Having been a big fan of Our Lady of Annihilation (and the band's former incarnation, Indecision, of course), I was stoked to check out the new record from Most Precious Blood. Time and again, these Brooklyn hardcore stalwarts have stood the test of longevity, pumping out unrelenting heaviness that stays within the genre's confines, yet somehow manages to be satisfying and invigorating. But what's this? Why am I not thrilled with Merciless? Chalk it up to the fact that the band made such a GIANT leap between debut Nothing in Vain and Our Lady of Annihilation that the growth shown on Merciless pales in comparison. Indeed, the chugging riffs are more predictable than before, with chords afraid of venturing outside of the low-E-high-E formula. Breakdowns, too, seem less awe-inspiring. When they work - like on "Diet For a New America" - it's got all the right accents and momentum. But when it falters - like on "Mad as the March Hare" - they feel forced and a bit clumsy. Vocalist Rob Fusco's delivery is still guttural and fear-inducing, but his tendency to stretch syllables across measures gets monotonous after a while. It's as if he's breaking e-v-e-r-y sound of every word to fill space instead of writing more lyrics. Still, the pure weight of Most Precious Blood's thick attack means instantaneous gratification for the mosh kid in you. It's almost impossible to not get psyched when opener "Shark Ethic" snowballs into a fearsome avalanche of choirs and palm mutes. Elsewhere on the album, "Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves" and "Oxygen Debt" make that "fast part/fast part/breakdown/ending" way of writing hardcore songs a cause for celebration. When metalcore's nailed to a T like this, who cares about reinventing the wheel? The band do experiment just a tad with their riffing and composition, though, to great result: "Narcoleptic Sleepwalker," by far the album's emotional, murderous center. A slithering guitar line rides atop of the chugging rhythm, sliding into big power chords as the bass takes over the melody. And as Fusco screams "life will change. Keep dreaming" 'til he boils over, mentally and literally smashing up the recording studio, Merciless reaches its pinnacle. This is hardcore that touches your soul while kicking your teeth in. While not the earth-shattering follow-up I was hoping for, Merciless is nonetheless an enjoyable metalcore record from a band that believes - and practices - the true essence of the genre. And in a time when most of their peers are either chauvinistic knuckleheads or trend-hopping fakes, I'll take what I can get of honest hardcore.

The original titans of hardcore are back with their third album, and it's easily their best and most mature effort to date. For those of you that don't know (shame on you), Most Precious Blood is the bastard child of Indecision, one of the greatest bands to have existed during the golden days of NYHC. Choosing to rely on hard work and determination rather than ride the coat tails of Indecision, Most Precious Blood built a hardcore empire from the ground up with their inimitable brand of old school hardcore with just enough modern influences to keep things original and interesting. Merciless continues the progression within the confines of old school hardcore by adding subtle but undeniably effective electronic elements that work to separate the band from the rest of the slathering hardcore pack. These electronics provide the perfectly subtle atmosphere that infinitely enhances the rumbling bass lines which provide the tug-o-war groundwork over which endlessly hypnotic guitar leads are laid. Breakdowns, though sparse, are as earth shatteringly effective in their placement and power as all breakdowns should be. A thick and punchy production complements the bone shattering breakdowns along with superbly rollicking drum work. All of these classic hardcore elements are topped off by a stellar vocal performance that is as creative and memorable as it is a throwback to hardcore bands of yore. Former One King Down vocalist Rob Fusco has come into his own on Merciless is now the perfect fit for the band's modern take on old school hardcore. Opting for a vocal approach combining a traditional hardcore bark with a scream, Rob's furious vocals are a unique gem of innovation in a normally vocally stagnant genre. Thankfully the timid clean vocals that made an appearance on Our Lady of Annihilation are all but gone this time around. While there is not a weak track to be found, certain songs raise above the pack including the electronic heavy 'Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves,' and the ambitious mosher classic 'Shark Ethic.' Although it seems absurd, 'Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem' is perhaps the most epic and ambitious hardcore song ever recorded. For a record with a clearly negative view regarding religion, this track is the grand denouement of the war against manipulation through the hand of God(s). Only a band with the credentials of Most Precious Blood could have possibly recorded this epic manifesto, and it shows. 'A lot of people are looking to us as a band, to bring back the old hardcore style, and which is what we hope to do. And I'm telling you right now, if we can't bring it back we're gonna get together with some of the older bands and take it back.' -Most Precious Blood, 'Aimed Carefully, Fired Relentlessly' Most Precious Blood have not simply raised the bar for hardcore with Merciless; they have rightfully reclaimed their throne as the most innovative and deserving hardcore band of today. Victory/Trustkill screamo fags and Throwdown worshipping breakdown mongers take note: Most Precious Blood are taking hardcore back with a vengeance.

I love this band, does that make me biased? Probably, but anyone with the slightest understanding for the lost art of hardcore will not only appreciate how tthey successfully avoid falling victim to most of the cliche trappings they open themselves up to. There are some cheesy lyrics ( “ I hate you with all my heart/fool me once, shame on you/fool me twice, shame on me”), and there are more crunchy palm mutes than you can shake a stick at, but they also do an amazing job at keeping the tempo changes frequent and their songwriting complex enough to keep you guessing where each riff will take you. Tempo changes are key, as MPB can take you from a thrash riff straight into crawling, E-chord crunches with ease. Samples in between the songs illustrate the bands contempt with consumerism and excess-another throwback to the time before hardcore bands had stylists. MPB keeps the New York hardcore tradition alive in the vein of Sick of It All, and while it may not be new, it sounds exceptionally emotionally powerful among a back drop of tight pants and hair gel. A band with a message and heartfelt intentions, and the ability to sound fresh in an aging genre, makes MPB one of the premeire hardcore bands around today, and make Merciless the best hardcore album since Terror first release Lowest Of The Low. Then again, there’s not much out there to compare it to these days.

