MERCERS

Mercers are:
Olly James – vocals
Phil Bashford – guitars, programming
Richard Titheradge – drums
Simon Glover – guitars

Rising from the ashes of the UK underground, MERCERS arrive with ‘The Liminal Tapes‘, a debut EP that feels less like a fresh starting point and more like the continuation of an unfinished story finally finding its true form.
Set for release on July 17th, the record introduces a band unafraid to confront personal fractures, political unrest, and emotional unease through a sound that balances atmospheric alternative rock with moments of crushing intensity.
Though MERCERS officially formed in 2025, the creative bond at the heart of the band stretches back much further.
Vocalist Olly James and guitarist/programmer Phil Bashford were previously central figures in UK nu-metal outfit FONY, crafting much of the material that defined albums like ‘Routine Irregular‘ and ‘Circles‘.
But MERCERS is not a nostalgic reunion project.
Instead, it represents an evolution.
A chance to revisit unfinished ideas while pushing into darker, broader, and more expansive territory.
With the addition of drummer Richard Titheradge and guitarist Simon Glover, the project quickly developed a new identity of its own.
While ‘The Liminal Tapes‘ revisits and reimagines older FONY tracks such as ‘A Satire for the World‘ and ‘January Zen‘, the EP’s strongest moments come from the fresh material, where MERCERS fully establish their voice:
textured, emotionally charged, and sharpened by years of experience.
Leading the charge is ‘Cleanse/Repeat‘ a fierce and emotionally raw single that channels anger and frustration into a direct political statement.
Addressing the destruction of Gaza and the wider erosion of democratic values in the West, the track combines urgent riffs, layered atmospheres, and a simmering intensity that never loses its melodic edge.
It is confrontational without feeling performative – the sound of a band speaking because silence no longer feels possible.
Elsewhere, ‘New Stockholm‘ dives into the increasingly fragile relationship between mental health and free expression, continuing the EP’s recurring themes of isolation, pressure, and emotional survival.
Across the record, MERCERS lean heavily into contrast:
vulnerable passages collide with explosive crescendos, while thoughtful arrangements and cinematic textures create an atmosphere that feels both intimate and unsettling.
Fans of FONY will undoubtedly recognize traces of the emotional weight and heaviness that once defined the band, but MERCERS operate with a more refined sense of purpose.
The aggression is more controlled, the songwriting more expansive, and the emotional impact deeper.
Rather than simply revisiting the past, ‘The Liminal Tapes‘ reframes it through the lens of experience, growth, and hard-earned clarity.
For longtime listeners, the EP feels like a missing chapter finally completed.
For newcomers, it is an impressive introduction to a band already sounding fully formed – intense, reflective, and unafraid to challenge both themselves and their audience.