply to this comment]
Lee Tran replied:
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Most definitely
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July 4th, 2011 at 3:40 am
I’m suprised you guys reviewed this album! Can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner. I love these guys! Awesome review Lee and I must admit that sometimes you do like a good band or two. Haha
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Nicholas Misiak replied:
July 4th, 2011 at 3:40 am
Oh and I’m not talking about you Lee Tran…. lol
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Lee replied:
July 4th, 2011 at 8:51 am
Yea man, I love these guys. I talk to Thomas (turntables) quite a bit. I can’t wait to hear their new stuff. Shhhh….son………I like a lot of great bands!
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Nicholas Misiak replied:
July 17th, 2011 at 3:43 am
Dude I hope you’re serious about them coming out with new material. I fucking love this album and I honestly don’t know how they can top it. If you talk to Thomas, tell him I said he is a beast and gives the band a unique flavor…..then tell him to send me an advance copy of the new album when it comes out… Hehe jk I will hunt it down and find it like I did with “Paint the Sun Black”.
And do these guys not sound like a bad ass mix of Uriah, Burn In Silence, and Ekotren?!
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July 20th, 2011 at 4:41 am
We need more comments in this thread! People need to hear this band now!! Omg I LOVE these fuckers!!!! *dies*
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January 25th, 2012 at 4:50 am
I really hope these guys release a new album this year because I don’t think I can take the wait anymore. Lee keep me posted!
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