The second solo effort from vocalist Sara Jezebel Deva - otherwise known for her work with a number of more or less established metal acts - The Corruption of Mercy is a collection of bombastic and epic sounding gothic metal tracks - with the occasional ballad popping up now and then.
Unlike a lot of other epic gothic metal, this release is happily cheese-free for the most part, which definitely is a feature of the album that appeals to me. Moreover, while the base sound of the album is a dark blend of power metal and traditional metal, The Corruption of Mercy takes several plunges into the world of more extreme metal and, thus, there are actually some quite ferocious and aggressive uptempo passages, and a good number of blastbeats, too.
The main source of the epicness of this album is the symphonic approach the pervades it, and in addition to all out metal you can find a layer of choirs and symphonic instrumentation which generates the same sort of dark, almost avant-garde and progressive, epic feel that also characterizes Dimmu Borgir's Abrahadabra.
Given that this is a solo effort from Deva, her vocals are obviously in focus, and she is indeed a gifted vocalist capable of many singing techniques. But her singing is not so dominant that it obscures the instrumentation, and the musicianship is definitely high on this album.
The Corruption of Mercy is an epic and bombastic gothic metal release, which should appeal to fans of the likes of Dimmu Borgir's more recent releases and to fans of symphonic metal in general.
... oh, and the Cranberries cover is, if nothing else, then at least very interesting.
Track list:
1. No Paragon of Virtue
2. The World Won't Hold Your Hand
3. A Matter of Convenience
4. Silence Please
5. Zombie (The Cranberries Cover)
6. Pretty with Effects
7. What Lies Before You
8. Sirens
9. The Eyes That Lie
10. The Corruption of Mercy
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