Martyr Interview - HMTV (Canada)

Hi Martyr Congratulations on the release of your Double digipack "Fear The Universe" contains a re-mastered version of the 1985 debut "For the universe" and the brand new 5-track "Fear". Q. My first question is what prompted Martyr to come back into the music scene after 20 years, are all the original members still playing in the band today and while away from the music scene did the band still continue to play live shows throughout their area? A: It is great to be back after more than 20 years. After our first German reunion shows (although we did the very first reunion at the Heavy Metal Maniacs fest - Holland back in 2001) , we had such a thrill to be playing again with MARTYR. It was the Keep It True IV festival (Dittigheim - Germany) that brought MARTYR back to life really. That festival was so amazing , and the reactions of those true metal fans, from all over, during and afterwards our KIT reunion were so overwhelming that MARTYR wanted to keep that feeling. The same feeling we had back in the 80’s. Also in 2004 High Vaultage / Metal For Muthas re released our 2 albums For The Universe and Darkness At Time’s Edge. So we were back in business after KIT 2004 and we were offered the chance to play a lot more shows live immediately as well. With Rop van Haren on vocals we have our very first original singer back in the band. And a great frontman as well, check out our live shows and you will find out why , haha ! Our 2 albums "For The Universe"and "Darkness At Time's edge" however were recorded with Gerard Vergouw. Gerard was not able to do the reunion shows after 2004, so we asked Rop back. On drums we have Wilfried Broekman , who was in the band after we recorded the albums around 1986-1987. Her replaced Elias Papadopoulos who did not wanted to join MARTYR for more reunion shows after the 1st one on the Heavy Metal Maniacs fest. Marcel Heesakkers (guitars), Toine van der Linden (bass) and me (Rick Bouwman - guitars) are original members. After MARTYR quit around 1987 all members maintained active in the music scene with several other (hard) rock / metal bands. We have been doing a lot actually and we all have been playing in several bands after MARTYR. Some in the same traditions , others sounded very different. On the 2004 re release of the "For The Universe" and "D.A.T.E" albums we added a martyr labyrinth of all the MARTYR members and their post MARTYR acts. And even that is not a total list. To name a few bands you might know: Medallion (Rop, Wilfried) , Syrenade (Rick) , Mindscape (Rop , Wilfried) , Hot Legs (Toine) , Picture (Toine) , Vangouw, (Gerard) , My Brother jake (Toine, Rick , Wilfried) amongst many others. Most bands also released albums as well. After 2001 , the Heavy Metal Maniacs fest reunion, Gerard Vergouw (vocals) and Elias Papadopoulos (drums) followed their non musical careers. So you can say we went separate ways after 1987 but in the bands mentioned above we we always crossed each others paths. Q. Why did the band leave the music scene in the first place? A: First of all let me say that there has never been bad blood in this band. This band started as a band of friends and it still is. Although Gerard Vergouw and Elias Papadopoulos aren’t in MARTYR anymore. That is because of their own choices. When we released the DATE album it was a great step forwards compared to FTU. It was a more mature MARTYR and recorded to develop MARTYR’s popularity on a much larger scale. However , unfortunately the record company Metalloid Records lacked good promotion and distribution channels worldwide. It certainly was not due to the music, I know that for sure. Nowadays we still get great response on the DATE album!! After DATE we were pushed by a very large record company (Polydor Holland) to produce songs and demos in a more commercial way. That was around 1986 , when bands like Bon Jovi and Europe were getting very popular in Europe . But we couldn’t do that. In the end we were not signed (instead of MARRTYR Polydor Holland signed Yngwie Malmsteen) , band members changed , and the band unfortunately split. Q. The 80’s were the golden years a 100 bands could sell a million records now today a million bands are selling a hundred records with the market being oversaturated what is your opinion of the music scene today does Martyr see it more of a challenge or better with the internet or world wide web at their fingertips today compared to the past? A:When I look at the metals scene these days it is so hard to recognize bands and to be different than any other band. It is very easy to expose your music , which is good , and of course we also use myspace, hyves etc on the internet to promote the band and spread the news , but at the same time there is a lot of rubbish around. And a lot of bands that aren’t even trying to bring something new and refreshing. So compared to the past it is much easier to get in touch , with fans, with the business, with everyone really. On