Controversy is rarely an attribute to be proud of, but death metal juggernauts Martyr Defiled have honed it into an art form – quickly becoming one of the most talked about underground bands in the UK. Creating an intense blend between the anger and passion of the hardcore scene of the early 2000s with the blackened death metal stalwarts of Dark Funeral and Behemoth, Martyr Defiled hit the ground running. Emerging from a convoluted English death metal/hardcore scene in 2007, Martyr Defiled were quickly picked up by the legendary Leeds-based Thirty Days Of Night Records and released their debut EP in February 2009. This sold out of its limited 1000 unit pressing over the next 6 months, aided strongly by supporting tours with All Shall Perish, Annotations Of An Autopsy and The Red Chord – playing across the country to their already rabid fan base on hundreds of shows over the year.

“Collusion”, the band’s debut album through Siege Of Amida Records, is summary of 3 years of keeping the bands collective nose to the grindstone. Fighting through stolen equipment, stolen vans, poverty and 15 consecutive member changes vocalist Matthew Jones comments that ‘We are made stronger by everything that brings us down, and we make this show through our music. We’re pissed off with the world.’ The album emanates anger throughout, but Martyr Defiled have also found another musical string in their bow – atmosphere. The album flows through several stages, and by far the most interesting is the low key clean sections, the dynamic breaks in their songs and the almost post rock/progressive finale in “Archae”.

The band are currently moving forward with their as yet untitled sophomore effort. Expect more crushing groove, more atmosphere and much more sophistication on the next record – expect something playing to their strengths and much more comfortable exposing their weaknesses. Recent exposure on prime time Ch4 program Hollyoaks, as well as constant touring throughout the UK and mainland Europe and features in many UK national publications including Metal Hammer will leave no one in question of the hype Martyr Defiled create around themselves, and their music speaks for itself – pure hate and aggression against the system that seems incapable of holding them down.

Martyr Defiled
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