Here is yet another melodic death metal band that attempts to create something that the modern melodeath crowd will enjoy. Hailing from Germany, The Very End have not been around for very long, although the band is made up of some musicians who have been in various other acts since the 90s. Their main goal seems to be forming a younger, more modern sounding band to appeal to a younger audience that is not necessarily steeped in older melodeath traditions of In Flames, At The Gates, and the like. You will find plenty of heavy guitar riffs, clean-ish vocals in many choruses, with the occasional breakdowns sprinkled in. The big problem with their sound is it has all been done before by bands who started this next phase of melodeath, such as Soilwork and Nightrage. Although some songs do have some memorable qualities, many of them just sound too similar to past acts. Combined with a lack of really great songwriting, I have a feeling that Mercy & Misery will be quickly scooped up and tossed aside by those seeking the next great release in this overcrowded genre.

The intro track, Memento, starts off with plenty of soft melody. Acoustic guitar takes the forefront with some light electric wails in the background. Soon some heavy riffs come in abruptly and continue, still quite melodic, until the end of the track. The first real song, Ball And Chain, comes in with heavy, melodic riffs and soon the growls of frontman Björn Gooßes. Some may remember him from his work with the excellent Night In Gales. The song is pretty typical melodeath, not really anything interesting going on here. Gooßes's attempt at a cleaner vocal style isn't terrible, but not particularly engaging either. The Leper begins similarly. The growls taking center stage in the first part of the song, with some stronger cleaner vocals taking over after a short while. It is a somewhat memorable song, but I'm still not feeling a whole lot of energy coming from this music. I am definitely sensing some similarities to Nightrage's earlier material in the vocal styling and overall sound of the guitars. Rat Nation takes the same approach once again, getting a bit old, though I do like the acoustic guitar interlude. Once again it reminds me of early Nightrage, which is not a bad thing, but the riffs are not nearly as intricate and original. A Hole In The Sun might be the strongest track on the album, with heavy, stomping guitar riffs and a sense of urgency that has not really been heard up to this point. The riffs are certainly similar to some of God Dethroned's more recent work. The song stays at this level the entire time, but it is also quite repetitive.

The melodeath version of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song is an interesting idea, though I feel like it could have been executed with more emotion. The instruments all sort of muddle together, unlike the original in which you could hear everything clearly. I feel like a melodeath version needs this same cutting clarity yet still flow nicely. This song just doesn't do that. This cover also reminds me of another band, perhaps Killswitch Engage? The Maniac cover is equally as bland. This trend of covering bad 80s music can be good if done right, but this is the same dry, monotone style often heard on the rest of the album. Because of this, it doesn't even have that much in the way of humor content.

The Very End have attempted to create yet another melodeath album in the style of the more modern bands that have gotten popular, such as Nightrage, Soilwork, and Killswitch Engage. The problem is they are very unconvincing. The songs are just so simplistic it renders them boring and borderline unlistenable. It just makes me want to put on old Nightrage. If there's one thing we don't need more of in the melodeath genre, it's these same-sounding albums, riffs, leads, and vocals. Melodeath needs fresh energy and for the most part this album is simply stale. As much as Gooßes's vocal performance could be engaging and exciting (as was often the case in Night In Gales) it is the compositions themselves which dumb down most of the intensity that EVERYTHING, not just the vocals, could have had. It is another disappointment to be sure. I have not heard their debut full-length album, and I am somewhat curious to how it compares. If it's anything like this album I can understand why I've never heard of these guys.