KINGS OF MERCIA

When it comes to hard rock pedigree, KINGS OF MERCIA are a four-man embarrassment of riches. When Jim Matheos (FATES WARNING) and Steve Overland (FM) first joined forced on 2022's self-titled debut, ably supported by bassist Joey Vera (FATES WARNING) and drummer Simon Phillips (ex-ASIA/ex-TOTO),  they immediately hit a near-perfect level of melodic power, with songs that split the difference between Matheos's refined metal artistry and Overland's still astonishing voice. Two years on, "Battle Scars" aims to deliver more of the same, while further establishing this band as a weighty and, conceivably, long-term proposition. Not surprisingly, they nail it.

Nothing much has changed since "Kings Of Mercia". "Battle Scars" comprises ten eminently classy melodic metal anthems, with Overland the emotional glue that sticks it all together, and Matheos's immaculate guitar work running the gamut between out-and-out rockers and more thoughtful, nuanced fare. Slightly darker than its predecessor, it gets the balance between euphoric uplift and brooding disquiet exactly right. The opening "Guns and Ammunition" is a full-bore rocker, but all that guitar-driven grit is offset by a soulful melody from Overland. Therein lies the KINGS OF MERCIA formula: keep it simple but maximize the emotional rush that those bittersweet melodies bring. "Battle Scars" gleams, a black diamond, surrounded by glimmers of light.

At its best, KINGS OF MERCIA's second album is flawless. "Between Two Worlds" is an absolutely stellar piece of songwriting that draws the best from each of its four protagonists. Vera and Phillips are solid and classy, an object lesson in rhythm section precision and groove. Matheos switches seamlessly from bluesy, staccato riffing to the chorus's tender, AOR flow. In a parallel dimension, it could be a colossal global hit. Likewise, "Battle Scars" is gorgeously dark and melodically insidious. A tale of a solider returning from war and realizing that he has left an essential part of himself on the battlefield, it aches with a profound sense of loss, and Overland's vocal is extraordinary. Elsewhere, "Aftermath" is a tumultuous plea for sanity as the doomsday clock ticks towards humanity's end; "Don't Ask" is a tense, hard-edged love song, powered by Matheos's color-rich guitar work and brimming with virtuoso flash; and the closing "Angels & Demons" is a dynamic and genuinely moving show-stopper, wherein Overland's voice slowly emerges through a hazy filter, building to a crescendo and then zooming off aboard a sturdy chassis of classic metal riffing and sublime vocal hooks.

When musicians of this caliber get together, the results can often be less impressive and more self-indulgent than they should be. But KINGS OF MERCIA play to the (immense) strengths of their individual members, while focusing intently on the art of bold, accessible songcraft. Hard to argue with, really.