the other hand , it is much harder to get recognized amongst millions of others in comparison to the 80's scene. I am not pretending we are re inventing metal again with MARTYR, but we are always looking (and have been looking) for a sound that’s makes us recognizable. But that gets mere difficult than back in the early days ofcourse. I think metal will take it’s rightful place back in the future. The same way you can foresee the return of more vinyl re conquering the market instead of CD’s . People , especially in bad times, like the financial crisis right now, like to look back into history and tradition. Q. Is Metal a popular music genre in the Netherlands and are there plenty of place to play live shows? A: Yes metal is still popular in Holland. With the reunion of MARTYR starting a few years ago, more 80's bands have reunited as well. Some with success, like Picture, Vengeance...some are already again forgotten. Very popular in Holland is the goth scene (we call it sprookjesmetal), like Within Temptation , Delain (to name a few very popular Dutch bands). There are many good places to perform for bands like MARTYR. But it is always very important to do good promotion on the shows, because in such a small country like Holland with al lot of performances , especially in weekends, you'll have to stand out. Q. Can still fans purchase your former Albums “Darkness At Times Edge”, “For The Universe”, Metal Massacre VI and Dutch Steel on Vinyl? A: I guess they only can do that by searching the internet very often. Sometimes I discover our old vinyl issues for high prices, because of the cult status we have , and the rarity of the albums. Q. Will you be producing your Double digipack “Fear the Universe” on Vinyl? A: You know, that has been asked a lot. Vinyl is gaining popularity again. For now we haven't decided. We have the album Fear The Universe out for 3-4 months now. First of all we are very happy to have been able to release the 2CD double digipack on CD. And, although already very satisfied with the results of sales, exposure (reviews, promotional interviews etc) we are waiting how the album , will re establish MARTYR on the world metal map. Q. Is the new re-mastered “For The Universe” more brutal and heavier in sound than the original version? A: "For The Universe" has been remastered. That means that it is more brutal in the way that there has been added some more "bass"to it as well. Remember, however, it has been produced in the mid 80's. In comparison to the "Fear" album, that means that the production on "Fear" is far heavier and has a better sound to it. One of the reasons we decided to make this release a 2CD digipack instead of putting the old and new songs on 1 CD. Q. Can you tell us about your new Album Fear how it takes the listener on a journey of thoughts of evil, questioning self and fear? A:What we have been trying to do with Fear is not letting go totally of the 80’s feel , but because of our own progression, and the fact that we are 20 years away from the FTU release, it has a modern twist on the songs. That is our purpose, not to be completely different from the older material , but yet to sound stronger, heavier , with ofcourse a better sound and fresh ideas. We kept the basic elements in the songs, but approached them with a more modern vision. So Fear can be hopefully seen as the bridge to bigger things and a bigger development for MARTYR in the near future! On ‘Different Kind Of Rain’ for instance you can hear some alternative influences in our music, while "Fear"and "Eaten Alive" are more in the traditional style. We recorded in many smaller parts. The process, from start to finish, writing, recording, writing, recording etc took about 6 months all together. But the recordings itself did not take as long as that. Many parts were recorded in just one session. So actually, I think we recorded, mixed and mastered the material in about 3 weeks. We stepped a bit aside the NWOBHM style, because we wanted to present MARTYR as a band with a new face , new sound, but not totally ahead from their main influences. We kept the basic elements in the songs, but approached them with a more modern vision. So Fear can be hopefully seen as the bridge to bigger things and a bigger development for MARTYR in the near future as well ! I guess you can call it: classic metal with a modern twist. Q. Who writes Martyrs lyrics are they based around social issues, relationships or experiences the band has been through and do all the band members contribute to the song writing? A: Rop writes the lyrics and I don't know what the fuck he is writing about haha. No , without kidding, Rop writes in mysterious ways. "The Most Evil" for instance is about a musquito (did you know that?). Themes on our songs are always very different. They can be about relationships ("Take Me Home") , but can just be stories as well (for instance "The First Kin Slay" on the "DATE" album) All members contribute to song writing now