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Album Reviews : Ice on Mercury – Blind Leading the Lifeless EP

By on December 12, 2016

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This (r)Adelaide band is not attempting to re-invent any wheels or experiment with the artform that is rock ‘n’ roll whatsoever, that is not the point. These boys just want to turn their guitars up to 10, slam the groove down with a sledgehammer, throw in a melody or two here and there and rock the fuck out.

And to that end they succeed admirably. Blind Leading the Lifeless is a six track EP that walks that fine line between heavy rock and heavy metal very skilfully, and thus should appeal to rock lovers and metalheads alike. There are plenty of big, anthemic choruses for rock fans to thrust their fists to the sky to, whilst the guitars are plenty heavy enough and there’s more than enough in the way of enormous double-kick driven grooves for those of a heavier disposition to bang their heads to. Check out Little People for proof of the latter and General Justification of the former.

Ice on Mercury aren’t just a one dimensional, balls to the wall heavy rock band though, they are skillful enough and have enough songwriting nous to inject some very welcome dynamics into the sound too. There are some softer moments and some good variations in groove and tempo from one song to the next, and this keeps interest levels up.

I’d imagine this band would kick all manner of arse in a live setting too. The EP shows immense promise, and anyone into just about any type of heavy music will find something to dig on here.

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.