At The Gates
After recent events involving extensive fire damage, our friends Betraying The Martyrs are ready to share album number four with the world. There have been several incidents of theft and other criminality involving musicians and it adds further distress to an already punishing schedule and unpredictable life.
‘Rapture’ is the title and it consolidates a record full of aggro anthems that highlight the survival of the richest at the expense of everyone else. Although there is nothing rapturous about being poor, it is the essence of belonging to a wider cohort that understands and empathises with the underdog.
Following an ethereal and graceful entrance of ‘Ignite’ we feed the ‘Eternal Machine’ as always with ‘spoiling the wealthy and depriving the poor’ to continue the long line of artists who avail their political and moral stance in these most frustrating times. The underlying concept is one of courage and conviction, have no fear because although the road is rough, we can get through it by sticking together.
The anthemic chorus of ‘Down’ offers the unifying and vivifying chant of ‘raise your fist let’s bring this place down’ and it’s time to bring it in my friends. The colourful melodies continue with ‘The Iron Gates’ as the band show off their skilful artistic prowess with stunning arrangement and layering of powerful and unrelenting drumming and fretwork, interspersed with calming, and genteel vocals, and singer Aaron provides the mega-growl.
‘The Sound Of Letting You Go’, is this a love song, I wonder, provides a deliciously deceptive, heavier than heavy power ballad and at 3.22 we have a sublime piece of guitar work. Beware of the ‘Monster’ and lose yourself in ‘The Swarm’ as we tailspin towards the ground in a gigantic swirling, whirling tornado of tunes while wishing we had ‘Incarcerated’ the thermonuclear hypocrite when we had the chance, that’s my political hat in the ring. Top track for me personally is the stratospheric, sonically charged ‘Imagine’, seriously I can’t cope……
Don’t betray your senses my friends, to be captured and enraptured by these fellas is pivotal to your very existence.
Betraying The Martyrs – Rapture out 13th September via Sumerian Records