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Have Mercy

Numb

Written by: PP on 28/01/2024 20:26:06

Have Mercy reunited about a year ago because they felt they had more music in them as a group. They haven't sounded this fresh since their seminal debut album "The Earth Pushed Back" in 2013, probably because their latest album "Numb" was self-produced and recorded in vocalist Brian Swindle's basement. As a result, it's arguably the closest the band has come to the raw emotional charge of their debut. Consequently, its melodic despair rings best in my ears since their debut.

The opening track "Alive" bursts the record wide open with raw emotion on display. Here, Swindle's tormented vocals truly come to their own through a combination of gravel, brutal honesty, and introspection that comes to define the whole album. Songs like "Numb", "Hey", and the optimistic but melancholic "Friday" are exactly what made Have Mercy such a great band in the first place. Their extensive utilization of quiet/loud dynamics creates a perfect contrast between soaring melodies and somber moments, resulting in their best work in a long while.

At the same time, Swindle's lyrical work hasn't been as relatable and close to the heart since their debut album. You can directly feel his emotions both in the louder tracks, but especially in the bedroom-style ballads like "Big Surprise", where his "I just neeeeed youuu" passages should be hair-raising moments for anyone into emo. This dressed-down approach works incredibly well because it creates so much room for Swindle's incredible pipes to shine on their own.

As you traverse through "Numb", you come to realize just how good each of these songs is on its own. It's the first time in a decade that the band sounds this coherent and like they are just clicking on every song. Everything from the soothing percussion to the just-enough distorted guitar riffs, the added background flair like string instruments and keyboards, and the vocals just play together in near-perfect fashion. The emotional charge is so thick it feels like it's bursting out of its seams throughout, thanks to the raw honesty found in Swindle's lyrics combined with his ability to crack his voice exactly when he needs to reinforce a particular moment in a song.

In short, "Numb" is exactly the album you wanted out of Have Mercy. It's an exemplary emo record with the right amount of indie flavor to stand out. Welcome back.

Download: Alive, Numb, Big Surprise, Friday, Hey, Middle
For the fans of: Balance & Composure, The Dangerous Summer, Strange Vacation, Basement
Listen: Facebook

Release date 08.12.2023
Rude Records