Thrash metal group started by John Knoerlein (drums), Mike Guilta (guitar), and Rob Michael (bass). Guilta left early and was replaced with Tom Maxwell. Group added Nick Ellingson (guitar) and John Gontrum (lead vocals). Gontrum was replaced with Sean Zellers, then Lee Dayton who did vocals for group’s first demo “Pleading for Mercy” in 1984. Next, they brought in Lonnie Fletcher (lead vocals ex-Cry Baby). Ellingson was later replaced with John Bryan (guitar). This lineup did 1985 demo “Mass Destruction” to much fanfare and group did much touring. After Brenner left and Ellingson returned, the group signed with Combat Records and released their 1986 EP “Armageddon Descends.”
Knoerlein left in late summer 1986 (he was later with the Funk Junkies) and was replaced with drummer John Grden (ex-Driving Force, Blitzkreig). By end of ’86 Ellingson had also left and guitarist Dave Brenner joined. In spring 1987 Maxwell left and the same month Rob Michael was seriously injured in an auto accident while on tour in New York. By the time Michael recovered and returned, the lineup settled in with him on bass, along with guitarists Maxwell and Brenner, Grden (drums), and Al Carre (lead vocals), but band split up by 1988.
Their song “The Omen” was included on the 1986 comp “Metal Massacre VII” (Metal Blade Records). The medley “Armageddon Descends” was included on the 1999 comp “The Bootcamps” (Century Media Records).
In 2004 Stormbringer Records released a limited-edition vinyl album “The Years of Mercy” that included remixed versions of all Have Mercy’s demo recordings.
Maxwell and Grden went on to join Decadence. Maxwell later with Nothingface. Michael later with Fear of God, Jakkpot…
1984(CS) (indie) Mass Destruction
1986(EP) Combat MX8117 Armageddon Descends
2003(LP) Stormbringer Years of Mercy
