Reviews for Rust: A Fiction: “This the second full-length release from New Zealand darkwave act The Mercy Cage. The songs here contain the same mixture of excellent drum programming, deep, emotive vocals, & haunted instrumentation that has served TMC well so far, but add a certain depth that was missing in earlier work. Although there’s a wide range of variety in the songs, the album flows smoothly, pulling you along with it from one song to the next… There is a tangible ‘feel’ to the whole thing that just makes it that much better. A few highlights: “The Valium Whip”… It has all the necessary requirements of a great song – catchy synth lines, great vox, & an all around intense feel. “Needle Marks (& Scars)” is another great track, with some of the best programming on the whole album. The intro leads you in with semi-spooky bells & pads, then breaks into the verse with a hard, distorted beat & a cool call/response vocal effect. “Raining Over Vegas” is chock full of cool electro-sounds & vocal effects, with a slightly mellower feel than the previous two. Though I’m usually not a big fan of female vocals, their presence in this song (and others on the album) feels ‘right’… I could go on & on about this disc, it really is an impressive piece of work. Fans of any form of dark electronic music should check this one out- I’m willing to bet you won’t be disappointed.” – System Interrupted [U.S.A] “A 17 track CD which follows a conceptually written story. The tracks are very original dark atmospheres, elektro-industrial, powered by machines programmed to keep the dance floors of the apocalypse churning coldwave, electronica, ambience and industrial into a nice mix.” – EBM.gr [Greece] “These guys have done a great job of compiling dark dance beats, dark electronic sounds and a great touch of doom. The vocals on the CD are understandable and clear however they take the backseat to some good well programmed electronic sounds. There is a wide range of variety across the tracks on this CD which definitely makes for a more attractive package. Stand out tracks on the CD for me were “Needle Marks [& Scars]” and “The Valium Whip”, both containing well developed synth lines combined with good beats and, in parts, hard distorted sounds… Most darkwave fans that like a slightly harder edge will really enjoy this CD; while these guys aren’t hitting it big just yet, they will grow a strong following in time. Overall it’s a great mix of goth/darkwave/EBM and I am glad I had the pleasure to review it. I look forward to new releases. – FIEND Magazine [Australia] “Hailing from New Zealand, The Mercy Cage is one of the most stunning electro-industrial artists on the stage of this growing genre, finding a home in every corner of the known world with their distinctly dark and acidly mesmerizing style. Their current CD release, “Rust: A Fiction” exhibits a sweeping, entrancing and incendiary movement that is unlike any music anywhere on the market, irrespective of genre.” – BLC Music [U.S.A] “The Mercy Cage have succeeded at producing danceable electro-darkwave tracks. The music roots itself into an electronic foundation, but manages to bring in hints of classic gothic sound and industrial elements. The results are tracks with high energy, dark sound and infectious grooves. Electronically manipulated voices, warped in a variety of ways… steady, march-like beats move effortlessly along with an assortment of waves to build a space of its own… Strange piano melodies are dropped in places and sometimes intense organ storms through with menacing urgency. Fatter sounds take part in many tracks, giving the music a bigger sound that can be quite reminiscent of trance – even more perfect for dance floors. It would be quite easy to become lost in the music while dancing away the night.” – Sublevel203.com [U.S.A]