Kings of Mercia’s 2022 self-titled debut was termed “truly a hybrid: it’s heavy, but not metal. It’s got tones of melodic AOR hard rock, but with an edge.”

2024 brings Battle Scars, the sophomore album featuring “Don’t Ask” and the epic “Aftermath” as the first singles. Written and recorded throughout 2023, Battle Scars sees the core writing team of guitarist Jim Matheos and vocalist Steve Overland expanding on their obvious chemistry.

“It's a different genre of music that I'm normally involved in,” says Overland, whose voice has been likened to other British greats Paul Rodgers and Glenn Hughes. Fans of Fates Warning, FM and
Armored Saint all rejoiced at the common ground on Kings of Mercia, the sweet spot in the middle of the Venn diagram.