OH NOES! MERCENARY LOSE 50% OF THEIR LINE-UP

A reader known only as “Mike” tipped us off that one of our most favoritest bands, Denmark’s Mercenary, has parted ways with three of its six members: vocalist Mikkel Sandager, drummer Mike Park Nielsen, and keyboardist Morten Sandager.

Rhythm guitarist Jakob Mølbjerg explains in a statement:

“Last week, Mike told us that he wanted to leave the band permanently. The rest of us did some serious thinking and soul-searching, sat down and had ‘the big talk’ and came to the agreement that the only way to continue the band was to part ways with Mikkel and Morten as well. During the last year we have been working on a new album and it has become clear that we no longer share the same vision and enthusiasm about the direction and the future of the band. Martin, Rene, Mike and I wanted to play faster, heavier and more modern (yet old school) material, but for the band as a whole this evidently didn’t work out.”

Now, I gotta be honest: I don’t know that much about the inner-dynamics of the band, and for all I know, the loss won’t have any effect on Mercenary’s songwriting (beyond the apparent move towards “faster and more modern (yet old school) material,” which is about as generic, unhelpful description of music as I can imagine). And none of these particular musicians were founding members of the band…

…but they’ve all played on the band’s best albums – namely 2004’s 11 Dreams, 2006’s The Hours that Remain, and, hell, I’m feeling generous, so let’s say last year’s  Architect of Lies, too. Mikkel Sandager’s awesome vocals are absolutely integral to the emotionality of those recordings, and I’m a huge fan of Morten Sandager’s synths, too. So, yeah. Bummer.

I guess we’ll find out next year if the new Mercenary is still worth caring about. In the meantime, I’m gonna go listen to The Hours that Remain and cry.

-AR