With Mercyless' eighth studio album approaching, I asked Max Otero (vocals/guitar) to share some details about it and their plans for the near future. So read our conversation below and support the unholy bearers of French death metal!!!
Hails Max! Mercyless' upcoming album is titled "Those Who Reign Below" and will be released on October 25, 2024. What should death metal fans know about the new material? Are you following the musical path of "The Mother of All Plagues" album, or can we expect some changes?
- On this new album we tried to push the limits of old school death metal even further. This album is a continuation of the previous one, but with a dose of violence, hatred, even more powerful. The blasphemous side is always there to remind us of our aspirations and our vision of this atrocious world.
What themes will you explore lyrically in "Those Who Reign Below"? What inspired you to write the lyrics this time?
- This album is a tribute to the underground and to those who have always fought to keep it alive. The lyrics deal with the human being through his darkest image, and I often compare him to the devil in his biblical representation. They created an image that represents the enemy of religion and beliefs, but in fact through the centuries we realize that the devil is often identical to our image and our most abominable sides... pride, hypocrisy, lies, manipulation, etc. Our superficial and self-absorbed society reminds us every day that the devil rules this world.
Néstor Ávalos created the graphics for the new album, as well as for the previous one. The result is quite evil and satanic. Which lyrics directly relate to it? How would you describe the visual meaning of the artwork?
- Néstor's work and ideas correspond in every way to what we had in mind for this cover. It shows a monster with the appearance of a devil who leads the masses by threatening them with his diabolical sentinels. That's also it, "Those Who Reign Below", powerful people with bad intentions who manipulate the common mortals. The first song's title "Extreme Unction" represents this cover well... a sacrament in which a priest anoints and prays for the recovery and salvation of a critically ill or injured person.
For the release of the new album, you signed a contract with Osmose Productions, who wasted no time and have already re-released your first album, "Abject Offerings". So what do you think of this reissue, which version do you personally like better, the vinyl or the CD version?
- Osmose is the only label that directly took the orders to make the reissue of "Abject Offerings" without asking questions. They did a great job keeping the spirit of the time... We had wanted this album to be released with a real worldwide distribution for a long time. Today I am still a fan and attached to the first version of 1992, because it was our first album and it represents a lot for us.
How did you get involved with Osmose anyway? Have you signed a long-term partnership?
- Very simply, after the re-release of "Abject Offerings" they offered us a contract for the new album and of course, we validated it straight away... for the rest we will see what the future will tell us.
Are you planning some extensive touring in support of "Those Who Reign Below"? If so, please let us know your plans. Speaking of live shows, what are your memories of the Left To Die concert and your appearance at the Back To The Symbolic festival?
- Obviously we will continue to play as much as possible to promote this album with festivals, concerts and tours... We are in the process of setting up a lot of concerts for the end of the year 2024 and 2025... as well as we are working with our promoter on a tour in 2025. Otherwise the concert with Left To Die was huge, sold out and old school... We had a great time with 2 legends of the history of Death... Today I can allow myself to say that I have played with all the members of Death since the beginning. Same for the Symbolic fest, great festival in a great exceptional setting, with a great organization. We had a great time with a very wild audience!
You have been spreading your type of unholy death metal since 1987, even if there was a 10-year gap, how do you look back on the past and all your successes? Would you change anything?
- Honestly I wouldn't change anything at all, because whatever our past we have learned a lot from our mistakes and the bad choices we have made. It's a long career with ups and downs, but despite the years we are still here motivated and more determined than ever! The main thing for us is always to have enjoyed playing this music that we are still passionate about.
You are from Mulhouse. How is the current metal scene in the Grand Est region? How do you see the attitude of fans changing recently compared to the 90s?
- The death metal scene in our region had disappeared for a long time, but for a few years a new generation of groups has appeared and who are the new representatives of the style, not necessarily old school, but with a good spirit. Groups like Sacrifizer, Dawohl, Post-Mortem, Dionysiaque... represent the scene currently. It is true that we realize that the new generation is less attracted by the death metal style, brutal death, etc. We realize it more and more, but there is still hope, because the fashions and inspirations of people change regularly over the years.
Do you keep in touch with former members? Who do you meet most often?
- I am still in contact with Stéphane Viard, the original guitarist, because we have been friends since school... but not at all with the others, whom I no longer see at all. Life...
I see you use B.C. Rich guitars. Which is your favorite model and why? How many guitars do you have in total? What brand of strings are you using lately? What tune are they in?
- I have been using B.C. Rich since the beginning of Mercyless... My first was a black Mockingbird (Japanese) in 1987... and so on until today... Ironbird, Warlock, Warbeast... These guitars have always pleased me for their very aggressive shapes and their sound... They are always equipped with EMG pickups and Floyd Rose... I also have Jackson RR, but I prefer my B.C. Rich... We use Savarez strings, because they are our sponsor and we are tuned in C.
Thank you very much for your time. Please end the interview properly by sending your greetings to all die-hard Mercyless fans in Ukraine.
- Thank you for your support and interest in Mercyless. Thank you to all those who support us for all these years and who support the real death metal scene... Our new album "Those Who Reign Below" is a concentrate of hatred and blasphemous violence, you will not be disappointed. And finally, all our thoughts to the Ukrainian people who suffer; we are with you.
