Watch: Sunmachine reveal new video for ‘Mercy Killing’

It wasn’t too long after their formation in 2023 that British alternative rock band Sunmachine started to gain praise for their sound. Taking cues from alternative giants like Bring Me The Horizon and Linkin Park, the band’s earliest work was huge on riffs, but just as big on melody.

Their debut album ‘The Nova Effect’ proved to be a pleasingly varied affair, with the standout cuts each showing a different side to the band. ‘Best of Me, Worst of You’ flaunted a love for early Linkin Park; the heavier ‘Wake’ mixed in grungier riffs that occasionally called back to early Staind, and ‘Spine’ placed hard edged bass grooves against echoing vocals and sharp, semi-atonal guitar work to hint at a nu-metal-ish quality before exploding into a harmony drenched chorus.

Since that record demonstrated these musicians had an ability to nail whatever rock styles they fancied, expectations were set in place for an equally interesting follow up, but the lead single ‘Mercy Killing’ smashes all preconceptions. Not only does it present the band in a far more melodic frame of mind, it also shows an easy knack for creating music with a rather grand heart.

From the opening notes where a clean toned guitar underscores an emotive vocal, there’s a feeling that this is a number that’s a lot more thoughtful than your average alternative rocker. Kieran Osborne’s voice is the perfect counterpart to a very 90s sounding guitar, but as the melody branches out, so too does Sunmachine’s palate of influences. The mix of lighter vocal with guitar and keys shows a far more emo-centric influence than most of the band’s prior work, and a bluesy edge to the lead guitar accents the melody with a far more mature feel. Everything sounds great; maybe not exactly in the way some of the fans will be expecting, but the number’s main melody shares a pleasingly accessible sound.

Not that lovers of Sunmachine’s heavier side are about to be cheated here; at the track’s mid point, guitarist Jacob Wix unleashes a massive riff that’s part retro alternative, part post rock and all volume, which effortlessly rekindles Sunmachine;s hugely crunchy sound. There’s still a pleasingly broad melody at play, however, and that, along with some huge harmony vocals, creates the kind of climax that ensures most listeners will find something to enjoy. In terms of a return, this is superb – certainly an epic sounding single.

Check out the new video below.

One thought on “Watch: Sunmachine reveal new video for ‘Mercy Killing’

  1. We have been following the band for a few years and are never surprised when they produce another great song.
    Today’s prize ‘(Mercy Killing) follows my favourite (WAKE) and confirms the brilliant ability they have to innovate and grow.
    They are a superb group of performers and all very talented. I am going to be very interested to see if our so called music men will give this band the playing time they deserve.

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