Started by Andy Torres and Dan Holder in early march 2003. These 2 started to write a couple of songs using only guitar and vocals. They didn't even have a name, because there wasn't a whole band to give a name yet. Later two possibilities were thrown around. One was Merciless Onslaught, but they chose the other one, Merciless Death. In September 2003 Cesar Torres joined on drums, along with Mike Griego on rhythm/lead guitars. More songs were written, and practice was being held every week. Every song sounded like 80's Thrash/Speed Metal, if it didn't it wasn't used. On March 24, 2004, Merciless Death played its first show at the Chicago Bar in Santa Clarita. They also decided to record one of their rehearsals. The CD was recorded in Andy’s room using a home computer. A total of 8 tracks were laid down. This would later become known as 'The Shores of Hell' demo, but was never meant to be released. Yet somehow the songs found their way onto the internet a few years later. In May of 2004 Merciless Death set out to record their first proper demo, enlisting the aid of Jason Kivi, one of Dan’s acquaintance from school, who had recording equipment at his house, offering to record  for free. They spent several weekends at Jason’s house, recording, re-recording and spending a couple months waiting for him to hand over the results. Of course, like the old saying goes “You get what you paid for” and in this case, it was nothing. Then later on Mike quit, due to personal differences. The band ventured on as a 3-piece. Soon after, the 'Annihilate the Masses' demo was recorded at Command Audio in Santa Clarita. This was during July ‘04. Following the demo recording, Merciless Death preceded to play clubs and spread their name all around Hollywood and LA. By 2005, the 1st pressing of the 'Annihilate the Masses' demos had sold out. Thus the band proceeded to make a 2nd pressing, with new cover art and band picture. Dan took the next step by sending out several copies of the demo to various record labels in hopes of one of them finding interest in the band and signing them. Unfortunately, only Metal Blade had the courtesy to send a letter to the band with their response stating that Merciless Death’s music wasn’t the style they were looking for at the time. Rather than waiting for a record company to sign the band, their first full-length album, 'Evil In The Night', was self-released in May 2006. The 1st pressing of the album were individually hand numbered and limited to 100 copies. Those quickly sold out and another 300 were pressed without being numbered. It was around this time that Heavy Artillery Records approached the band and offered them a record deal. On March 2007, 'Evil In The Night” was re-released on with a new layout and artwork by Ed Repka. It was released on CD, vinyl and a limited edition Die Hard Collectors version on Blue and Red Color Vinyl, that included a poster and circular woven patch of the cover art.

"Thrash Metal's Future Warriors"

EVIL IN THE NIGHT (2007) HEAVY ARTILLERY

You take one lethal dose of Hirax, add 2 infectious spoonfuls of Destruction, and mix it in an old school Exodus blender, and what do you get? Well, Merciless Death would be my guess! These guys from Canyon Country, California means business! Like a freight train amok they roar though a set of apocalyptic thrash metal on their debut album. The guitars create a relentless wall of sound, backed by a vicious rhythmic assault on the senses, topped with a venomous vocalist, spitting and sneering out the lyrics as if they were burning on his tongue. Yup, Merciless Death knows what thrash metal is all about, At least the all-out aggressive kind. The pace is never let down, not for a single second. They just keep pounding and hammering your ears until they bleed! I like my metal raw. But I gotta admit that it is really hard to tell these songs apart, as they all tramples on in the same manner, and it 150 mph, all the time. A little variety wouldn't hurt, would it? Still this is thrash metal at it's purest, and I'm sure thrash metal's future warriors, as they call themselves in the liner notes following the CD, will have no problem gaining a large fan base, and a reputation to go with the music. Also worth mentioning is the killer artwork, done by Ed Repka (Megadeth, Evil Dead, Nuclear Assault etc.)

Killer tracks: Slaughter Lord, Command Death, The Final Slaughter, Ready To Kill

Merciless Death also appear on:  

V/A - 'Speed Kills... Again''