Self proclaimed “neon doom” band MERYS are certainly a unique prospect. Their debut self titled EP, blends doom metal’s slow weight with 80s synth textures and cinematic melancholy.
Recorded at Start Together Studios with Niall Doran, MERYS captures a dark, textured intensity that sits somewhere between collapse and catharsis. Layers of distortion and synth build around vocals that shift from lament to defiance — a stark, melodic reflection of modern dread.
These are some of the songs and artists that influenced the record.
Playlist
Bray Graythorne’s (Vocals/Bass) picks:
Fade to Grey – Visage.
Obviously the cover matter for our track Overlook (along with Main Title for The Shining by Rachel Elkind and Wendy Carlos), Steve Strange’s enigmatic synth hit from 1982 is a root inspiration for the bands synthwave beats and 80s musical heritage. The song’s haunting vocal lines have influenced my own styling and the imagery of the music video resonates with my own ideas for live aesthetic. Overlook [from our own debut EP] is our homage to 80s horror and its electro-synth dynasty and a tribute to this absolute classic song.
Maniac by Carpenter Brüt.
If you haven’t heard this, hear it. Now. This song is the ultimate blend of 80s synthwave and heavy metal sensibilities. This 2020 banger with guest vocals from Yann Liger was my inspiration for blending the synth and metal genres to create ‘Neon Doom’. Brüt’s cover of Maniac trailblazed the way for MERYS. Punchy, melodious and devastatingly catchy.. one of my all-time favourite songs.
Mirror Reaper by Bell Witch.
My metal influences are numerous, but few capture the crushing heaviness and sparsity of the doom/drone genre than this epic from Bell Witch. Guitar lines that hit you like a terminal diagnosis and rumbling vocals that sound earthen and ancient; a song with melancholy, beauty and despair. Mirror Reaper inspires the heavy aspects of MERYS for me personally and grounds that heavy musical lineage.
Andrew Moore’s (Synths/Samples) picks:
Forever by Chvrches
When I discovered Chvrches after they released their first album, The Bones of What You Believe, it was everything I wanted in sound, writing and just general presentation from music The song Forever comes later on in their discography but it’s one I regularly listen to on the train into Belfast. I’m borderline obsessed with recreating those warm synthpop sort of sounds for MERYS even if we’re using them in doomier, heavier ways.
The Sinking Bell by Sunn0))) & Boris
It’s just a beautiful ethereal collaboration between two bands known for the complete opposite in their extremely noisy, claustrophobic, drone and doom albums. It has a real unsettling Lynchian or Kubrickian atmosphere to it, which tonally is a massive thing for MERYS, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees similarities between it and the theme from Twin Peaks by Julee Cruise [Falling]. Had the pleasure of seeing both live, and think they do things with music few are brave enough to do.
Glósóli by Sigur Rós
Was a toss up between this or Anthem for No State by Godspeed You! Black Emperor but I’d consider this album [Takk…] my gateway drug into the world of ambience and post rock and one of my favourite albums of all time. This opening full track on the album still gives me chills – it’s loud, epic, emotional and so uniquely them that it’s almost like magic. Perfect. No notes.
Ian Harper’s (Guitar) picks
Great Ocean Road by The Gathering
I first heard this song about 24 years ago. The album itself is a favourite of mine and this song stands out. Great combination of sounds, industrial sounding drums, thick fuzzy lead tones and the incredible range of Anneke van Giersbergen.
Ash & Debris by Paradise Lost
Not my favourite era of Paradise Lost, this album is hit and miss in my eyes. But the lead guitar tone, and the emotion in the lead guitar sections are an inspiration for my own work
Violet Vortex by Cathedral
I love how simple this song is. Two minutes of pure groove, beautiful thick guitar tone, enough said.
Chris Moore’s (Drums) picks
You’re Lionel Richie by Mogwai
It’s hard to pick one song from Mogwai that can be called a true influence for the kind of drums I wanted on the EP. I’ve picked You’re Lionel Richie from Hardcore will never die. But you will not just because it is from my favourite album of theirs but has just the best drum sound for the type of music we are playing. At times quiet and ambient before some real in-your-face intensity. Martin Bulloch seems to me to play to the betterment of the song, without ego, which has really shaped how I make music and also why I’ve seen Mogwai live more times than I can count.
Scalphunter’s Blues by Earth
I’m always being told in the practice room to play slower. This is a challenge as a drummer whose previous band had songs that approached light speed and so to counter this I’ve taken influence from Adrienne Davies of Earth. She is the master of unhurried trance-like drumming that translates to you in the audience completely hypnotised swaying along in the atmosphere the songs create. I’ve chosen Scalphunter’s Blues because I believe it was a song cut from “Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method” an album inspired by one of my favourite books in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. I should also mention she also has one of the best snare sounds I’ve ever heard live.
You Fail Me by Converge
More of a personal influence than one that had much of an impact on the EP but Ben Koller’s ability to always be driving a song with such brutal intensity is something that always brings me back to both You Fail Me the song and the album. I always find something new to love when I listen to this album and it, along with Beecher’s Breaking the Fourth Wall (also produced by Kurt Ballou) are my favourite metal albums of all time.
