In their endless quest to push and support current underground acts that perpetuate the odor of vintage Death Metal, on October 23rd, Memento Mori is proud to present Martyrdoom’s highly anticipated second album, ‘As Torment Prevails’.
Conceived in Warsaw back in 2010, Poland’s Martyrdoom went through some lineup changes until they established a solid formation in 2014, consisting of Sociak (vocals), Marol (guitar), Młynar (guitar / vocals), Artur (bass), and Wasyl (drums). With this lineup, in 2017 did they release their debut album, ‘Grievous Psychosis’, through Memento Mori. Blending complex, blastbeat-driven, darkened Death Metal with slow Doom passages, the band drew their main influences from the likes of Obituary, Immolation, Rippikoulu, Autopsy, Demilich, Triptykon, Cannibal Corpse, Incantation, Hooded Menace, Grave, Disma, and Dead Congregation, but they spewed all those influences out with renewed vigor. As far as non-musical inspirations go, their lyrics mostly revolved around old-school horror/gore movies, personal struggles, and the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
Bloodthirsty and dripping with menace, Martyrdoom are armed with a thorough knowledge of ancient Death Metal – still! – and they return to create something vile and unearthly with second album ‘As Torment Prevails’. Though six years might’ve passed between full-lengths, these Poles pick up exactly where they left off: eschewing all trends, trudging defiantly, and blasting their noxious blend of Death Metal and Doom. If anything, ‘As Torment Prevails’ dives deeper into the ancient past, sounding like a lost relic from 1992, including the striking cover art courtesy of Ryszard Wojtyński. And while Doom no doubt forms a foundation for their sound, never do Martyrdoom sound sluggish here; their guitar sound alone is GUTTED, and the Doom is definitely all in the feeling, for there’s plenty of off-the-charts energy here no matter what the tempo is. Those especially enamored with the ’90s works of Asphyx and Benediction will find tons to love here ‘As Torment Prevails’, as well as the early (and equally essential) records of Sinister and Hypocrisy.
Concluding with a cover of Autopsy’s “In the Grip of Winter,” Martyrdoom don’t so much as turn back the clock as CRUSH it!
More info: Martyrdoom; Memento Mori;