Review Summary: Hey, nothing you can say, nothing's gonna change what you've done to me
There’s something to be said about how WWE helped to shape mainstream music in the 2000s and even nowadays. You can still hear the famous “do-do-do-do”’s from John Cena’s “The Time Is Now” in memes to this day, many now associate Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” with the one and only CM Punk, and when you hear that glass shatter, you
know it’s Stone Cold Steve Austin. Hell, to most wrestling fans, Alter Bridge is considered “that band that did that song for Edge” in regards to “Metalingus”. But what about the artists that don’t get as much fame and fortune as a result of being featured as a wrestler’s theme song?
Enter: Mercy Drive.
See, Mercy Drive was most known in the mid-2000s for accompanying a young Randy Orton with probably one of the most iconic entrance themes of the Ruthless Aggression era, “Burn In My Light”. Now, he walks to the ring with a completely different song, one that’s arguably inferior, in Rev Theory’s “Voices”; why, you may ask? Randy Orton apparently
hated “Burn In My Light” so much that he wanted it changed. It’s possible that despite that, Mercy Drive could have succeeded in finding success or even so much as a label to promote the rest of their music on the strength of Orton’s early theme, so it’s not fair to suggest that he’s the reason why these guys never truly ascended to stardom. After all, apart from being a good theme, “Burn In My Light” is simply a damn good song; driving riffs, a catchy chorus, it felt tailor-made to be played alongside the Nickelbacks and Shinedowns of the day.
The first thing of note is that, for an unsigned band in 2005, the production quality is crystal clear, and despite its likely budgetary limitations, they knew how to make the music sound good. It’s a Rick Beato production, after all. The drums sound punchy, guitars sound in line with what most bands of their style were dialing in at the time, bass is audible (a welcome development, as a lot of bands loved to neglect their bass players around this time), and the vocals give off a very Crossfade-esque feel to them. It’s a bit more raw than what the likes of Chevelle were putting out, but it makes for a more intriguing listen; it’s more natural and probably more honest. Their singer, Jimmy McGlothlin, does well on songs like “Pressed” and “Memory”, with the latter of which feeling like early Finch if they were more radio-accessible.
It’s possible that had they gotten more opportunities, that Mercy Drive could have easily found their place in the same ranks as other radio rock bands, because one thing they do know how to do here is write a good hook. Opener “Away” is a good example, as they put all their cards in the catchiness basket to make that song feel accessible for people into no-nonsense alt-metal in the vein of Breaking Benjamin. Nothing here
quite touches “Burn In My Light”, but that’s likely the association with Orton elevating it. The melodic feel on tracks like “See You Crawl” and “Promise” sound like they wouldn’t have felt out of place on the same stations as the likes of “It’s Been Awhile”, but they feel like they mean every word. “Pressed” has a melodic solo midway through that accents the emotions on display and is quite well-done.
Unfortunately, despite not feeling out of place, it doesn’t really do a whole lot to stand out amongst them, and so it’s likely that’s why Mercy Drive never quite took off. “Mindset” carries a very familiar vibe, akin to the eponymous debut from Three Days Grace. Most of this album suffers from a similar kind of sameness that was already on the radio, so record executives may have felt they already had something like this. Despite that, there’s plenty of good hooks to latch onto;
Mercy Drive’s closest counterpart in terms of lesser-known radio-friendly rock is probably something like
In Due Time from Submersed that came out a year prior. It’s just not the easiest time trying to distinguish most of these songs as remarkably, well, different, from the pack of bands that sound exactly like this. You could’ve told me that Staind cut a song like “Over” off their
Dysfunction sessions and I would’ve likely believed you.
Despite the flaws, there’s something here if you’re nostalgic for 2005 and just want to feel like you’re a kid again. Jimmy McGlothlin’s vocal delivery is sort of a cross between Nate Barcalow and Adam Gontier. Him and second guitarist Jake Beard are good at their jobs and probably could have done something a bit more inventive if given more opportunities. The rhythm section of Stan Martell on bass and Corey Lane on drums holds everything together rather well. Rick Beato’s production accentuates the bass playing to a level where it doesn’t overpower, but it is clearly present. The drums sound clear and dynamic, and again, the vocals have a nice emotional quality to them. It’s a shame these guys never blew up, because with the potential shown here and on “Burn In My Light”, they honestly, really could’ve been something.
Maybe if Randy Orton didn’t hate the theme they did for him…? I kid, I kid.
