If You Love Me, You'd Take Me To the City

Album review

Upon listening to the first track of the debut album from Mercury Switch, most people would peg the album as just another bunch of death metal songs. Growling from the start, it would seem to be the case, but after that first track, everything seems to change for the band. While they certainly stick to the heavier side of things, they also show an affinity for Stryper and Smashing Pumpkins. In fact, while the rest of the album -- up until the sixth track -- is a mix of metal-core, death metal, and some hair metal (which actually works, by the way), the sixth song is a cover of the Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight" (with backing death metal vocals, mind you) and the band pulls it off perfectly. After that, it's a continual montage of hard music, electronic experimentation, and sound clips. While the artwork for the album seems somewhat cheesy, it's one of the few dim spots on an otherwise stellar debut album. Hard music acts take note: this is how it's done right. Brutality with creativity, and a healthy sense of humor, makes for an inspiring listen every time.

© Kurt Morris /TiVo