Album Review: Ice On Mercury - 'Ice On Mercury'

It’s not every day that a local band attempts to conquer hard rock and succeeds. That’s not to say that Ice On Mercury’s self-titled EP is revolutionary, but they have tackled the genre with flair. Their latest EP creates an enjoyable, edgy experience that doesn’t let you drool for a second.

The EP opens with the gargantuan ‘Revolver’ which is packed with jumpy riffs and a hardcore rapidity. Though nit-picking makes the comment that its vocals could have been louder in production admissible, the song is, overall, killer. ‘Diary Of Anne Frank’ is a track of depth – it’s a marriage of classic rock and metal, with soaring vocals and a haunting overlap of lyrics towards its end: ‘why won’t you stay/they killed all my friends’.

‘Clown Insane’ additionally takes advantage of the certain charm that dark lyrics possess. Each song exploits the ability of Ice On Mercury’s vocalist to stretch his voice almost to the extreme of wearing it out. Listen out for the point in this track when the instrumentals make way for a mental circle pit to go down (and keep an eye out at your next show).

It’s not all about headbanging, though. ‘Notice To World’ shifts the EP into a political realm, proving that Ice On Mercury, amid their jamming, actually have something to say: ‘it’s not about all the money you make in this world.’

Closer ‘To Live Another Day’ changes up its tempos and subsequently shifts the EP from political to sentimental with the lyrics, ‘don’t look into the light/you’re not losing the fight’. Though slightly cheesy, the song is empowering, jarring and intense, deriving its sonic influence from huge hard rock.

Undeniably, the appropriateness of ending the EP with the line ‘it’s over’ imbues it with a swagger that can’t go unmentioned.

In the grand scheme of things, Ice On Mercury are dedicated, which means that they’ll continue to reel in fans as time goes on. This self-titled EP just arms the band with a set of songs that proves that they deserve them.

1. Revolver

2. Diary Of Anne Frank

3. Clown Insane

4. Notice To World

5. To Live Another Day