Morten Sandager (MS) : Well we don't really like to be categorized as well. Seems like all genres seem to piss off somebody or scare off somebody else... if we call it "Power-metal" (which it isn't) someone who listens to harder style will probably not even give it a chance.

Mostly we call it Metal with lots of balls and good melody. Or the bold "NWODHM" ;-) or even as somebody once said (not as a compliment though) "Melodeath-stars for the Nightwish generation"....even that will keep lots from ever trying it out I guess, even though it's quite funny....

AD: I’ve read reviews which describe you as clinical, the most frequent comparison being with melodic death/thrash bands like Soilwork. Would you say there’s a Mercenary formula?

MS : Well, the basic rule is that there are no rules :-) That said, we always come to a formula somehow. Whether the new song starts as a guitar riff or a melody line or just text, we seem to agree more and more as time goes by, on where it is going from there. So maybe an unspoken formula somewhere, but most importantly; It has to meet the demands we ourselves set for other music...It has to hit us or touch us somehow. If it doesn't hit us, it doesn't matter if it's Metallica, At the Gates or Mozart...then it doesn't work. And we know when we think it works.

AD : I remember a couple of years back, about the time when “11 Dreams” was released, the band was in a state of change after founder member Kral decided to leave. Are you more settled now?

MS : We were very settled after the Nevermore tour in 2005, but suddenly things got turned upside down. Yes we're definitely as settled as ever right now. We all want the same thing...go to the same lengths to get what we want. To agree on where you're going is one of the hardest things for a band. You find out eventually that it's almost more difficult than writing the actual music. If you don't agree 100%...you're not going anywhere.

AD : What influence has “new boy” Rene brought into the band?

MS : He has given us a fresh burst of energy in many ways. First off he's a great person and a very good friend as he is. He is also a very talented singer/stage person and has very good melodic sense and writing abilities. He was actually a fan of the band in the old days, so we're kind of given an insight into the world of a listener as well... :-)

AD: You’ve just released a new album “Architect of Lies”? How would you say it differs from previous ones?

MS : The songs are shorter, more to the bone and direct. The melodies are better IMO. The solos are the best they've ever been and it seems much more of a one-package deal than the others....11 Dreams has gotten a lot of credit as our best album, but it has some weaker songs + a half good cover song!?!...

There are some very good songs on there as well, but as an album it doesn't reach the heights of AoL in my opinion. The sound is also a lot better on AoL.

AD : “Public Failure Number One”, the last track of “Architect of Lies” for me has the same epic and emotional structure as the final track of the previous album “The Hours that Remain”. Is that deliberate?

MS: Hmmm not really. They're both good "closers" I guess. So a coincidence. We like to start out rough and end things smoothly and epic :-). When we made the song we didn't have a tracklist yet. That always comes last when everything is done and ready. But yes, they are quite similar.

AD : My personal involvement with you came about as a result of a track called “Music Non Stop”, a bonus cover version of a pop song by the Finnish group Kent. The track is planted in the middle of “11 Dreams”. That prompted me to approach Kral and ask what that was about. I thought that was a really bold step. You’ve not done anything like it since. Does that mean you’ve become more conservative?

MS : No not really. I think it's an OK cover song, but in my opinion you shouldn't have cover songs on your albums to be honest. Unless it has a purpose, and you can improve the cover song. If you have enough of your own material you should be fine with that. I often think it tends to break off the red line through the album. And Kent are Swedish by the way :-)

(Shows what I know about Scandinavian pop bands! – AD)

AD : I sense a strong commercial element in your music and outlook, with catchy choruses, high street sales of merchandise and music award campaigns. Have you considered moving further in the direction of mass appeal and mainstream audiences? A #1 hit single perhaps? Is that what you were aiming to do with “My World is Ending” off “The Hours that Remain”?

MS : As I said before, we never aim to make a single like "My world is ending" or "Isolation" or "Embrace the Nothing". That just happens sometimes. Some songs come out very metal and some very pop-like and radio material. But we never write for that purpose...Here comes the formula thing again; no rules, just what we like and where it takes us at that moment. Guess that must be the Mercenary formula.

