ALBUM: Mercutio 'Back To Nowhere'

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When a band shares its name with one of Shakespeare’s most charismatic characters, the musical equivalent of Verona’s walls become difficult to scale. Italian born alt-rockers Mercutio may not fly over these barriers like lovelorn Romeo to sweet Juliet; but their debut album Back To Nowhere offers something for those less concerned with the Bard’s creations.

Opening track ‘Shed Your Skin’ hosts gravelly vocals and aggressive guitar, something which is continued on eponymous ‘Back To Nowhere’, and later track ‘Hail The Night’. ‘Anytime’ chronicles a romantic struggle through gritty guitars, quiet verses, and loud choruses; whilst ‘Fake’ is a rampant, insatiably dramatic listen.

Slowing down the pace is ‘A Part Of Me’, with its soulful vocals begging you to submit and give in to “your favourite neurotic shiver”. ‘Mother’ is also a quieter track; contemplating the “lioness” instincts of maternal love through melodic guitar, swelling in to intense riffs at the close. Mercutio’s fire is cooled on ‘No Compromise’ – a track which reveals their softer side via acoustic guitar, shimmering symbols, and strings. The song has even been included on the soundtrack of Italian film L’Esigenza di Unirmi Ogni Volta Con Te (Getaway Love) directed by the talented Tonino Zangardi.

The heat is turned back up on ‘In Front Of You’ – a lament to “the dance of life and death we can’t control” – which explodes in to an electronic, raucous rant half way through. ‘Set Me Free’ rejects everything cruel and commercial in its lyricism, and ‘The Ghost That Is You’ leads in to closing track ‘Reasons To Erase’ – completing Mercutio’s collection of wild, dramatic tracks. Be sure to invest in Back To Nowhere if you like passionate, hyper-masculine alt-rock.

Back To Nowhere is released on 13th November via Diverge Records.