JACKHAMMER HARDCORE: As great as Our Lady Annihilation was, Most Precious Blood was still sort of an “ex-members of” band. It’s difficult—even after five years together—to avoid something like that when a band has risen from the ashes of Indecision and, with the addition of hardcore vocalist Rob Fusco a couple years back, One King Down. That’s all over now, though. Merciless has killed that designation deader than the corpse on its cover. The vibe here is absolutely murderous; the music epic and pummeling; the lyrics without mercy; the power undeniable. Forget crossover. Forget hyphenated metal-punk-goth-whatever-core. Forget fashion. Merciless is the real deal, one of the only a handful of truly captivating and original hardcore records released over the past few years. While so many of their peers put out albums with few great breakdowns wrapped in a bunch of fluffy filler, Most Precious Blood has refined every riff on Merciless to perfection. It’s orchestral, transcendental, and, most importantly, heavy enough to reduce a grown man to tears. There are even some electronic elements and metal licks tastefully included that never dilute or contaminate the core brutality. Hopefully, this sets the standard for whatever follows. The scene could use a good dose of reality combat all the eyeliner, fancy haircuts, and tight jeans.

I play the hell out of my Terror, Throwdown, and Hatebreed CDs, and Most Precious Blood’s Merciless just climbed atop of that prestigious pile. This release is a brilliant combination of modern metalcore and thugtastic beefy sound of New York hardcore. The breakdowns, while not over used, are satisfying and as thick as fresh poured cement. Most of the band’s time is spent in mid to up tempo thick metalcore while busting out some catchy and accessible songs. Merciless is the most passionate and inspiring hardcore CD you will hear this year.

Another hard-hitting East Coast treat. The NYHC stars have done it again. 2003’s ‘Our Lady Of Annihilation’ was a ruthless assault and ‘Merciless’ shows that MPB have moved on and up. Shouting, shredding, stomping and screaming, track after track is a passionate exploration of fusing aggressive hardcore with stonky metal riffing and serious lyrical content. Still as heavy as ever, the band seem to have upped the breakdowns and instrumental stretches, emphasizing the finger-skills of their guitarists and the pin-point precision of their new sticksman. ‘Mad As The March Hare,’ ‘Type A Personality’ and ‘World War You,’ showcase this band’s unrivalled ability to pummel without exhaustion, whilst still making the output easy to digest. The lyrics may be intense (dealing with issues of politics, vegenism and loss), but they’re not intimating and, if chosen so, the songs can be enjoyed for their hefty music alone.

Talk about truth in advertising. The venerable NYC hardcore band Most Precious Blood returns with a seething new release that has trimmed the fat, drops the hammer, and supplies the missing ingredient that only a band that grew up on CBGB matinees and in Brooklyn playgrounds can bring out in hardcore. It's called reality, and MERCILESS is a 13-track dose of it, from the Cro-Mags meets Agnostic Front stomp of "Damage Control Freak" to the scathing lyrical content meets chugging madness of "Type A Personality". Looking for the leaders of the next wave of NYHC? You've found them, and Most Precious Blood is their name, as this quintet's undying love of the game and unwillingness to stay complacent puts them squarely on top of the mountain.

Most Precious Blood is no stranger to controversy. All their albums have had controversial cover art and their latest full-length assault of metallic hardcore, Merciless, is no different. The theme to this one surrounds a man left dead in his apartment with mail piling up and seemingly no one cares. This depiction of a man left dead coincides perfectly with the straightforward and personal lyrical delivery demonstrated on the album. If there is one thing that immediately shines through on this album, it’s their sincere, hardworking aesthetic. You can easily differentiate between Most Precious Blood and a band that is not as intensely genuine in their message. Vocalist Rob Fusco (formally of One King Down) delivers his lyrics with a forceful sincerity rarely heard in recent hardcore releases. The lyrics deal with topic such as religion, government, vegetarianism, and life itself. “Shark Ethic” opens the album with an almost epic feel. The production lends hand to the thick, dense sound that MPB possesses throughout the album. You really feel the crunch of the guitars on tracks such as “Mad as the March Hair.” The breakdown at the end of “Oxygen Dept” is one of the more memorable on the album with screams of “I’m going under!” The twin guitar onslaught of Justin and Rachel shines through on “Diet for a New America,” a song with an earnest message about vegetarianism. The drumming also impresses with its dynamic double-bass which keeps the power of the song in tact. “Aimed Carefully, Fired Relentlessly” makes a bold statement about taking back the old hardcore scene and has its roots firmly planted in traditional NYHC. The chugging bass of “Narcoleptic Sleepwalker” leads way to some creative riffing patterns and galloping drums. Some of the breakdowns on the album tend to get a little repetitive and sound too similar for comfort on many of the tracks. The band really excels at the shorter punchier songs with more creative guitars. The last track is the longest on the album and fails to grab your attention like the others. Even with these shortcomings, Most Precious Blood still does not disappoint. In a year when mediocrity is so prominent, MPB has released one of the most memorable hardcore albums in recent memory. If you having been disappointed with hardcore outings so far this year and are looking for a metallic hardcore album with some integrity, look no further than Merciless.

