Mercenary (band)
| Mercenary | |
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The band Mercenary performing at a concert
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Aalborg, Denmark |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | Amaranthe, Hatesphere, Panzerchrist, Pretty Maids |
| Members | Jakob Mølbjerg Martin Buus René Pedersen Peter Mathiesen |
| Past members |
Hans Jørgen Andersen |
Hans Jørgen Andersen
Henrik "Kral" Andersen
Nikolaj Brinkman
Andreas W. Hansen
Jakob Johnsen
Mike Park
Signar Petersen
Mikkel Sandager
Morten Sandager
Morten Løwe
Mercenary is a melodic death metal band from Denmark, that was formed in 1991. Although they are usually labelled as a power metal band, they used aspects of thrash metal in their earlier work.
Mercenary formed in Aalborg, Denmark in 1991 as the brainchild of Henrik "Kral" Andersen. The band name was taken from a lyric in the Slayer song, "Ghosts of War". After the release of two demos, Domicile (1993) and Gummizild (1994), they were able to sign with 'Black Day Records, and released a four-song EP, Supremacy (1996). In 1997, they were signed to the Danish label Serious Entertainment, and in 1998 they released their full-length debut, First Breath.
In 2002, the band decided to expand their sound with the addition of pianist Morten Sandager, who greatly contributed with his keyboard as well as his brother Mikkel, who helped expand their songs with vocals into their songs. This new line-up added new dimensions to their sound, blending more melody into their more aggressive heaviness.
That year, Mercenary played at the ProgPower music festival in the United States and released their second album Everblack. It was after this that the band fired drummer Rasmus Jacobsen, thinking he invested too little time into Mercenary and too much into other projects. During this time, guitarist Signar Petersen also left the band, due to personal reasons. Two old friends of Kral's (drummer Mike Park Nielson, whom he had met in 1993 at a concert in Copenhagen, and Martin Buus Pedersen, whom Kral knew since he was seventeen years old and working in a music store, when Martin was testing a guitar) would soon fill in the two spots, and with this new lineup, Mercenary were signed to Century Media Records.
In 2004, Mercenary released their third full-length album, 11 Dreams. This proved to be their most commercially successful album, earning much international attention from fans and critics alike. That year, Mercenary toured as a supporting act for Evergrey, and then later with Brainstorm who were on their first headlining tour in Europe. They also played on the 16th Wacken Open Air in 2005, and supported Nevermore on a European tour later that year.
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