After a six-year absence, the mighty mechanical beast that is Martyr have returned, their chops polished and modulating better than ever. Conjuring the power and the fury of their trademark sound, their latest effort sees them endeavour their most technical journey to date. Each song is a complex web of circuitry, frantic yet calculated riffs sending electrical pulses to ignite consequential nodes, shifting in and out of ferocious beats and thought-provoking grooves. They incorporate an abundance of formidable and compelling hooks, measuring up to those on Warp Zone but with more panache and sagacity. Palpable and monstrous, the bass lines are always particularly intriguing, accenting the guitars in front and contributing a key element to their overall dynamic. This undeniable presence is largely due to the impeccable production; Pierre Rémillard evokes all of the subtle nuances contained in each transmission. The result is an auricular massacre; each track blazing with the deafening roar of an F-16 while each note is still parlayed as clear as the sirens warning of their oncoming attack. Their finest album yet, this is another magnum opus to add to the long line of Canadian classics.
(Galy)Martyr
Feeding the Abscess
BY Jill MikkelsonPublished Feb 15, 2007