adays. We write a lot by jamming in our rehearsal room. On the "For The Universe" and "DATE" album, most of the songs were written by me however. Q. I noticed the sounds from Fear are heavier and brutal than your previous Albums with a unique sound with different kinds of metal beats, does the entire band members share the same influences for their music for example are they into classical metal, death metal, hard rock or progressive metal genres of music and do they like to experiment and try new things with their sound? A: Martyr as a band do share the same influences when I look back at the beginning of our career. Current influences however after we split in 87 and came back a few years , ago are different. Because we all went seperate ways , and discovered different music and bands that influenced each member individually. In the early days our influences were bands like: Warlord , Loudness, X-Ray, Satan Jokers and the very early Queensryche (The Queen of the reich EP). Many people think we are influenced by Maiden or Anvil. We did like these bands, but they were not our fav's. Later influences are not necessarily in the heavy metal genre. Nowadays we like to experiment with more styles when we create new songs. Q. Have there been any challenges to laying down the song tracks for Fear to the recording and was there any help in the mixing and mastering of this Album? A: The recordings for Fear went very easily. Most of the songs on the drums and bass part were recorded in 1 track. After that we recorded guitars , vocals and solo's separately. We recorded Fear in Jack's Place studios , Belgium with producer Jack Nobelen. Jack is a very good guitar player, and knows what metal should sound like. He came up with some arrangements during the recording as well . And of course that gave us even more inspiration during the recording sessions. Mastering was done by Audiovisualz Amsterdam. Because of their experience in mastering brutal death metal , you can hear their influence in the final result as well. Q. Was Fear recorded with more of a live sound or did the band use digital means of recording this new Album using a computer? A: It was recorded totally live, no computers, no computer editing. My opinion is that you can hear it on the Fear album. And also that you can hear that the songs were recorded very spontaneously. Q. Will the band be producing any music videos from their song tracks off of Fear? A: We have a video on You Tube for the song "The Most Evil". It is not an official video clip , but contains live footage from our European tour with Lizzy Borden last December. There are no plans yet for another video. But please check out the live footage on "The Most Evil One". It gives an impression on a MARTYR live show although , I can advise everybody to experience Rop's performance for real , haha!! Q. MARTYR has been selected as featured artist in May 2009 on MHR TV , with their CD release party Feb 2009 live video of "Snow And Fire" is this video still on rotation at MHR TV? A: Yes it has been on rotation for a while now. This video has been shot live , by a fan, and shows MARTYR at their release party Feb 2009 in Holland. That was a great show and a huge party for us, with lots of friends and fans showing up. Snow And Fire is one of our very first songs we ever wrote with MARTYR. It must have been in 1983 or so. But just look at the video: it is one of our classic tracks and stands the test of time. Q. My favorite video is Speed of Samurai there is some really bad ass super brutal mean guitar riffs playing live is this video also on rotation at MHR TV? A: No, this one is not on rotation at MHR. I think I'll have to send it to Deuce from MHR soon , haha. Thanx for the advice. Q. Who is the fantastic Artist that designs all of Martyrs logos, posters, and CD Album Covers? A: Our logo was already designed in 1985 by Nico Arzbach. He is the guitar player from a very well known Dutch band : De Dijk. The CD cover for Fear was designed by Remco Bouwens (form Rusty Cage Records) and Wilfried (drums). You know what’s funny. When I sat down with Wilfried I told him I had this idea of an eye , looking with fear with a reaper in it. The FTU also has a reaper on it’s artwork. So there was a link with the old record. A few days later Remco send us a sample of the artwork he designed. It was an eye with the cover of the FTU album in it’s pupil. Scary right ? Wilfried and Remco then worked it out together and I think the result is great. It is a double package with on the front the Fear cover art, on the back the FTU cover art. When you open the album there are the 80’s pictures and in the same layout the 2009 MARTYR pictures. Seek the differences, haha. Q. How did your recent tour go in Europe with Lizzy Borden did you receive a great turn out fans attending and sell lots of merchandise and did the band include Fear song tracks in their playlist at this tour? A: The Lizzy tour was a blast. 