Martyr – Hopeless Hopes (CD)
Product Details
Canadian technical death metal ran deep before the world was paying attention, and Martyr were quietly ahead of the curve. Recorded when the Quebec scene was still finding its footing on the international stage, this debut captures a young band operating with a compositional maturity that belied their ages, drawing from a lineage that would eventually branch into some of the most important extreme metal the country produced.
Hopeless Hopes is MARTYR's legendary debut full-length album. Originally self-released in 1997, Hopeless Hopes changed the landscape of the technical Death Metal scene.
From the onset of Hopeless Hopes, MARTYR's penchant for creating intricate, meticulously written technical Death Metal is palpable. Tempo changes, melodic guitar leads, and dual harmonies are scattered throughout. Featuring band members aged between 17 and 23 at the time, Hopeless Hopes shines with creativity and exploration. It's no wonder that members here went on to play in other Canadian landmark bands such as Voivod, Gorguts, Despised Icon, and many more.
Guitarists Daniel Mongrain and Pier-Luc Lampron present a tight and vicious guitar tandem. They inject loads of variation and subtleties in their riffs, moving from blistering speed attacks to mid-paced standard crunching effectively, giving the album great dynamics. Bassist Francois Mongrain shreds underneath it all. Drummer Francois Richard accompanies the band perfectly.
Available on CD and vinyl for the first time in over 10 years, the classic debut is fully remixed and remastered.
Tracklist
Side A
Side B
UPC: 781676759729
Label: Relapse
Release Date: 7.31.26
Format: CD