Origin: Denmark
Style: Progressive Metal, Thrash/Death
Formed in: 2009
Released on: Downfall Records
Line-up:
Vocals: Michael Bastholm Dahl (Artillery, Ripe etc.) – Vocals
Flemming Goldberg-Larsen (ex-Megalomania 999) – Guitar, bass
Vaeis Omar (Mindmare) – Guitar
Kristian Schultz – Drums
Bio
Fronted by Michael Bastholm Dahl (ex-Artillery) MEZMERIZER insists on surprising the listeners on each track of their debut album, Whispers of Leviathan. The first music video (Heretical Dependency) presented a blend of groovy bass lines, sarcastic vocals and a hard punching rhythm section. Several other video tracks will be presented in the months to come … ranging from exotic metal tunes to dystopic expressions of despair. The same accounts for the band’s debut album, which will be released by Downfall Records late 2024. The lyrics on the debut album Whispers of Leviathan deals with the double standard that is often found among leaders of society. Several music videos will emphasize the messages, and the members of Mezmerizer are not shy.
In a time were many people point their fingers at each other, conflicts can often be avoided if we are reminded that things are seldom as they seem. Neither in Denmark – a country which has often been portrayed as an international role model.
Mezmerizer was formed in 2009 and served for many years as a collaborative playground where metal musicians from Odense, Denmark, experimented with new musical influences … as a break from their regular band activities.
After few weeks the first track was released on a compilation album. The vocals were recorded by growler Jonas Viuff from Terrorpy. In 2011 a three-track demo was released, where the vocals were recorded by Esben Elnegaard Hansen from Hatesphere. In 2018 yet another track was released on a compilation album. This time the vocals were recorded by Michael Bastholm Dahl from Artillery.
The music has changed a lot over the years, but after Michael Bastholm Dahl left the Danish thrash metal legends Artillery in 2023, Mezmerizer has taken the time to distill and refine the sound in the studio, where the band has recently finished the recording and mixing of the debut album, Whispers of Leviathan.
When asked about the musical style on the album, Michael Bastholm Dahl explains that the music is composed and recorded by artists who love all kinds of metal … from the blackest black metal to the most melodic tunes. “So, we basically just listen to each riff and try to come up with melodies, harmonies, punchlines and rhythms that add something interesting to the overall sound.”
The bands main composer, Flemming Goldberg-Larsen, admits that Iron Maiden has been a life-long influence. “I love a million different metalbands, but when I work on new material I remind myself that a live show can be built around aggressive tunes such as Wrathchild, epic tunes such as Seventh Son of a Seventh Son and crowdpleasers such as Fear of the Dark. I don’t claim to have the same skills as Iron Maiden, but I will always do my best to honor the tradition of bands who walk the extra mile in order to give their listeners a memorable experience.”
Answer from the band Mezmerizer, about the album cover beeing a rip-off (question on X) on the album cover of Canadian band Sword:
“Our cover art is an original design – made from scratch – and I am quite sure that our designer was unaware of the artwork used by the Sword. We talked about the music and lyrics before he began his work, and our cover is a blend of his impressions from that conversation. The only sources of inspiration, I am aware of are George Orwells novel “1984” and the propaganda posters used by several countries during World War 2 and the Cold War. We looked at several of these posters, but obviously he chose his own style, so the reference is only subtle”.
External links
Metal Archives
Facebook
Released on Downfall
FALL059-WHISPERS OF LEVIATHAN
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