The Martyr detonate a new era of genre chaos on "Star 67"
With Star 67, The Martyr have taken a bold swing at the literal neverending boundaries of heavy music and have ended up landing a direct hit. The New Jersey–born quartet have long been known for high-voltage shows and a sound steeped in metalcore, emo, and all the adrenaline you can take. However with this two-track single, they push their identity into wilder, more uncharted territory, merging hardstyle, metal, and emo in a way that’s the definition of innovative.
The emotional intensity lyrically is undeniable. The single cracks open a more universal and deeply modern kind of unraveling, like the feeling of being pushed so far to the edge that sanity becomes slippery, and the crushing pressure to maintain a façade, that “cool kid” life-of-the-party persona, becomes its own kind of prison. That psychological fracture, that tension between internal collapse and external performance, is where The Martyr thrive.
The single opens with Strangers, whose chaotic energy acts as an ignition switch to what you’re about to experience. Pulsating guitars crash against flashing synths, drums explode like warning sirens, and the tension builds with every passing bar. It’s an immediate announcement that this project is not playing by conventional genre rules. Instead, it creates a transition so seamless and intuitive that the jump into Star 67 feels like a continuation.
Then Star 67 begins and immediately The Martyr weaponize noise, melody, and rhythm with precision. Hardstyle’s booming, distorted kicks collide with metal’s serrated guitars, while an emo-inspired emotional core runs beneath the surface. The arrangement is dizzying in the best way with seemingly infinite layers of sound stacking and detonating and then exploding again.
Gia’s vocals are undoubtedly the anchor throughout the track. Marc’s guitar work veers between atmospheric tension and clawing riffs, while Mike’s bass snarls underneath it all with a heaviness that keeps the chaos grounded. Tas’s drumming is a controlled riot, blending precision with brute force, giving the music both its backbone and its heartbeat. To put it bluntly, we think seeing this live could change us for the better.
Star 67 feels like the product of a band refusing to settle, embracing experimentation with a level of courage that most groups don’t touch until far later in their careers. It’s chaotic, cinematic, emotionally volatile, and wildly ambitious. If you’re not listening on max volume, you’re not getting the full feel of the song.
Go ahead and listen up for yourselves, follow along, and make sure to stay tuned by clicking those links below!
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