Martyrd - Maniac

 Genre: Thrash Metal

 Release Date: 2009

 Label: Unsigned

 Band Web Site: http://www.myspace.com/martyrd

 


In the mid-1980s, a new beast was spat from the womb of the goddess of heavy metal. It was the result of a union of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the speed and ferocity of punk. The newborn spawn was given the name thrash metal. On both coasts of the fruited plain stood titans among the many imitators. From the Bay Area of California, Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus and Testament staked their claim to the crown. Not to be outdone, the Big Apple thrash scene gave head bangers the gift of incredible bands like Overkill and Anthrax. They stood out from the spandex-clad big hair metal popular during the 1980s with their stripped down image, streetwise attitude and uncompromising aggression. In the early 1990s however, the ascendancy of death metal as well as the explosion of the grunge movement seemed to kill the thrash metal monster for good. Thankfully, it refused to die! Bands like Slayer somehow managed to keep thrash metal alive in the consciousness of heavy music fans all over the world, and in the early 2000s a new breed of warriors led by bands like Shadows Fall and Mastodon have brought aggressive metal back to the forefront. But to me, something was always missing…and it was the classic mix of melody and brutal attitude that gave birth to thrash in the first place. Last year, I was introduced to a band from Queens, New York that has kept the flame burning for classic thrash metal. They are called Martyrd, and I only have one word to describe them…AWESOME!

 

Martyrd was formed in 2003 and their current lineup consists of guitarists Michael Andreas and Dan Agapitos, bassist Kevin Nielsen, drummer Adam Birula and vocalist Aaron Pollard. The boys have been destroying necks throughout the Big Apple, earning a well deserved reputation as an intense live act and have opened up for a veritable Who’s Who of heavy metal such as Children of Bodom, Primal Fear and Sonata Arctica. In 2009, Martryd released their debut album Maniac. I have played this album constantly since I have acquired it and I truly feel with all of my metal heart that it is true thrash metal the way it was meant to be with no bullshit and no compromise.

 

Maniac is a flat-out thrash metal Indy Car going 190 miles per hour on the backstretch at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Martyrd boys never take their foot off the pedal! Each and every song is a killer, but I would like to single out a few tracks that are, in my humble opinion, the highlights of the album.

 

Album kickoff “Blue & Black” sums up all that is great about this album in one track. The intro is a delight of razor sharp riffs and a dual harmony that builds up until the assault begins from the lethal battery of Birula’s howitzer-like drumming, Nielsen’s earth quaking bass, the hail of gunfire that is the axe work of Agapitos and Andreas, and the unique yet fitting vocals of Aaron Pollard. His voice calls to mind elements of Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth (Overkill), Joe Belladonna (Anthrax), and Claudio Sanchez (Coheed & Cambria). Pollard also proves that you do not need to sound like Cookie Monster to be an extreme metal front man. This track is a thrash metal classic in the making and will leave you black and blue!

 

“Harvest” showcases more of the great melodic leads that are the trademark of the Andreas-Agapitos tag team. This darkly emotional track features some emotional vocals from Pollard, and even though the melodic elements really come out to play on this song, the bulldozer riffs in the background add aggression and an angry tone to the track. Dark, meaningful, melodic and heavy. Nice!

 

Tales of war, woe, and destruction are constant themes on Maniac, and one song where all those elements come to the fore is the body-crushing mercenary tale “Soldier of Fortune.” The blitzkrieg begins as the hail of riffing and speed demon drumming pound the listener and the song’s protagonist with a virtual bombardment. “Hell is not a time nor place, it’s born within my mind,” sings Pollard as he takes us into the dark world of a mercenary who wants the world to kneel before him. An angry tale about the horrors of war that would make Iron Maiden proud!

 

Did I say the relentlessness of the pace doesn’t slow down one iota on this album? Well, allow me some liberty to say that the madness does hit the brakes a bit for the emotional dark ballad “Six.” Aaron Pollard’s emotional vocals and some exquisite lead runs make this a very well-deserved break for the listener from the chaos and a chance for Martyrd to really show off its melodic side. Wonderful.

 

“Bombs Away” is another battlefield scorcher that is destined to leave as much destruction upon the landscape as the bombing of Dresden. The pounding of the drums, the savage attack of the guitars, the gritty vocals, and the rolling thunder of the bass line truly give one the feeling that this song does “kill ‘em all and let God sort them out.” Collateral damage will be high and there is nothing you can do about it!

 

The above-mentioned tracks are just a few highlights on a nitro-fueled power thrasher that really showcases the force and fire of these talented young lions. Each and every track is a killer and there is nary filler to be found. The tightness and the precision of the performances are also staggering. Aaron Pollard is quite the intense front man, especially during live performances as he has boundless energy and great rapport with the audience. His unique voice is one that may take some time to get used to, but your patience will be rewarded. As for me, I liked it straight away as it reminded me of other great thrash vocalists of past and present that I had mentioned earlier. The guitar duo of Andreas and Agapitos is the raw fusion of melody and savage brutality that fits like a glove over the iron fist of the rhythm section of Nielsen and Birula.

 

I’ve been waiting a long time for some good, honest, real thrash metal that does not take a back seat to trends, posing or compromise. Thanks to Martyrd and their phenomenal debut album Maniac, this long-suffering fan of classic thrash has to wait no longer! Also, given the massive mountain of potential that these hard-thrashing warriors have, I’ve got a feeling we have only scratched the surface of what Martyrd is capable of! Buy Maniac today, or I will come to your house and make you black and blue…or is it blue and black? Just buy the album and enjoy the return of true thrash! 

Review written by: Matt Bankes    
Date: March 16, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5