AD : You’ve headlined in Europe but never hit the headlines in the UK? Apart from the occasional visit as a supporting band, what are you doing about that?

MS : A We're trying very hard to get more to the UK, but things aren't easy (or cheap). I actually think we've finally won a small victory in London. During the last show there, on the Death Angel tour, we got tremendous response and people really seemed to like it. I think the British are very hard to win over, but when you finally do...they're the most hardcore fans there are :-)

AD : Having seen you on quite a number of occasions, I’d say that that whilst you have a good relationship with your audience, your stage presence and appearance can let you down. Do you agree with that? How much attention to you pay to your stage act?

MS : I must say I don't see that at all. We've talked very much about looks, performance and appearance, and I feel and think that we're very outgoing on stage. We try to fit the music and be as true as we can be on stage. But of course that's a personal opinion, the opinions around may differ.

AD : You tour a lot. Do get fed up with it?

MS : Never!!! - that's the essence of writing and playing music. To come out and meet the crowd, talk and a beer :-)

AD : When are you going to stop playing “Firesoul”?

MS : hahahaha we actually didn't play it on this tour, but I guess it will come back again in the fall. If we have enough playing time in the show it will probably be there most of the times. We still enjoy playing it.

AD : Do you have any time for anything outside Mercenary?

MS : Not really. I play also for Pretty Maids, but I'm not involved with their songwriting. Not time for much else I'm afraid.

AD : One of many things I myself love about Mercenary is Mikkel’s lyrics. I live and breathe some of them. I find them dark, sinister, thought-provoking and yet sometimes uplifting. Is that a reflection of Mikkel’s inner soul, or a reflection of Danish people in general?

MS : heh, I guess it's Mikkel's innerline playing with you...sometimes he is David Lynch in disguise...

AD : An area which intrigues me is Martin’s role. I perceive him as a brilliant guitarist who pops up for a cameo role on a lot of the tracks. This has been a long-standing feature. How do you see Martin’s role developing?

MS : He already has a major role in both the songwriting and everything else we do. He is VERY gifted if you ask me and probably one of the best musicians I know. He just never sounds out of place. I hope that the role he has now can keep developing along with the rest of us.

(Martin was around when I asked this question and very modestly told me that in the interests of cohesion, he had suggested to the band that his solo was cut out of “Embrace the Nothing” on AoL. Lead singer Mikkel, who was also there, confirmed what Morten said and added that Martin’s solo are very much part of the structure of the songs – AD)

AD : As I was preparing questions for this interview I was listening to “Architect of Lies” through my headphones and singing along to “Embrace the Nothing”, which caused the woman opposite on the train to look at me strangely. I have no problem with that, but what do you think I should have said to the woman?

MS : "If you hear this I'm afraid you'll come on to me"...hahahaha - - or "...sorry lady, I know I don't sing as well as I smell..." I don't know...hahaha

AD : Where do you go post “Architect of Lies”? What are the next steps in the band’s development?

MS : hmmm...Musically I hope we can stay on this path, improve the songwriting even more and kick our own ass big time :-)

Maybe opening for Iron Maiden sometime soon would be kind of cool :-)

AD : Is there anything else you’d like to say to readers of the Metalteam UK web site?

MS : Hey all, THANKS for reading this far! Thanks to all who supported us the times we've played the UK. If you don't have the CD...give it a try, and be sure to check us out next time we're around in the UK. Without you there's no us. Stay metal.

AD : Well, thank you. We’ve known one another for some time now and I’d not only like to thank you for this interview, but also for being great guys and giving me hours of pleasure (and obsession) with your powerful and magnetic brand of music. Thanks very much for your time and all the best to you and the band for the future!

MS : Thanks right back Andrew! Don't know where we would have been without you...(probably stuck in some supermarket near JB's in the UK, still owing them £50 hahaha)

Visit the band at http://www.mercenary.dk/
http://www.myspace.com/mercenarydenmark
If you enjoyed this interview you might also like the following:
Interview with Children Of Bodom
Interview with Primordial

Interviewed by Andrew Doherty

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