Most Precious Blood has finally made their masterpiece with Merciless. Their last album, Our Lady of Annihilation was great, but it seemed like some of the songs lacked with energy. Don't get me wrong, it was better than most albums released that year, but this album is lightyears ahead of it. A few things that people will noticed right off the bat is the absence of clean vocals, with the exception of the track Driving Angry. There are clean vocals, but they're set back in the mix so they accent the music. They've also incorporated some electronic elements to the music. Mostly in a subtle fashion where if you weren't listening for them, you'd never notice them. As far as the performances go, I will say that Rob Fusco has now become the perfect fit for this band. His impassioned screaming and guttural approach to the vocals have increased the bands intensity tenfold. Hopefully, their new drummer will stick around prevent the joke about them being the Spinal Tap of hardcore from surfacing again. The production is top notch as well. You can hear all the instruments clearly and most of the time, they don't run into each other and create a mess. If you're looking for the latest fly by night emo-metalcore craze, go look somewhere else. Most Precious Blood is definitely showing up with a familiar style that is more musical than most of their peers, yet still retains the spirit of what hardcore is about.

Most Precious Blood are all about New York, and hardcore. Witness their post-September 11 benefit show, and the more recent Save CBGB’s benefit show. Formed in 2000 when their band previous Indecision broke up, Most Precious Blood have since been fusing old-school energy, new-wave melancholy and metalcore breakdowns into their own aggressive brew. On this, their third album on Trustkill Records, the band maintains the chugging breakdowns, the fast-paced aggro and the furious, politically-charged lyrics, and add some interesting electronics and programming. The songs are largely well-written and infectiously energetic, and the programming largely compliments the band’s sound - check out the eerie manifesto on “Driving Angry.” The electronics only feel overdone in the middle of the album , but given the songs here, that’s forgivable. The production is clear and very dense - Colin Kercz’s drums drive everything effectively, Matt Miller’s bass shines through with a distinct old-school flavour, and Justin Brannan and Rachel’s guitars sound fantastic, incorporating post-hardcore melody and thunderous metal-infused riffing. Rob Fusco’s vocals are clear in the mix, and extract maximum venom. Overall, this is an impressive step forward for MPB, and while the electronics aren’t always 100% effective, it’s more adventurous than most of this year’s old school hardcore releases. Check out “Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves,” “Damage Control Freak” and “Oxygen Debt” - these will be absolute killers when the band return to our shores.

Another record and another fuss about artwork, part of New York’s old guard are back and things are worse than ever. Most Precious Blood are at their most furious and rightly so. Last time round ‘Our Lady Of Annihilation’ focused on the world, its structures and its wrongdoings; this time the band are looking into their own community with disgust. The result is an album of blazingly direct heavycore, half screaming at the world and half screaming at the scene, trying to wake up one and bring back the values of the other, a bold mission for anyone to encounter. A solid release from the group and a record that will bemuse and pass by nine out of ten Roadrunner kids. That’s fine though, this is for the one in ten. Defend hardcore, commend Most Precious Blood.

There's a danger that Most Precious Blood’s third album will be overshadowed by the controversial cover artwork of a grimly realistic rotting corpse (now relegated to the reverse of the inlay because record stores initially refused to stock it). ‘Merciless’ is attention grabbing enough musically whatever its packaging, an album which manages to sneak a few surprises into its otherwise brutally straightforward take on hardcore. These New Yorkers manage to steer clear of the cheeseball emo choruses and fashion-chasing shallowness which typically characterizes many of their peers; their roots remaining admirably entrenched in their hometown’s rich history of uncompromising street-level intensity; not least in the righteous, explosive-strewn anger which fuels Most Precious Blood’s lyrical stance. However, scratch the surface and unexpected subtleties appear; synth riffs lurk beneath the pit-friendly breakdowns, spoken-word samples chosen to echo the band’s anti- materialistic ideologies, even hints of goth on the album’s opening and closing tracks. Okay, so they’re hardly reinventing the wheel here, but factor in a songwriting finesse rare in their field, and you’ve got a hardcore album that grows on you with each listen, without alienating diehard fans of the genre. Indeed, it’s heartening to think that Roadrunner’s licensing of the Trustkill roster- no doubt for its more zeitgeist -friendly bands – might just sneak a band this in touch with hardcore’s original mission statement into the hearts and minds of a whole new generation of kids.

