Stop, take a moment and savor the present, as this moment may be your last. Denmark’s MERCENARY count down The Hours That Remain, an album that chronicles the degradation, futility and roiling undercurrents that drag the human race further along its self-destructive path. Combining influences from death-prog masters Opeth to prog-power archetypes Nevermore/Fates Warning or also modern extreme-but-melodic acts like Soilwork, MERCENARY’s fine-tuned musical machine churns out a successful blend of clean and screaming death vocals, furiously blazing fret-board brilliance, and evocatively atmospheric keyboards. Established in the mid-‘90s with a simpler death-thrash style, MERCENARY have continuously expanded creating ominously sinister music that resonates with a unique Scandinavian coldness. Vocalist Mikkel Sandager and his brother, keyboardist Morten, joined Mercenary on 2002’s Everblack. Therein the band’s compositions became increasingly sophisticated, with their third full-length album and Century Media debut, 2004’s 11 Dreams, hailed as “perfect…10/10” by Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles and crowned “album of the month” in Germany’s Metal Hammer magazine upon release, amongst other remarkably positive worldwide press. Its success secured the band multiple European tours supporting bands like Evergrey, Brainstorm and Nevermore, as well as summer festival appearances at Wacken Open Air, Summer Breeze, Earthshaker Fest, Dynamo, Inferno Festival, Roskilde and many others. Returning to expertly and powerfully record and mix “The Hours That Remain” is Jacob Hansen (Communic, Maroon, Hatesphere, etc.), who already successfully worked with the band on the previous 11 Dreams release and with cover art by esteemed artist Travis Smith (Death, God Forbid, Katatonia), the album also includes guest vocal appearances by Soilwork’s Björn “Speed” Strid and Heaven Shall Burn’s Marcus Bischoff. Throughout the album’s recording process, the band has announced René Pedersen as replacement for their longtime bassist/vocalist Kral, who parted ways with the band some months earlier. The bass duties on “The Hours That Remain” were executed by producer and Invocator singer/guitarist Jacob Hansen.