Artist: MERCENARY
Album: THE HOURS THAT REMAIN LTD. (CD+DVD)

Release date: 2006
Media type: CD

Founded in Alborg during 1991 as a Thrash act MERCENARY would soon develop distinct Death Metal leanings by the time of their 1993 demo entitled ‘Domicile’. Guitarist Nikalau Brinkman is ex-CROSSBONES whilst drummer Rasmus Jacobsen is an erstwhile member of HUMANATICUM. MERCENARY, fronted by Kral (real name Hans Henrik Andersen) would lose his sibling guitarist Jonne along the way but recorded further tracks for a limited demo recording ‘Gummizild’ produced by Bo Summer of ILLDISPOSED. One of these tracks would also surface on the compilation album ‘Fuck You We’re From Denmark - Vol. 3’.

MERCENARY’s next move was to hook up with INVOCATOR man Jacob Hansen as producer for recording of a June 1996 EP ‘Supremacy’. After an eight year term of service drummer Rasmus Jokobsen would lay down his sticks in April 2002. MERCENARY would form part of a package billing with CALLENISH CIRCLE and Ireland's PRIMORDIAL for a short run of gigs in the low countries during September. Meantime, former MERCENARY guitarist Mircea G. Eftemie announced his new band venture MNEMIC in alliance with INVOCATOR session drummer Brian Rasmussen. 

MERCENARY parted ways with lead guitarist Signar Petersen in July 2003, the ex-member forging BROADMOOR, drafting the nineteen year old Martin Buus Pedersen as substitute. The departing guitarist duly founded TRANSPARENT, an alliance comprising the LOST, FAILED and LEMURIA credited vocalist Rene Pedersen, guitarist Danny Hove Jensen with Brian 'Brylle' Rasmusen of MNEMIC on drums. 

MERCENARY undertook a short burst of Danish dates in March of 2004 allied with Prog Metal band EVERGREY. In the Summer Anders Hшeg and Mikkel Sandager announced the formation of a new Thrash project in union with INVOCATOR drummer Jakob Gundel. 

MERCENARY signed to the Century Media record label in June for their fourth album, the Jacob Hansen produced '11 Dreams'. It contained a cover of KENT's hit single 'Music Non Stop'. The band would be chosen, alongside fellow Scandinavian acts THE HAUNTED, MNEMIC, HATESPHERE, RAUNCHY, MELTED, BLINDFAULT and STOMPED, to form up the "Nordic Threat" show for the Popkomm 2004 music convention at the Silver Wings in Berlin on 29th September. Subsequent gigs saw further supports to EVERGREY. 

During September 2005 MERCENARY partnered with Germany's DEW-SCENTED and US headline act NEVERMORE for European touring. Mikkel Sandager made studio time to guest session on German Hardcore band MAROON's 'When Worlds Collide' album. The group parted ways with Henrik Andersen in March 2006 but by mid the following month still wrapped up recordings for the album 'The Hours That Remain'. Newly introduced to cover bass would be Rene Pedersen, of LOST, LEMURIA, FAILED and TRANSPARENT. 

In June MERCENARY keyboard player Morten Sandager hooked up with PRETTY MAIDS for a brace of shows including the German 'Bang Your Head' festival. Released in August, 'The Hours That Remain' entered the Danish charts at number 67. The record, once again produced by Jacob Hansen, featured studio guests SOILWORK's Bjorn Strid and HEAVEN SHALL BURN's Marcus Bischoff.

Mikkel Sandager would participate in an "all star" performance at the 'ProgPower' event at Earthlink Live in Atlanta during September, headed up by noted Norwegian vocalist JORN LANDE, involving Zak Stevens of CIRCLE II CIRCLE and ex-SAVATAGE, Lance King of PYRAMAZE, Michele Luppi from VISION DIVINE, Pasi Rantanen of THUNDERSTONE, Michael Eriksen from CIRCUS MAXIMUS and guitarist Mattias "IA" Eklundh of FREAK KITCHEN.

TRACKLIST:

1. Redefine Me 
2. Year Of The Plague 
3. My World Is Ending 
4. This Eternal Instant 
5. Lost Reality 
6. Soul Decision 
7. Simplicity Demand 
8. Obscure Indiscretion 
9. My Secret Window 
10. The Hours That Remain 

DVD:
The DVD wil contain more than 2 hours of footage; Live footage, interview, more than 45 minutes "the making of..." documentary that follows the band from early November 2005 from the initial song writing to the finish in mid May 2006.

LINE-UP:

Henrik Andersen (vocals / bass)
Nikalai Brinkmann (guitar)
Rasmus Jacobsen (drums)