Review | Martyr – Dark Believer

Rock Of Angels Records / ROAR

Over 40 years in the business and still ambitious and hungry. Led by founder/guitarist Rick Bouwman and singer Rop van Haren (these two are the guardians of the Martyr flame for sure), Martyr takes the next step in their career, looking for (more) international recognition. Together with their colleagues of Picture these Dutchies are one of the few groups that very regularly pack their bags and passports for an international tour leading them to countries like Japan and even India. Later this year another Japanese tour is already booked and confirmed, an ideal chance to promote the latest album ‘Dark Believer’.

HISTORY

I have a small history with Martyr working with them in the mid-eighties during their second album ‘Darkness At Times Edge’. From the line-up on that album only Rick is left. What I always liked about them was and is the fact that they created their own musical style, not following the obvious trends but always trying to be innovative and different from the rest. After hearing ‘Dark Believer’ I can only conclude that nothing in their mindset has changed. Sure, there have been some changes in line-up throughout the last years but as long as Rick and Rop are part of the deal you can rest assured that Martyr will be themselves following their own lead and nothing else.

INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

The fact that their last album ‘Planet Metalhead’ (2022) was picked up and re-released by ROAR in 2023 shows that Martyr is busy stepping up to an international level. With ROAR they are basically assured that ‘Dark Believer’ will be out almost all over the word, so more people can get acquainted with Martyr’s own brand of power and heavy metal. The band is ready to cross some more borders, especially with ‘Dark Believer’ as calling card as they have managed to step up to the next musical level. All compositions have been written by the whole band with Rop supplying the lyrics that on this album are dark, mysterious, and certainly not predictable. Martyr has never been a band singing about love, women, and other silly subjects. Lyrics for Martyr are a very important part of the musical set up and concept. Dive into them if you dare.

THE MUSIC

In 2025 Martyr still stands for melodic power and heavy metal, excellent guitar harmonies and thought full vocals including surprising ‘choirs’. I am actually amazed about the progress Rop van Haren has made throughout the last ten years. Not only because of his lyrics but first and foremost about his singing technique, reach and versatility. When you hear songs such ,,Cemetery Symphony’’ or ,,Wrath Of The Fallen’’ the man without any stress reaches heights that were once only reachable for people like Rob Halford, Geoff Tate, and Bruce Dickinson. Father time most certainly didn’t do any damage to Rop’s voice. He oozes through the songs with an ease that is at times jaw dropping and even when the band accelerates in speedy tracks such as ,,Venom’s Scent’’ and ,,Insidious’’ the singer comes up trumps.

MARTYR – THE CONCLUSION

‘Dark Believer’ is a monster album. It has all the ingredients a modern power and metal album needs. Excellent musicianship, a top-notch singer, a dynamic yet melodic sound, daring guitar parts, riffs, and solos plus a super solid rhythm section. Rick Bouwman, Rop van Haren, Elwin Molenaar (drums), Vinnie Wassink (bass) and guitarist Justin Schut have together produced the best and most intensive Martyr record in the long history of the group. ‘Dark Believer’: all thrillers, no fillers, so get with the program people! And the best thing is that it is from Dutch soil, front and back!

Release date: 15 August 2025