Within seconds of the synth-choir/drum-build of "Shark Ethic", you just know that "Merciless" is going to be another stupendous hardcore release from New York's MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD. Veterans of the hardcore scene like core member and guitarist Justin Brannan helped give the band its intelligent and hard-as-nails style on both "Nothing in Vein" and "Our Lady of Annihilation". Both albums are definitively hardcore, yet are just unique enough (thanks to strong arrangements and thoughtful lyricism) to set the band apart from the hardcore masses. On "Merciless", the band delivers another punishing musical blow and tosses a few subtle surprises into the mix. MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD again comes up with a slew of killer riffs (including the melodic and the metal-edged) to go with the bruising beats. Keeping it heavy and memorable at once is an approach that continues to pay dividends for the band. Tracks like "Driving Angry" and "Damage Control Freak" are about as low-key as a baseball bat to the skull, yet just catchy enough to become embedded in the brain after only a few listens. That lines such "You can shove your fucking love" and "I hate you with all my heart" (from "Damage Control Freak") can put a snarl on the face and get a foot tapping attests to the balance struck. "Driving Angry" also happens to be the only track with a clean vocal (in this case a harmony vocal set back in the mix), a contrast to "Our Lady of Annihilation", which had several. Whether it's "Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves" or "Mad as the March Hare", Rob Fusco proves why he's one of the most passionate vocalists in hardcore. Never easing up on the aggression and spitting out every lyric as if it's his last, Fusco gets the point across with conviction. The programmed bits (strings, effects, etc) are skillfully woven into the songs, providing subtle nuance and minor accents that work to diversify the arrangements without diluting the intensity. The only slowing of the tempo comes on the last song, "Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem". The unusually long track opens with a recording of a preacher playing on the blind faith of his followers and encouraging financial assistance by any means necessary, the purported benefit that of salvation. A slow and agonizing plod, matched with strings and Fusco's soul-purging performance, the song tells of Christianity's history of hypocrisy and deceit. The album doesn't actually end there, as every nook and cranny of remaining disc space is taken up with a wide array of band goofs and shenanigans. Whatever floats your boat, I guess. It's really quite simple. If you're a fan of raging hardcore with quality songwriting and thought-provoking lyrics, then "Merciless" is the album for you. Easily one of the year's best hardcore releases.

Another new record, another senselessly censored album cover. What can you do, eh? Anyway, I'm a longtime fan of Most Precious Blood's brand of intense metallic hardcore and I remain one today. I'm certainly not as immediately floored by this record as I was by "Our Lady of Annihilation", but I wouldn't say I'm disappointed by this material. This time around the songs are a bit longer and chunkier than much of their past work, and they're also continuing to delve into a bit more variety to keep things interesting and explore new opportunities musically. The core is still vicious metallic hardcore with plenty of relatively standard power chords and straight screaming/yelling vocals, though they've littered some pretty efficient samples throughout the album as intros/outros along with a few dashes of synths/programming. I'm not totally sold on all of that stuff, as some of the electronics that creep into "Mad as the March Hare" serve no real purpose and sound overly typical in character anyway; but I have to say, the brooding synth melodies and sample arrangements in the 38-second interlude "Curse of the Immortal" are awesome and would actually make for a really interesting full-length track with further exploration. From a writing standpoint many of the songs aren't all that instantly memorable, but some of the variety does pay off. "Narcoleptic Sleepwalker", for example, drops some total black metal tremolo picking riffs (I'm not kidding) along with raging basslines and lots of dissonant textures for a rather frantic track that kind of jumps around all over the place. And closer "Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem" opens with pounding electronic percussion and ambient sounds against samples of a religious figure begging for money as chilling guitars start to pulse forward to signal a rather intense build into a dissonantly melodic set of midpaced chords. Several other comparable samples are interspersed throughout the massive 6+ minute composition, making for by far one of the darkest tracks to date from Most Precious Blood. Elsewhere, "Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves" is a shorter, faster attack of thrashy metallic hardcore; "Driving Angry" is among the more memorable tracks with its pulsing basslines and more diverse vocal performance that layers some nice singing against raging screams; "Type A Personality" cranks out some token midpaced breakdown brutality; etc. "Diet for a New America" is the only song that I don't particularly care for as some of the guitar riffs can get a little irritating at times and the overall feel just seems a little forced and stale compared to what I'm used to hearing from this band, so thankfully this is the only song that I don't feel is quite where it should be. The recording is pretty damn good. As with their last record the percussion gets a little too rigid in certain areas, but 99% of the time the mix helps balance that out. The guitar tone is a little warmer in terms of its density here, which gives the basslines a little more room to peak around the corner and make themselves known. The vocals sound pretty much perfect, and for the most part I think everything sounds pro as hell. I might like to hear the guitars and bass given a little more of a push to get right up in your face, but they're not overdoing anything in terms of heaviness, and that pays off for the clarity of the mix and whatnot, so… I'm not complaining! The layout is printed with a matte finish and boasts a gruesome (but not that gruesome) image of a corpse on a bed (with the alternate "censored" edition covering the body in a bloody sheet) and also includes plenty of live band shots and a few additional photos tying into the theme of the cover. A lot of the reviews that I've read for this record massively overemphasize tiny nuances of the lyrical content as well, making it seem as though every song is a fucking Peta advertisement or something, so apparently a lot of people out there are functionally illiterate. Do not buy into that nonsense at all, because there's only like one song that is very clearly dealing with animal rights issues, and all of these lyrics are quite artistically presented in terms of leaving things generally open rather than beating you with a bunch of statistics or any of that shit. And the vast majority of the album seems to be dealing with personal turmoil and hardships anyway: "I've learned my lesson. Life is barren and bereft. Deaccession until there's nothing left. Putting you away or putting you to rest. Denial or death, which one is best?" And, as always, there are over 30 minutes of hilarious extras tacked on at the end of the disc - from random storytelling on tour, to loads of amusing prank calls (victimizing plenty of other Trustkill bands and such). I pretty much never listen to this kind of shit on any CD, but I listen to every fucking second of it coming from Most Precious Blood. I'm telling you, some of this shit is just classic. Pure comedy. The meat and potatoes isn't the band's best record when it all comes down to it, and perhaps you could look at this as somewhat of a transitional phase since they're trying out quite a few new things here, but it still has its moments.

