Martyr - Highway Warriors

Share this on Facebook | Share this on Twitter

The love for the past is manifested in music, and in every musical genre you can think of. But there’s a dangerous point where no one can transcend, because the band can become a clone of what was done time and time again. It seems that the German band MARTYR doesn’t know that and passed the point on its EP “Highway Warriors”.

The band’s musical work is a recollection of elements used by bands of NWOBHM and for early German Speed/Power Metal during the first half of the 80’s. It’s a form of music that was already done time and time again, and to follow such way, it needs a lot from the band, but it missed the point, as said above, and sounds like another copy of many band heard in the 80’s. Obviously that these words can sound like a compliment for many that dream to go back to the 80’s, but I’m not praising it. Instead, as a guy who lived in the 80’s, I’m saying that it’s hollow of sense of existing. Sorry, but a new ACCEPT or IRON MAIDEN isn’t needed.

And such work has as its worst sin to try to be an 80’s recording. Please, there’s no sense in trying to emulate the hollow sonorities of the past, because things were in that way because the bands had to do so. It sounds hollow and without weight, because it’s a poor and wannabe sonority. Maybe the guys could hear to what ENFORCER and BURNING WITCHES are doing…

“Highway Warriors”, “Strike of the Whip” and “Heavy Metal Outlaw” can be said by the beginners as something with energy and ‘real’. But if an old Metalhead that is proud of his/hers history hear these songs, the laughter and scorn would be heard out loud. It’s just a copy without soul, trying desperately to fit on this trend of ‘mommy-I-want-to-be-like-the-80s’. Sorry, but General Relativity forbids it.

It’s just another release to be heard and ignored. If you can ignore it before hearing it, it’s the best thing to do.

Musicianship: 7
Songwriting: 3
Memorability: 4
Production: 4