Kings of Mercia - S/T (Jim Matheos, Joey Vera - Fates Warning; Simon Phillips)

[goo-goo]

Jim Matheos, who has become probably my favorite musician of all time, is going to release this album/band. Very interesting lineup...

https://www.metalblade.com/kingsofmercia/?fbclid=IwAR2Q9Gx94w5ScIH8DMab2Y1mR2oPek5xxXM2ko32yZ1uzWi8m21ZKZTYz_0#bio

INFO
Kings of Mercia is:
Steve Overland: Vocals
Jim Matheos: Guitar
Joey Vera: Bass
Simon Phillips: Drums

The combination of big riffs, driving rhythms, thick yet lithe bass lines and rich vocal melodies has made for some of the greatest music of all time, and in the hands of Kings Of Mercia this recipe is intoxicating. The new project features guitarist Jim Matheos (Fates Warning, OSI, Tuesday the Sky) along with the vocal talents of Steve Overland (FM). The duo are joined on their debut album by the dynamic rhythm section of drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips (ex-Toto, Derek Sherinian), and bassist Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Armored Saint).

Music will be launched later this summer with an album scheduled for release this fall.

[emtee]

I'm in. Like you, I love JM. Anxious to hear it.

[TAC]

Wow that's interesting. Not the hugest fan of Simon Phillips, but I'm definitely on this.

[wolfking]

That's an interesting lineup for sure.  Overland has a great AOR voice, so not expecting anything that heavy here but interesting to hear how Jim and Steve work together and what they come up with.

[HOF]

Don’t know what Mercia is supposed to mean, but I keep seeing this and thinking the band’s name is “Kings of ‘Merica.”

[Nel]

Don’t know what Mercia is supposed to mean, but I keep seeing this and thinking the band’s name is “Kings of ‘Merica.”

Mercia is one of the old British Kingdoms.

[Deathless]

Take my money now. Does Overland have any decent tracks to listen to? Never heard of him.

[bl5150]

Take my money now. Does Overland have any decent tracks to listen to? Never heard of him.

It's old but check out Tough It Out by FM (1989).  His voice really hasn't changed much with age

[jammindude]

Don’t know what Mercia is supposed to mean, but I keep seeing this and thinking the band’s name is “Kings of ‘Merica.”

Same

[LudwigVan]

Don’t know what Mercia is supposed to mean, but I keep seeing this and thinking the band’s name is “Kings of ‘Merica.”

Mercia is one of the old British Kingdoms.

Anyone who has watched The Last Kingdom knows what Mercia is. 

[TAC]

I suppose that would mean one would have to know what The Last Kingdom is first.

[HOF]

I suppose that would mean one would have to know what The Last Kingdom is first.

Yeah, I’m drawing a blank on that too.

[ZirconBlue]

Guard: You've got two empty halves of coconut and you're bangin' 'em together!
King Arthur: So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, through the kingdom of Mercia, through...
Guard: Where'd you get the coconuts?
King Arthur: We found them.
Guard: Found them? In Mercia?! The coconut's tropical!

[LudwigVan]

I suppose that would mean one would have to know what The Last Kingdom is first.

Yeah, I’m drawing a blank on that too.

Netflix historical show set in England during the Dark Ages.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Kingdom_(TV_series)

[wolfking]

Take my money now. Does Overland have any decent tracks to listen to? Never heard of him.

It's old but check out Tough It Out by FM (1989).  His voice really hasn't changed much with age

That's true, his voice still sounds pretty damn good now. Just needs a better platform, this may be it.

[Nel]

I suppose that would mean one would have to know what The Last Kingdom is first.

Yeah, I’m drawing a blank on that too.

It's a show about the Viking invasion of Britain in the 800s. I haven't watched it, funny enough, I know about Mercia because of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which is a game about...

the Viking invasion of Britain in the 800s. 

[SoundscapeMN]

interested. The vocals could be key.

Odd the singer Steve Overland is from FM, but not the FM I know of from Canada, but the FM from the UK.

[goo-goo]

New single out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9oJrJ4g27U&list=PLy8LfIp6j3aJcqxsPgyQo1zgQXDyaai1m

Damn, sounds awesome! 

[TAC]

Did they not invite Joey Vera or Simon Phillips to the video shoot?

The song itself is extremely average.

[SoundscapeMN]

yeah, the vocals are not blowing me away.

[Max Kuehnau]

Did they not invite Joey Vera or Simon Phillips to the video shoot?

The song itself is extremely average.

solid drumming though (yes, Simon is one of my heroes)

[Deathless]

That song was fine? Is Metal Blade becoming the new Frontiers with these sort of super groups being built around Fates Warning? Lol

[goo-goo]

Interesting reaction lol. I'm liking the song a lot. But then again, I'm a huge Matheos fanboy. The music is fairly original but considering what Jim does regularly, it's pretty interesting for me to hear him play a song like this one.

[TAC]

Did they not invite Joey Vera or Simon Phillips to the video shoot?

The song itself is extremely average.

solid drumming though (yes, Simon is one of my heroes)

The drum production was excellent. But Simon has a kind of pitter patter style that I don't love.

[Samsara]

Enjoyed it. As I said in the Fates thread, I dig it when Jim goes a little more straightforward.

[HOF]

yeah, the vocals are not blowing me away.

Kind of thought the vocals were the most remarkable aspect of the song.

[TAC]

yeah, the vocals are not blowing me away.

Kind of thought the vocals were the most remarkable aspect of the song.

If so, that's not a good sign.

[T-ski]

Thought the song was kind of a snoozer. Pretty generic rock song.

[wolfking]

That song was fine? Is Metal Blade becoming the new Frontiers with these sort of super groups being built around Fates Warning? Lol

One minute in I thought this song would fit nicely in the Frontiers thread.  I didn't mind it though, but it's very generic.  Wouldn't be something I'd want to spin over and over.  Hopefully the album has a little more adventure.

[TAC]

The first thing I thought of was Frontiers.

[wolfking]

The first thing I thought of was Frontiers.

Yep, definitely not a good sign. 

[TAC]

The first thing I thought of was Frontiers.

Yep, definitely not a good sign. 

Unless you're Lowdz.

[Lowdz]

The first thing I thought of was Frontiers.

Yep, definitely not a good sign. 

Unless you're Lowdz.

Hey, I hate Frontierss as much as anyone 😁😁.

[MinistroRaven]

Today, Kings of Mercia are pleased to share the new single “Liberate Me”.  Watch the visualizer for the single here:
https://youtu.be/Ce-HVPeiBpE

[Deathless]

That was a bit better.