Sold. Completely sold; that is the first reaction to Most Precious Blood, I am completely sold on the idea of this band being the archetypal sound of epitomic hardcore progression. Merciless is just that; a wholly unrelenting surge of old school riffing and new school atmosphere, take “Shark Ethic” for instance; the rising and falling keys and choirs complemented by perfectly simple chording amassing into a swelling definition of anthem. The heyday bass intro and pit swirling chorus of “Driving Angry” recalls the golden age of pitting and gang vocals, take no shit attitude and pride. Most Precious Blood have taken the reigns handed to them by Indecision (MPB and it’s members spawned from the demise of Indecision several years ago, naming themselves after an Indecision record) and have gleefully run the course, never has a band so competently used the hardcore schematic to their advantage, the trouble-free breakdowns, thunderous toms and flawless voice (of Rob Fusco) culminating in the characterization that real, true hardcore needs. Merciless is tried and true unfaltering conviction, and for that I must pay respect. Best hard-fucking-core, no bullshit, no gimmick, no trends album since, well, ever. A top for the year and an all-time top for the genre.

There are two types of people - those who see Most Precious Blood as a continuation of Indecision and those who do not. Upon first listen, it seems that the influences of Unbroken and 108 are relics from days of yore. But, I would vehemently argue that these New York veterans understand their own music far too much to let that be the case. While this record is a step in the same direction as the more metallic Our Lady of Annihilation, all of the elements of an Indecision record are present (even though they stole the name from a Godlesh record). Without question, this is the most aggressive and focused album to date for Most Precious Blood. They aren't afraid to experiment, as with the industrial "Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem." And they aren't afraid to show up Bury Your Dead with "Type A Personality," which has got to be one of the heaviest songs I've heard in a long time that's not just one huge breakdown. Some familiar aspects return, including more than a handful of some pretty awesome samples at the beginning. Then again, other aspects are mostly absent, with sung vocals present only on "Driving Angry." I'm a little disappointed because I was a fan of Justin Brannan's voice - I figure most people won't note it though. The most obvious change here can really be credited to the growth of Trustkill, at least in terms of finance. This is definitely the slickest production yet of any of their albums. Despite the fact that this was recorded at Atomic studios, as have been many other albums, it's obvious something was done differently here. The fine sheen glosses over some more of the subtle melodic elements, instead favoring a bass-heavy and breakdown friendly approach. Don't worry though, this isn't the new Throwdown album. I'd say it's pretty close to Release the Cure (done by Roger Miret), but cleaner. And, much to my satisfaction, Rob Fusco has increased his performance ten fold. I wasn't disappointed with the lyrics from Our Lady of Annihilation, but this time around the message is so much more powerful and convincingly conveyed. Even though I'm not vegan, "Diet For A New America" puts a lot of intensity and thought into an argument that's been rehashed quite a few times. Bottom Line: I can see this record driving off a few die-hard close-minded Indecision fans while garnering a more solid Trustkill-oriented audience. To that, I say good for them. Three of these musicians have been at the forefront of hardcore for more years than 90% of "the scene" has been out of elementary school - and any success they achieve is more than well-deserved.

In today's music scene, most bands really don't say anything. Not even a peep. Usually lyrics tackle some introspective matter on how a girl has done them wrong or walking over cliches left and right. Not Most Precious Blood. They haven't and since this is their 3rd proper full length, it is very doubtful that they are changing that perspective. "Defend Hardcore" they boldly state on multiple areas of their layout, MPB has not been bashful about their opinions or state of hardcore as of late. Their music shows it as well with all 13 tracks of their full length going straight for the heart and with their sole intention of making blood boil. Rob Fusco's voice is in top form, and dare be said his best performance of his musical career. The only different element that anyone can place on the record would be the presence of more electronic means creeping their way into aspects of the songs whether it be intros or just more layers on top of the already developed song. MPB again get in trouble and have many issues with their cover art, this time depicting a suicide victim after he shot himself in the head. The inner sleeve depicts his actual face that looks like something out of a movie but really hammers the point across while hopefully offending a few people in the process. No matter what MPB comes at you with, one can't help but crack a smile on your face after you hear the scathing guitars and realize that there are bands that say something still. Amidst all of this generic garbage, Most Precious Blood proudly wave the flag that hardcore is not dead just reinventing itself.

Most Precious Blood is another sparkle in the dark sky of oldschool hardcore. Although I expected some gothic or black metal after the first seconds of “Merciless”. Lucky enough the band didn’t change their sound and still comes up with hardcore. As they say in their bio “We’ve got World War 3 going on; we have no time for poetry or guitar solos.It’s back to the oldschool of hardcore, get in, say what you want to say and get out.” These two sentences represent the whole album, everything on this album is brought back the core. But don’t expect some thirteen in a dozen oldschool hardcore. There is more, due to some samples and groovy rather metal orientated guitar parts as a bridge between the hurricane vocals of Rob Fucsco. After listening the album several time not just one song stands out. I truly like every single song. Being a socially concerned band, take for instance the song “diet for a new America”, Most Precious Blood proves their quality to me. Something that they already did in some live performances.

