If overcoming adversity builds character, The Mercury Seed have built enough to be reincarnated as Abe Lincoln. In the months leading up to the early 2007 release of Throwing Rocks At The Sun, the five-piece New York band endured frustrating recording delays as well as an inferno that torched a practice space that housed many of the band’s prized instruments. But, determination prevailed over simple circumstance and the new collection of songs has emerged stronger for the experience. As the incendiary tracks on Sun prove, you should never—never—underestimate a band with something to prove.

“We really owed it to each other to raise our game on this record,” comments lead singer Volker. “Plus, we had been performing some of these songs live and I think that’s why this record sounds more confident than our last.” Guitarist John Jackson added, “Instead of doing straight live renditions of each song, we spent more time adding layers and textures. Listening back, it sounds like time well spent.”

America is thirsty for melodic, well-written guitar-fueled rock. They need a tall drink of The Mercury Seed. Hitting new songwriting highs with Throwing Rocks At The Sun, the band knocked out a head-to-toe winner. Tracks garnering the most fan and critical attention include the heart-on-its-sleeve “Liferaft”; the driving lead track “This Time”; the swaggering “Under The Radar” and the power-riffing “Start Again.”

Having built a loyal fan base while honing their live act at such Manhattan haunts as The Knitting Factory, Arlene’s Grocery, Mercury Lounge, Sine-é and Crash Mansion, The Mercury Seed expanded its audience in 2006 after being selected by XM Radio to open for Bon Jovi at Mohegan Sun Arena before 15,000 fans and also made the finals in the inaugural Emergenza Music Festival. Since, they’ve made fans out of strangers and converts out of non-believers.

Anthony DeCurtis, Contributing Editor at Rolling Stone, said of the Seed, “These guys are true believers who play it and mean it from the depths of their souls.”

The Mercury Seed continue to give an original spin to the time-honored two-guitars-bass-and-drums lineup. Previous releases include an eponymous debut and Dust. They also contributed “The Great Big No” to the Lemonheads tribute CD Squealing Fans In My Tune last year.