Is this really the end? Our story told, forever to be forgotten in the ashes of time? When we will perish, will anyone remember life stories, personal ventures gone into the vastness of space? No doubt that the question of mankind's future existence is something that most people tend to ignore, busy with their daily troubles, probably only have nightmares about it or watching disasters in movies. On the other hand, that same question has a magnitude that will eventually consume the wanderers, possibly to cause paranoia, but it will still remain a personal truth. Within the vast corridors of Metal music, mankind's quandary of survival has been quite a topic, always diverting patterns of thoughts regarding the matter whether with vile disgust or slightly more optimistic point of view. The Danish MERCENARY reached out for what would be considered as the darkened days, where mankind will be consumed by disease, hate and perdition. "Through Our Darkest Days", via NoiseArt Records, carries on the bands continual modern melodic Death Metal deliveries, a hybrid with what could be perceived as contemporary Power Metal. Within the banned outskirts, a possible future is here, alive, telling its tale.

Amidst the obscurest demesnes of "Through Our Darkest Days", MERCENARY seemed to have preserved their musical principles since their earlier days. This new number shares the band's greatest qualities once again on display. The impeccably crafted melodic Death Metal with updated driven Power Metal, a bit closer to the its modern Swedish counterpart al'a SOILWORK, Jakob Mølbjerg and Martin Buus provided assorted types of riffing whether shooting off harmonies in the vein of IRON MAIDEN, showcasing melancholic melodies or barraging partial staccato rhythms and several other palm muted chugs, a breed of a creative view, Buus delivering frantic soloing showing off his expertise with a few Bluesy like surprises on the side, Peter Mathiesen clearly a worthy addition to this band since his first days in 2009 with being a diverse drummer and of course at the bass and vocals, René Pedersen. I believed that I said it before, after reviewing the band's previous "Metamorphosis", but it has to be said again, ever since the departure of Mikkel Sandager, Pedersen took the reins as both clean and growl vocals. In that moment, I became even a bigger fan of the band as Pedersen drama fused clean vocals along with low to mid end growls of high quality swept me off my feet, always channeling spectacular harmonies that sound so rich and endless.

Generally, "Through Our Darkest Days", in comparison to the previous contender, "Metamorphosis", felt somewhat defiant, aggressive, heavier, but also catchier that before much like the band's earlier discography. Furthermore, the album's amazing flow, and atmospheric acuities, created a sort of an understanding of the dimmed message the band is trying to create in front of you, mostly thanks to the profound grasp of the keyboards meeting perfectly with the band's melodic fortitudes. "A New Dawn", "Through Our Darkest Days" and "Holding On To Serenity", assumingly the album's prime highlights, were able to slightly shade the impact of early songs as "Firesoul" and "Shades Of Grey". "Dreamstate Machine" and "A Moment of Clarity" delivered a chunk of fistful of heaviness, in your face Metal with distinctive sense of anger but also a look for beyond, out of the box inside looking out, harmonic vocals so emotive along with well written guitar riffs, cracking with rhythmic simplicity in times, but still shrewd as always. In last few words, it will never be the same, but MERCENARY, since emerging as a foursome crew, has been assimilating the meaning of true greatness, their attention to details is exemplary with great ideas to keep up the foundation going.