Almost 2 years have passed by until the wait was over and I had high expectations because "Our Lady Of Annihilation" blew my mind and so they set the marks high. And yes, this record was definitely worth the wait. This band has its really unique style and they accomplish a really heavy album with loads of mosh riffs but without limiting them to the usual recipes. Besides adding samples from movies they also make use of digital sound effects. Merciless starts off with a tension creating introduction in "Shark Ethic" and flows over in a highly aggressive heavy mosh song which is ended by a midtempo part where Rob's angry vocals are backed by the choir. "Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves" just kicks off and is a really fast song with some digital sound effects thrown in at the slower passages. The next song "Driving Angry" starts with a Bass line followed by a passage of clean and shouted vocals, in this song Rob variies his shouting during the slow mosh parts and even if it may sound a bit different it just fits. I could describe almost any song like this but that definitely would exceed the attention of everyone. The whole 13 songs are on very high level and the great production perfects this impression. Despite the mosh the whole record never misses a melodic edge and that is why it definitely doesn't get boring and why there's alot to discover even if it's spinning for a long time. If i were to describe this record in three words i would say it's refreshing, mature and brutal. Most Precious Blood still follow their roots without staying within their boundaries. I think finally getting a permanent drummer after wasting around 11 or 12, as well as the brilliant musicianship of Rachel and Justin, who are open to very different kinds of influences, and Rob's unique voice makes this band really outstanding. A great record and one of the most memorable this year.

Most Precious Blood are at album number three, and are still managing to keep things interesting; quite the feat for a metallic-edged hardcore band. For those uninitiated, 'Merciless', like other MPB albums before it, brings a sound that is obviously influenced by the likes of Cro-Mags, Madball, Earth Crisis and Slayer. With the new album the group has managed to position themselves on a line between modern metalcore and the older hardcore sound that not many other bands seem to be able to hold. There are a few new tricks up MPB's sleeve, including a new drummer who pulls off some downright jaw-dropping fills as well as some nifty inclusions of subtle and obvious keyboards that really help to accentuate the dark, brooding and angry feeling of the album. The singing that occasionally popped up in the bands previous effort shows it's head on the track 'Driving Angry', and it helps in making this one of the most enjoyable tunes on the disc. 'Merciless' is speckled with samples from movies, all of which are strategically placed to help put across the bands strong views represented in the lyrics and song titles. These views are pretty much all bred out of anger, resentment and hate, spitting venom towards religion, generic individuals, greed, politics and society in general. I'd go as far as saying 'Merciless' contains MPB's most creative and enjoyable material yet, however towards the end it feels as though the band start to run out of creative juices. This is only a slight smear though for an album that is as crushingly solid and well written as it is shockingly pissed off.

More hardcore than metal, more music than fashion, and more message than cliché; these are the elements that make up Most Precious Blood. If you’ve never heard of the band you’ve been missing out on a highlight of the hardcore community. Their music combines your typical hardcore/metalcore with some un-typically good song structures and vocals by Rob Fusco that not only became the new voice of Most Precious Blood on that band’s last album, but has also become a voice that can instantly be picked out of any crowd. The best part about Most Precious Blood is that they aren’t an obvious hardcore band lyrically. The lyrics help you get into Rob’s head and understand what he’s thinking instead of what 1,000 other hardcore bands have been thinking for years. The vocals have a flow like no other with the switch between yelling and screaming. It’s the kind of vocals that make you want to grab a mic and sing along to it while pounding your fist into your chest to the beat of the music. The music is some of MPB’s best work to date, and the production really helps push their brutal sound through the speakers. One thing that still plagues the band is that some songs stick out more than others, and the others lack a lasting effect. The main theme of this album seems to be one of anti-religion, so diehard Christian-core fans might want to hide under their covers for this one, or at least not take it to heart. If the band was trying to put out an album that would not only make you rock back and forth like a person with the most serious case of ADD, but also bring up some lyrics that would actually make you think, they succeeded with flying colors. If that great combination sounds appealing to you, don’t resist Merciless.

Merciless is appropriately titled. It's Most Precious Blood's outright heaviest release of their three-album (excluding the albums released as Indecision) career. At the same time, it's ambitious. The band is trying new things, from incorporating electronics to writing a seven-minute song. I'm pretty sure, though, that what matters most is Merciless is crushingly enjoyable. Most Precious Blood doesn't do anything terribly unique in crafting their crunchy, breakdown-laden songs, but they skillfully execute the parts and play with a lot of energy and intensity. It's the overarching sense of fire that pushes this band above the average contenders. Vocalist Rob Fusco, who is widely known for his previous work in One King Down, screams and yells with pure rage, and I can easily envision forehead veins popping and spit flying as he does his job. Similarly, guitarists Justin Brannan and Rachel Rosen churn out blazing, metallic riffs and bass parts with enough speed to create a sort of thrash vibe. The production, too, serves to beef up every aspect of Merciless, especially the rumbling, chugging breakdowns. For the most part, Merciless is rooted in and sticks to the conventions of metallic hardcore, and the result is undeniably forceful. The opening song, "Shark Ethic," is book-ended by operatic singing, which starts the album on a relatively massive scale. Similarly, the album ends on a rather unexpected note with "Temporary Solution To A Permanent Problem," which clocks in at more than six minutes and generally crawls at a slow to medium pace. It's different from the majority of Most Precious Blood's material in that it is fused with sound clips and slowly works up to a pulsating, climactic finish. I'm a huge fan of the sheer speed and hearty crunch in "Two Man Enter, One Man Leaves," while "Narcoleptic Sleepwalker" uniquely jumps between varying styles and "Driving Angry" works some clean vocals and memorable guitar leads into the mix. Merciless is in your face, aggressive and, as a whole, unforgiving. I'm convinced that Most Precious Blood is one of the strongest metallic hardcore bands there is, and, with Merciless, they also strive to include a distinct element of creativity.

