Review: The Mercury Riots – In Solstice
SAOL Records (June 21st 2024)
Reviewer: Chris O’Connor
What do you get when you take the best elements of acts like Little Caesar, AC/DC, The Throbs, The Four Horsemen, Led Zeppelin, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Buckcherry, The Front, Rose Tattoo, and The Cult? You get The Mercury Riots. Swaggering out of the L.A. scene, this powerful quartet: Justin Walker (vocals), Felipe Rodrigo (guitars), Fede Delfino (bass) and Jonny Udell (drums) are absolutely the real deal when it comes to Rock ‘n’ Roll, their sound somehow fuses Sleaze to Southern Rock, to Blues Rock, and all with gloriously debauched intent.
There is nothing forced or artificial about this band, they live, sweat, and breathe Rock ‘n’ Roll, it’s just written into their DNA, and their music is a swaggering, snake-hipped, smouldering beast, and is everything that is good and great about the music we love. As soon as ‘the needle hits the groove’ here, you smile – you can’t help it, this is just as good as music gets. The songs move and groove with sinuous ease, with the big riffs and bigger hooks insinuating their way into your subconscious – it’s a genuinely wild ride.
Vocalist Justin Walker has a voice that seamlessly combines grit with bluesy melodic power, his voice just ‘fits’ perfectly, he has been a wonderful find for the band. Guitarist Felipe Rodrigo has a feel that is tight but loose, and is imbued with a fiery power that is undeniable. The rhythm section of bass guitarist Fede Delfino and drummer Jonny Udell are wonderfully tight, and they drive the band along with gritty ‘n’ groovy authority. I have fallen in love with this amazing band and their awesome music.
From the moment the album kicks off with the majestic ‘Make It’, the quality of the band’s music simply shines through. There have been few albums this year that just make me feel good, but ‘In Solstice’ does so in spades! I honestly love everything about it, it just represents everything that makes Rock music so special. The band marries grit to glorious melodies in a way a lot of other bands could do well to learn from. You want proof? Listen to the brilliant ‘L.A. Girls’ which is simply a lesson in musical perfection!
‘Sweet Melody’ is another truly spectacular number, gently groovy, with a smooth riff and a glorious chorus, while Felipe delivers an outstanding solo, it’s truly a “wow” moment. ‘Scream It Out’ is another song that you know will connect in the live arena, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser with a chorus that will have everyone singing along. I would also direct your attention to album coda ‘Nobody Knows’, which is a genius moment of Led Zeppelin-esque brilliance, being both hauntingly atmospheric and boot-stampingly heavy – it is absolutely the perfect way to close proceedings.
The album is produced by Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith, Joe Satriani) and is mastered by Ryan Smith (The Black Keys, The National, Greta Van Fleet), both of whom have done an outstanding job, absolutely capturing the band at the peak of their powers (thus far). If you want an album that will make you genuinely happy and that will reinforce your love of rock music – then I cannot recommend ‘In Solstice’ to you highly enough. Prepare to be dazzled by The Mercury Riots!
Tracklist:
Make It
Be Yours
LA Girls
Sweet Melody
Take Me When You Go
Light It Up
Save Me A Drink
Scream It Out
99 Degrees
Nobody Knows
ROCKPOSER DOT COM! 
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