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March 2023

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The Very End: Mercy & Misery

Modern Heavy Metal

4.0/5.0

SPV/Steamhammer
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by Craig Hartranft,  01.10.2011

If Germany's The Very End wants to intentionally mystify with their version of contemporary metal, then they do so on their latest and second release Mercy & Misery. The opening intro smacks of and predicts Teutonic power metal. But then Ball and Chain erupts with what? Here's melodic, thrash, hardcore and, possibly at a stretch, prog metal. What's going on here?

Then a listen to the magnificent Rat Nation and the catchy groove of Dead is the New Alive has you wondering. Whatever is going on here is damn good. Surely, there's some derivative nods to modern metal trends: psuedo-to-real death vocals and harsh hardcore additions throughout. Yet, with that same groove, near rock n roll feel, coupled with blaze of thrash and the accessibility of a melodic hook, a song like Letters to the Living defies modern metal expectations. Sometimes I hear brew of Zeppelin, Priest, Metallica, and Atreyu.

Certainly, I'm thinking, you can't pin The Very End's sound down. Pigeonholing them into an exclusive genre would be highly dismissive. Conversely, I think both the old school and the new school will be unsatisfied here. Either one will probably say the synthesis neuters their respective traditions. Maybe so, and certainly songs like A Hole in the Sun and Vultures give cause to agree. Some might call these simple modern melodic metalcore. But most melodic metalcore would kill for this talent and these songs. But how do you account for the cover of Zep's Immigrant Song or the following Three Zero Nine? The former gets a modern resuscitation, the latter just rocks in that heavier modern hard rock way.

Before you give critical examination to The Very End's Mercy & Misery, I suggest you sit back, bang your head, pump your fist, and simply enjoy this offering of unpredictable modern heavy metal. For someone who easily dismisses modern metal, The Very End's Mercy & Misery gave cause for future hope. Recommended.

Before you give critical examination to The Very End's Mercy & Misery, I suggest you sit back, bang your head, pump your fist, and simply enjoy this offering of unpredictable modern heavy metal.

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Arriving from Finland, the origins of Transworld Identity come from Mila Bosa, a singer in a cover band. But it wasn't enough. She aspired to write and perform original songs, forming Transworld Identity ... [ Read More ]