MERCENARIO is a cross-country team-up between vocalist Tomas Stench of underground legends Morbosidad and multi-instrumentalist Erikk Stroude (AKA Belial Infernum), a scene veteran currently in The Black Temple and Terror By Night, among others. Short but most definitely sweet, Tormented Souls is the duo's debut recording, featuring four songs in 16 minutes. Not surprisingly, the EP is a finely honed warhead of blackened death metal bestiality, surging with old-school grindcore fervor and a griminess steeped in three decades of underground extremity. MERCENARIO keep proceedings concise and catchy, above all, with Stench in particular plumbing the ritualistic depths of his throat, bringing a unique aspect to this sepulchral style. As such, Tormented Souls should find favor with maniacs of Finland's Belial, Brazil's Impurity, Canada's Necroholocaust, and of course Morbosidad.