5700 km in 2 weeks , doing 10 shows with them. You can imagine driving about more than 500 km average each day was a bit exhausting, because the booked venues were not always that close to each other. ( However I cab imagine in your country , that large, 500 km each day perhaps is more usual than in our small country ) For instance after Poland, back to Holland and up to Sweden, Denmark, back to Sweden and Germany to end in Holland again………. The Lizzy guys are GREAT guys and we had lots of fun with them . They gave us everything we needed to do a great show. And we did have great shows. I honestly can say that we were a good support act for the Lizzy guys because , though not all the Lizzy fans had heard about MARTYR before, we got terrific response everywhere. It was a chance for us to present some songs from the Fear album as well , along with classic tracks like Snow And Fire , Speed Of Samurai a.o. So the fans were indeed warmed up when Lizzy hit the stage. And I guess Lizzy just noticed that . They were very happy to have us on tour with them. The atmosphere was terrific every night . Lizzy did not even do the sound checks, we did. So we had a good sound every night and got all the cooperation we needed form Lizzy. A great band as well, good musicians, and good metal music! I must say I liked their horror show a lot, and almost every evening I enjoyed watching it (for some parts) amongst the crowd Q. Curious in all the bands history what music venue, festival or tour is the most memorable, favorite or funny and why? A: THE highlight has to be KIT IV. 'Cause it did restart the whole thing. Another show to be mentioned is our Fear The Universe CD release party on 20 feb in Holland. That was awesome. The venue was packed, the show was great. Also mentionable shows were ofcourse our support shows with Lizzy Borden throughout Europe last December. I think Mayday in GloGow Poland was one of my favourites, The fans over there went crazy after our veru first note and are really true fans ! but I also loved the Sticky Fingers venue in Gioteborg, Sweden. At our Dutch shows we have a following by the Heavy Metal Maniacs. Every show the go on stage with us when we play Speed Of Samurai !!!. We love em , they are great. What can I say...every show is a party really. Q. Will the band be producing a DVD about the history of Martyr that includes rare video footage of the bands previous tours, behind the scenes events at concerts, interviews, photos, rare music videos? A: No , unfortunately there are no such plans. There is rare video footage, some of it you can find on YouTube. www.youtube.com/user/mcbow Q. The band has an upcoming European Tour what are the countries will this tour include and any chance of Martyr completing a North American tour in the future for the USA and Canada so we can see your killer live performances? A: Beside our Benelux shows we will be doing a new European tour with Flotsam & Jetsam (US) this August. The countries we wil ldefinitley do so far are, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany , Belgium , Holland, Switzerland. With Vicious Rumors (US) we will do some more shows in Holland, Belgium and Germany. It is very hard for us to do shows outside Europe, because of the costs of coming over and other expenses ofcourse. As said: it would be a dream come true, but to be honest it has to be supporting another band to keep the costs under control. I don't think , honestly, MARTYR is big enough over there to tour and arrange shows headlining , even in smaller clubs. Q. Rumor has it that Martyr is writing new songs for another Album can you give us a little hint about this new Album? A: Oh, it's much too early to do so. But yes , the rumor is true. We are writing new material. 2 songs are almost finished, no titles yet. Rop and me are starting on a 3d new song tomorrow (June 10). We hope to record these songs in June also at Jack's Place Belgium where we have recorded Fear. Jack Nobelen (producer) has moved his studio and wants us to "re open" it as first recording artists in his new place. Q. Before we wrap up our interview does the band have any shout outs to fans and friends? A: First of all: thanx so much to our old and new fans for sticking around and (re) connecting with us! Try to get hold of the Fear album and take the opportunity when able to see MARTYR live. I can assure you we won’t disappoint you. We have one of the most energetic front men around in metal. Experience this when MARTYR and Rop are hitting your stage !! Hope to see you somewhere this year on the road. And in 2010 I hope a full length new MARTYR album will bring us even more back into todays metal scene!! So…after 20 years the clan is back. Fear has never been this pleasant, haha I want to thank Martyr and Rusty Cage Records for this interview. Horn’s High, You Rock. I would like to thank you , Tina, and everyone at HMTV Canada for the support. Rock On !! Rick / MARTYR

 

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