Band:	Holy Martyr
Album:	Hatred And Warlust
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	2002
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Warmonger
02. Under Siege
03. Hatred Is My Strength
04. Son Of A King
05. The Shadow Over Innsmouth
06. Metallian
07. Frost And Fire [Cirith Ungol cover]

Well, today I feel in a good mood, but I don't have anything to laugh? wait! I almost forgot! I have the HOLY MARTYR demo that arrived last week, I haven't even listened it, but as soon I received I laughed because in the jacket of the Cd was written: "BEWARE THE HOLLYWOOD METAL! WE DON'T SUPPORT THIS KIND OF EPIC TREND OF METAL!!! DEATH TO FALSE DEFENDERS!!!" phew... guys, slow down... put your swords down for a sec. here! This is exactly what happens when you listen heavy Metal and Play Dungeons & Dragons too much.

But wait! There's more inside of the booklet! It says:
"Declarations of war:
We are fighting a personal crusade against the Hollywood Power Trend Metal. We Don't like the people who use the word Epic Metal just to make money. Death to posers! Death to false defenders! The true spirit of the eighties will never die. Support us or hate us."

So.. do I support them or hate them? Though choice, because this guys really overdo it? Just go into their website and click on "Members", and have a good time reading the "Last Words" of each member, never give a guitar and a deck of Magic: The Gathering to anyone. Really.

This is way too cheesy for me, but let the music do the talking! The first track "Warmonger" starts with a powerful riff, very Trashy, a Death Metal growls enters the mix... wow this is really good, really violent, like Power/Trash Metal, then the main vocalist enters, I know many people that will like him, but to me, sucks big time, he tries to sounds "epic" but he fails miserably at it. The chorus in this song are ok I think.

The seconds track follows the same line than the first one, great music, but poor vocals, it just kills the music, and is sad because the guitar work in this Demo is incredible, the main axeman listens Trash, I'm sure of it! I'm hearing some riffs that Metallica (old) or Testament could easily have done! Take the intro from "Shadow Over Innsmouth" for example, that riffing has the Slayer trademark all over it, as matter of fact this song is really good, the vocals sound a much more aggressive, more of this please!

Why this guys are doing this to me? I was beginning to like them, and after "Shadow Over Innsmouth" I was hoping for a really good closer song, but instead I got "Metallian" THE MOST cheesy song in the entire universe! Take a look at the lyrics please:

"When the true heavy Metal is crackin' my ears
I feel the power just straight to the heart
No compromise! No falsity!
I'll never follow some fucked trend

Some people will say: "..this song is so stupid!"
But this is my way and I could not care less
No compromise! No falsity!
I'll never follow some fucked trend"

Soooo? ejem..*cough*cough let's move on? Next, a cover of Cirith Ungol "Frost And Fire" ehh nothing exceptional, after "Metallian" I just want to bury this under my pile of Cd's, but the thing is, that these guys play well! I'm in a love/hate relationship with this Cd because, I like the music , the guitar work is amazing but the vocalist suck, add the cheesiness? I don't know how to feel about this one.

My advise, keep up the great work (musically speaking) , fire the singer and stop playing Role Playing Games. You will never follow a trend, you're not Hollywood Metal we got it, now stop screaming that to the 4 winds and start playing some bad-ass Heavy Metal!