Battle Scars ("Blue Highway" Clear Blue/Red Marbled Vinyl)

Battle ScarsKings of Mercia12 AlbumGenre: MetalLabel: Metal BladeDescription: Kings of Mercia's 2022 self-titled debut was termed truly a hybrid: it's heavy but not metal. It's got tones of melodic AOR hard rock but with an edge. 2024 brings Battle Scars the sophomore album featuring Don't Ask and the epic Aftermath as the first singles. Written and recorded throughout 2023 Battle Scars sees the core writing team of guitarist Jim Matheos and vocalist Steve Overland expanding on their obvious chemistry. It's a different genre of music that I'm normally involved in says Overland whose voice has been likened to other British greats Paul Rodgers and Glenn Hughes. Fans of Fates Warning FM and Armored Saint all rejoiced at the common ground on Kings of Mercia the sweet spot in the middle of the Venn diagram.