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Mercury Boys Premiere “Apollo Phoenix Rising”; Return to Cinders 12″ EP out June 1

Posted in audiObelisk, Whathaveyou on May 4th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

mercury boys return to cinders vinyl

At 13 minutes long and pressed to a 12-inch vinyl, Mercury Boys‘ debut EP, Return to Cinders, runs at a rate of nearly an inch per minute (IPM), and that’s just fine. Those privy to the privyness will be prior acquainted with the production and execution work of Guy Tavares, whose weirdo history is the stuff of niche legend and would no doubt make for a more interesting biopic than any of the Baby Boomer self-glorifications you’ve seen in the last five years, plus with more acid. At the helm of Motorwolf Studios in Den Haag and running his own label Bunker Records under the acid house alter ego of Sulphur Surfer, dude’s also been rockin’ since his days as Johnny Cohen fronting Johnny Cohen and the New Age Nazis over 20 years ago, and with tenure in the persistently-righteous Blue Cheer appreciation society that was Orange Sunshine and now Mercury Boys alongside the youngin’ Timothy Aarbodem, also of Supersonic Blues, on guitar and bass and German imports Janik Ruß (guitar) and Christian Dräger (drums), both of Ragged Barracudas, the blowout continues unabated.

Comprised of three originals that do well in terms of earning the closing cover of MC5‘s “The American Ruse,” Return to Cinders arrives June 1 and is dedicated to the memory of Orange Sunshine guitarist Arthur Van Berkel, who passed away in 2018. But with its tracks tapping the rawest roots of boogie and garage heavy, there’s more going on than continuing Orange Sunshine‘s path forward. As Who Can You Trust? Records marked its 10th anniversary last month, the realization of Dräger — who heads the label — working with Tavares on the project is only a piece of the puzzle, and it seems in listening to the straight-up, no-bullshit, get-up-and-get-down bruiser swag of the two-minute instrumental groove “Saturnus’ Taciturn” that all four players here are working on the same level and toward the same ends. Everyone knows what they’re going for. Everyone’s on board. And whether it’s “Atlas Falling” shoving and stomping at the outset or “Apollo Phoenix Rising,” which in addition to its initial thrust dares to embark on a runtime over four minutes long, the attitude that drips from the songs extends to every level. It’s proto-everything. Lizard-brain rock. Shut-up-and-dig rock.

These songs were recorded in 2018, so as to what Mercury Boys might have in the hopper now or going forward, I’ve got no idea, but they’re on target here and given the chance to premiere “Apollo Phoenix Rising” — watch out for that solo in the second half — I wasn’t about to pass it up. I won’t waste any more of your time.

Preorders are up now from Who Can You Trust?, and the song’s streaming at the bottom of the post.

Have at it:

mercury boys return to cinders

MERCURY BOYS – Return To Cinders 12″ EP release

Who are the MERCURY BOYS? Messengers of the gods of rock in its purest forms, those that tear asunder the trappings of amplified music and gaze upon its raw beauty? Indeed, a quartet comprising members of Supersonic Blues, Ragged Barracudas, and Orange Sunshine, Mercury Boys cannot look back or beyond, but only immerse themselves in the timeless present, harness the primary elements of our aural nature and bow to the inevitable.

“You wouldn’t believe how special of a release this is to me,” says Who Can You Trust? Records founder and Mercury Boys drummer Christian Dräger. “It’s WCYT?’s 10th birthday this April, as well as the fact that Orange Sunshine was ‘planned as’ the very first WCYT? release in 2010 but turned out to be WHO-03 in the end..haha. Now ten years later, as OS isn’t anymore, we’ve teamed up with Guy to record the Mercury Boys EP and dedicate it to Arthur Van Berkel. As everybody knows, recording at Motorwolf Studio obviously involves narrow corridors… Tim Aarbodem, our lead guitar player, had a broken leg during our studio visit and a tough time to properly maneuver while walking on crutches. It’s a testament and sacrificial recording for sure.”

Return To Cinders was captured by Guy Tavares at Motorwolf Studios, The Hague, Holland in early 2018.

Tracklist:
A1 – Atlas Falling
A2 – Saturnus’ Taciturn
B1 – Apollo Phoenix Rising
B2 – The American Ruse

Personnel:
Guy Tavares – vocals
Timothy Aarbodem – guitar, bass
Janik Ruß – guitar
Christian Dräger – drums

All songs by MERCURY BOYS except The American Ruse by MC5.
Artwork by Adam Burke.

Release date – June 1st

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