Nasty, brutish, and short, the latest offering from NYC hardcore outfit Most Precious Blood is filled with songs about war, religion, and vegetarianism--not necessarily in that order. Most every track begins or ends with a lengthy spoken-word sample ruminating on things like the place of God in modern society, and while MPB occasionally seem too willing to let the samples do the talking for them, Merciless is otherwise just as it should be: a bristly, brooding, bass-heavy record that sounds just as gnarled as the world it reflects.

The unflinching perseverance of Most Precious Blood remains commendable on "Merciless", their latest in a string of ferocious hardcore releases. Line-up changes, controversy and a refusal to mellow or adhere to current trends have seen them soldier on like cockroaches with an old-school mentality not often practiced these days. Sticking to their guns and perhaps taking a step back to their Indecision roots from "Our Lady Of Annihilation", the band intently focus on the kind of loose hardcore aggression that helped to establish the scene. But rather than bark like mad dogs or toss out continual breakdowns, there's a sense of spacing to the gritty screams, which in turn come off like an enraged call to arms on issues both social and political. A sharply jagged dose of metal guitar work and some pugnacious mosh-friendly grooves line the edges of the bands rough and tumble momentum, and with a few pensive breakdowns, the material shows that there is some depth behind their intimidating street brawler-like hostility. In essence, the band have better learned to balance their modern metalcore traits with their traditional hardcore roots and "Merciless" proudly displays it. No nostalgia, no throwbacks, no pretending to be Swedish, just straight up powerful hardcore with a message retrofitted with some metal plating. Of course this also means it's repetitive and admittedly a bit short sighted in terms of taking the listener anywhere new. In fact, while many may cite the band as being controversial, there's an ambiguity to the lyrics that leaves such claims to be earned only by their rather dubious cover art. Instead, this is rock solid metalcore being played by a group down to earth and socially aware enough to gain respect from the old guard. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it's still revved up and has enough substance in its tank to put a considerable amount of van-driven mileage on it.

Writing reviews of hardcore and metal albums seems like a constant struggle to find new and interesting ways to say “heavy,” and that's probably appropriate because the albums themselves seem to be an attempt to do the same thing. Thankfully, while Most Precious Blood's Merciless can certainly be described with its share of synonyms, it can also be described as a simple, solid metal-influenced hardcore album. Even though the band has added some light electronic touches, mostly with sampled choirs, none of it really gets in the way, and the album would easily transfer to a live setting. The record builds on much the same influences as Our Lady of Annihilation; classic hardcore with some light metallic touches. In fact, take this as a positive or a negative; there is nothing about this album which confines it to 2005. It could just as easily have come out five years ago or five years from now, because there is little to no trend-hopping, minimal melodic vocals, and no Pantera-derived breakdowns. Rob Fusco's stellar vocals still anchor the album together, and his seething snarl is well complimented by the powerful rhythm section. The band plays with the tempos a little, from slower, groove-laden moments to gallopping double-bass bursts. “Shark Ethic,” which opens the record, is laden with production touches like a singing choir layered over the thumping bass drum, but soon returns to familiar territory. These flourishes are common, like a keyboard part attached to “Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves.” The opening of “Driving Angry” does include a somewhat unecessary, clean vocal part, but it is quickly abandoned and Fusco takes center stage. Lyrically, the band also sticks to the ethos spawned by early metal/hardcore acts: Cruelty-free lifestyle messages abound and preached with the same abandon as straight-edge anthems on a Youth of Today album. One of the tracks is even titled on John Robbins' seminal vegan lifestyle book, Diet for a New America. If there is a failing to the album, it's that later tracks spend far too much time opening and closing with unecessary vocal samples, disrupting the flow from track to track. “Curse of the Immortal” is almost a minute of vocal samples, and “Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem” also wastes valuable time and energy on this note. This is particularly disappointing as the melancholy track is one of the strongest on the album. Overall, Merciless is a strong album from one of Trustkill's most consistent and reliable acts. Outside of some unecessary electronic trickery and the aforementioned skits, the songs themselves are incredibly solid and versatile and give some hope to the future of metal-influenced hardcore outside of the trendiness of the current scene.

