MERCYLESS, Mundo Enfermo (2012, KTC Domestic Productions)

The skull:
Seriously, how many album covers are just skulls photoshopped into brown, crumbling, plaster walls? Half of them? More? Mercyless clearly recognize that they’re working with a threadbare motif, which is why they added the clown wig. At least, that’s how I’m choosing to interpret the weird corona around the skull. Mundo Enfermo translates to Sick World, and as Patch Adams taught us, laughter (plus clown paraphernalia) is the best medicine.

The music:
Mercyless are basically the Spanish equivalent of Hatebreed, which is to say, they’re a hardcore band that also likes Slayer, but only kinda. They like the fast parts with the double bass and the riffs that are mainly just 16th notes on the open low string, but the tricky riffs or anything played on the skinny strings, they don’t care for. Lyrically, Mercyless are riled up like a political grindcore band, at least as far as I can tell with my limited Spanish, but they have a video that’s basically all footage of riots and burning police cars, and that’s alright. This is not something I ever need to hear again, but if you love Biohazard, hate the ECB, and speak Spanish, then this might be your jam.
— Friar Johnsen