Review: Cry For Mercy – This Machine

Self-Release (April 4^th 2025)

Reviewer – Grant Foster

You know when you’re sure you’ve started something, only to look for whatever it is and realise you actually hadn’t?

Exactly as I did with this review.

I could have sworn I’d started it. Ho hum.

Anyway……….Cry For Mercy hail from North Wales having formed in 2018. A three piece consisting of Kev Plant on Vocals, Bass and acoustic guitars, Andy Cutters on Guitars and Aled Plant on Drums.

Their press blurb describes their critics as describing them as ‘AC/DC fronted by Paul Rodgers’.

To my ears that’s so wide of the mark. 

I’m hearing an album here that is a classic power trio, tinged with the blues, but having great rhythm and melodies. They sound very little like AC/DC!

And that’s no bad thing with the style they have.

The 12 tracks weave differing styles and feelings from rockers to mid paced grooves and some quite subtle touches.

The album starts with the thumping ‘A Thing About Me‘, the heavy groove of ‘Show Me‘ and my favourite, ‘Walking With The Enemy‘.

The material on offer can’t be easily pigeonholed and nor should it be.

Even the slower songs – ‘Nothing At All‘, ‘You Can’t Help Me‘ and ‘This Time‘ have a soulful approach to their lilt.

The band also push boundaries yet staytrue to the music they so obviously love.

The production courtesy of Ben McEwan is crisp, clear and lets the sonics breathe.

If the only negative I can come up with is the album cover, then you know this release is something pretty special.

I’ll watch Cry For Mercy with interest. They certainly have the tools for the biggest of jobs.

Tracklist:

1. A Thing About Me
2. Show Me
3. Walking With The Enemy
4. All My Life
5. Let Me Be
6. Nothing At All
7. Moments
8. Saving Grace
9. I Don’t Mind
10. Sometimes
11. You Can’t Help Me
12. This Time

Line-up:

Vocals, Bass, Acoustic Guitars – Kev Plant
Guitars – Andy Cutty
Drums, Percussion – Aled Plant

Web Links:

Official Website

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