Merciless is a premium blend of metallic hardcore. It has a flavor level that is virtually unmatched in the genre, and leaves a convincingly bitter taste in your mouth. On what is MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD's third full-length, and the second to feature former ONE KING DOWN singer Rob Fusco, on vocals, this album is another exhibition of addictively punishing tunes. With MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD (and its predecessor band, the great INDECISION), the one thing you could count on from release to release (besides line-up instability) was a varied strain of sound. Never afraid to mix things up and incorporate new tricks, this band has stayed relevant and desirable by knowing how to stir people's buttons... while given them a crushing soundtrack to follow. Merciless is both heavier, and more streamlined than its predecessor, Our Lady of Annihilation. The "new tricks" happen to be minor touches of backing keyboards which usually helps accentuate 'the darkness.' And although not quite a trick, this album is the band's first recording with drummer Colin Kercz. As one might surmise, Kercz is one hell of a drummer, and the percussion is downright scary on some tracks, including the red hot "Damage Control Freak." Whereas Our Lady... focused primarily on songs between 2-2:30 minutes that moved at a mostly mid-tempo, bruising speed, Merciless is more expansive and a few ticks faster to boot. When it rolls along at fullspeed, MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD sounds like a freighter ship trying to bust its way through a too-tight canal. The dual guitars of Justin Brannan and Rachel Rosen keep to their traditional role of flattening anything in sight while Matt Miller's damning bass lines rumble freely. Miller's playing attracts a standout role on the eleventh tune, "Narcoleptic Sleepwalker," where the bass thrashes around like a doctor hastily pulling out stiches on a nine-year-old. That brings me to Fusco, whose industrial-size vocals greet you like with the welcoming joy of a cloud of gnats. While Fusco's harsh style meshes perfectly with the band's hulking sound, his vocals fall prey to monotony on a few of Merciless' songs, most obvious on the ravaging eighth track, "Diet For A New America." It sounds almost funny coming from my brain, but it wouldn't hurt Fusco to exhude maybe a little more warmth. Never a band to hide their emotional weight (personal or sociocritical), Merciless wraps its arms around themes of conflict. The album's grand finale, "Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem," wisely poses the rhetorical question, "take out the holy war and what's left to fight for?" On the scatching "Oxygen Debt," Fusco growls in perfect meter, "Crippling depression. Pernicious suppression. Abandoning conviction. Internal eutrophication. Pure elation in regression. I'm so close to giving up. I cease to wonder. Don't follow me. I'm going under." You might need a sweat rag handy to get through this disc in one listen - Merciless is far from a misnomer.

Most Precious Blood was born out of the ashes of the band Indecision and is a New York based hardcore band. In 2003 they shocked the world (or was it the United States?) with the cover artwork of their ‘Our lady of annihilation’ album. An cover with a Madonna (not the fallen one with the big boobies!) with a time bomb strapped in front of her chest. And now in 2005, again, MPB did shock another part of the world with their newest album ‘Merciless’. In fact, the cover will not even make it to the stores, because some people thought it was offensive…. It showed a corpse that was in a state of advanced decomposition laying in a mortuary. The cover that will make it to the stores contains the same picture, but now with a sheet over the corpse….. Long live censorship right?!! On ‘Merciless’ MPB make clear that they are furious. Furious on so many subjects as it seems. The band strives for a cruelty free lifestyle, the members are involved in animal rights and are all strictly vegetarian. In their songs they trigger their frustration on politics, organized religion, materialism and shit in life in general and seeing it all in a doom-scenario. Musically the sound differs between in-your-face old school US hardcore and heavy-tuned modern metalcore emerged with a modest dose of electronic goth rock samples (like the opening theme taken from The Sisters of mercy’s ‘This corrosion’ ) and movie(?) soundclips. Singer Rob Fusco throws out all his hate in a kind of spitting way like John Tardy (Obituary) or Rick Ta life (25 Ta life), but in a more understandable style. The band knows how to keep an album in motion by changing the material from full speed ahead to grooving mid-tempo and everything in between. I’m an open-minded metalhead and I really now how to appreciate some good old punk and hardcore music and I can honestly say I like this 'Merciless' album! Musically it’s a really interesting mix of pure hate, aggression and melancholy. Emotions that this fucked up world every now and then evokes in every person. Though there is one thing that worries me a bit. I get the feeling that the band is too much driven to convince people that a vegetarian lifestyle is the best there is….The song ‘Diet for a new America’ is a sort of dream about a meat free lifestyle and in the info given with the promo it’s literally said that nowadays kids can buy a punk outfit in every store, but there is nobody who teach them so called punk or hardcore ideals, such as vegetarianism….. O common! What the fuck has hardcore to do with vegetarianism?! In the metal and grindcore scene there are also a lot of vegetarians , but they keep that to themselves. It’s the music that counts and if you have some kind of life-style, that’s really cool and I really respect that, but please stop judging people who don’t live by ‘your rules’! I do hope that MPB is not that kind of band and that I miss interpret what they want to make clear, otherwise I think they will not reach that wide audience their music deserve to. People don’t like to be told what to think, say, eat, listen or drink. Trying to enforce that will only result in just the opposite! I recall myself; it’s the music that should count and nothing else! Regarding to the music this 'Merciless' is a very strong album that needs to be checked out by every open-minded hardcore and metal fan!! MPB will be touring Europe again this year and when I’m able to go to a show we all will go up into the music, as fans of good music do!

New York's Most Precious Blood return with their third album. Whilst remaining as angry-as-hell and – true to their punk roots – having plenty to say for themselves and their generation, MPB demonstrate a skillful approach to songwriting that is, with all due respect, rarely heard in the hardcore genre. This band can hammer out pit-stirring stomps like the best of them, but there's a pleasingly melodic thread to their sound. The album even opens with some lavish and epic orchestra accompaniments! This takes nothing away from their effectiveness as a genuine street-level band. This is an album that can court with the mainstream without distancing itself too much from the original New York hardcore sound.