Album/EP

The Last Martyr - Creatrix (EP Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

/10

Apr 18, 2019

7 min read

The Last Martyr - Creatrix
Released: April 26^th, 2019

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The Last Martyr are a melodic metal band that have been floating around the Melbourne scene for a little over a year now. They’ve built their following very smartly through social media and only played their first live show at Sydney’s newest inclusive festival UsFest on April 6^th. They’ve geared everyone up for their debut EP Creatrix and we have it in our hot little hands before its release on April 26^th.

We start out with ‘Into the Black’ which was the first single released off Creatrix and it’s a powerful track with some killer girl growls (ugh yes please). It’s pretty immediate that vocalist Monica Strut blurs the lines between sweet, sultry and brutally powerful vocals, and it leaves you wondering what else she’s capable of because she does it so easily. This was their introduction to the world and it’s fitting that it’s the first track on the EP as well.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0dUsU4iEaU&w=640&h=360]

‘Stay Awake’ features prominent guitars and they really let the vocals carry the melody through the song. At least until the break down that is, then it’s all rapid-fire riffs. The soft tones in this track really highlight the heaviness and the more listens you give this song the more you’ll be impressed. The opening to ‘Fear’ is a melodic beast that you’ll want to ride all the way to the end. There’s an added element of male vocals in support of Monica’s (only slightly) higher vocals and it’s at this point realisation strikes. With every track on this EP so far, they’ve added more and more to their sound. They’re letting the listener know that they have options and they’re not afraid to explore them within the sound they’ve created. This track also speaks to some very relevant concepts regarding fear itself.

“…[fear] is about realising that sometimes your fears aren’t your own; they are the fears of others projected onto you.” Says Monica, “I believe that life is not necessarily about being ‘Fearless,’ but about rationalising our thoughts and taking action regardless.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMeQm5R6yPw&w=640&h=360]

We then arrive at ‘Echoes’, and it’s a melodic song with an emotional and atmospheric landscape that develops every time you listen to it. It’s hard to say why this song feels like it has such depth, maybe it’s the repeated guitar lick and that they’re not sticking to major chords, but something in this song is great. And on that note, we lead into the last and song and title of the EP, ‘Creatrix’. The song builds and falls through the verses and the guitarists really show off during the bridge, and this song does sound like a conclusion. It’s a summary of everything they are at this point in time; beautiful vocals and well-executed growls, intricate guitar lines and complementing drums.

The Last Martyr isn’t just another female fronted band that you should take note of to show you’re about equality. They’re a band to take note of because they have the talent and the smarts to make driven songs that showcase and highlight their strengths. These songs are quality and it’s hard to believe that this is only their first EP. You’re going to want to listen to Creatrix so when these guys start taking off, you can say you were there from the beginning.