Review: “At The Mercy Of The Merciless” by Anti-Sapien

Written on the road and recorded at Growl House Studios in Long Island New York by renound sound engineer and Mutilation Rites bassist and vocalist Ryan Jones (Pyrrhon, Flourishing, Overdose), “At The Mercy Of The Merciless” is a third portrait in Death Grind from Brooklyn natives Anti-Sapien. Proudly anti fascist, openly political and committed to calling out abuses of power while keeping their shows rooted in community and catharsis, the four piece have make their name with catchy, disgusting sewer filth and adrenaline fuelled fun songs that blend their love of D Beat Punk, Death Metal, Grind and the classic New York Slam tradition. The Brooklyn based firebrands may have started the group as something of a joke side project but now they’ve found a real sense of purpose, leaning into real world themes, personal damage and systemic rot without sacrificing the primal thrill of heavy music…

A howitzer of a whammy bar drop solo at the start of “Old Drugs” sets the tone for a raw and primal assault on the senses as Blake Charlton and Ryan Murphy go toe to toe vocally. The one two punch combination of brutal death growls and nasty shrill moments feel like they’re perforating the ear drum as the pair spit blood and venom in the shadow of intent, calling out the DEA as drummer Alex Fewell smashes the living daylights out of the drum kit. The four piece, rounded out by lead guitarist Nathan Rand are specialists in rapid fire caustic sonic abrasions and “Eater of Ghosts” continues that narrative after taking a moment to reload. A tour de force of old school riffs and are as easily digestable as a gourmet burger, this one has more energy than the energizer bunny after three white lines and four cans of a world famous caffinated beverage. The four piece are arch criminals, breaking, entering, smashing the place up and getting the hell out at neck snapping speed and the result is not only complete devistation but good clean fun with it. After a menacing and sinister introduction title track “D.E.A.D.” (“Do Everything All Day“) goes full throttle once more, the unsettling solo straight from a horror movie. The song’s theme reflects the idea that too much of life is wasted on worry, stagnation and unfulfilling obligations and the band use it to champion a philosophy of living fully and deliberately. Honoring the dreams of loved ones who are no longer here and refusing to get caught in cycles of empty distraction, put simply, they’d rather be dead than do everything all day and that’s something that resonates deeply.

Stompy and raw “At the Mercy of the Merciless” hits with the sonic force of a freight train, the band breaking the savagery for a moment of unhinged madness in the solo before breaking back into something Death Grind inspired. Another brute of a track, it serves as a violently turblent demonstration of what this band are all about, matching the aggression of the earlier tracks pound for pound. Arguably the biggested surprise of this record comes with the Traditional Heavy Metal solo of “Grinding the System” which sounds like it’s been ripped from a Judas Priest record and placed on this one while somehow managing not to sound of out place. The track itself is a war of words againt greedy corporations and corrupt politicians that keep the evil machine well oiled with the blood of its debtors as they thrive on profittering in crisis. As if that wasn’t enough of a sonic assault on the senses “George Washington’s Teeth” brings us back full circle with galloping drums, tremolo picking and pinch harmonics inflicting yet more damage to the craniuum before Roger Rivadeneira of No/Más roars “bite it you scum!” in the final verse. The kind of thought provoking narrative that will leave you musing on what you can do to bring around change, this is the wake up call that everyone needs to hear [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Old Drugs
2. Eater of Ghosts
3. D.E.A.D.
4. At the Mercy of the Merciless
5. Grinding the System
6. George Washington’s Teeth (ft. Roger Rivadeneira of No/Más)

“At The Mercy Of The Merciless” by Anti-Sapien is out 16th January 2026 via Terminus Hate City Records and is available over at bandcamp