In the last few years, there’s been a shift in the Leeds metal scene. Whilst there are still plenty of groovy, thrash metal bands kicking about, it’s been technical metal that is becoming a more dominant force both locally and further afield. Leeds bands like On Hollow Ground, Pravitas and Hieroglyph have been intensely active, representing Leeds’ metal scene all over the country and at Tech Fest, the UK’s premier technical metal festival. And all these bands manage to take Leeds’ affinity for anything loud, noisy and hardcore and weave it skillfully into their music. Mercury Killed Newton are no different, and on their late 2015 release The Static/The Wanderer, attack technical metal cliches head on with their hardcore tendencies, albeit to various levels of success.
