Robex Lundgren virkblogg.

Have any of you played in other bands?MartYriuM: Some of us had separate side projects in the past, but we decided to invest all our time and creativity in MartYriuM.

How is it that you started playing music? MartYriuM: MartYriuM was founded by Count Mortem, who forged this, at the time, Black  Metal formation. Keyboardist Umarth was initiated shortly after the creation of this alliance, he greatly contributed to the establishment of the bands signature sound by combining his sinister orchestrations to the extreme metal roots. MartYriuM were the pioneers of the Black Metal scene in Malta and for this received a good following for the controversial live performances. Some theatrics included using insides as props and on one occasion burning pages from the bible. The band today developed and improved both the sound and stage appearance which appeals to a broader audience. However the occult roots are still evident through haunting lyrical concepts and ominous live presence.

What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?

MartYriuM: Vanja Obscure: Main vocals, lyrics

Pandemonia: Clean vocals

Count Mortem: Founder of the band, guitarist, in charge of song writing

Sherath: Guitarist, composes solos

Sandmist: Bass guitarist, in charge of website and all online media and sales management

Umarth: Keyboardist - Composes the keyboards and programs drums

Our ages are between 22 and 36.

Have you had other previous members?MartYriuM: We are constantly battling with ourselves to surpass our previous albums. MartYriuM has been doing so for the past 17 years and many have tried to fill the ranks but failed to deliver the quality of music MartYriuM is striving for.

What year did the band form? MartYriuM: The band was formed in 1999.

What's your style of genre?MartYriuM: Although our music ranges from Industrial music to Death metal and everything in between, we consider the tag that suits our Genre the most is “Blackened Industrial Death Metal and Beyond”.

What inspires you? MartYriuM: Inspiration comes in many different forms…Songwriting inspiration usually comes from the impact of listening to a diverse range of music, while the muse for writing lyrics comes from personal experiences, impressions left after finishing a book or weird dreams.  Surroundings can have a big impact on inspiration, sometimes simply venturing to lonely places where one can be left alone to get lost and absorbent in thoughts can increase creative thinking. What we write greatly reflects the current mood; music is a sort of therapy and an opportunity to share our darkness with the world. 

How often and where do you rehearse? MartYriuM: We meet up frequently, usually 5 times a week. Our rehearsal room and offices are sponsored by a metal factory called Alfred Baldacchino Ltd.

How have you developed since you started with the music? MartYriuM: The progression in sound and quality can be seen with the release of each album. However, over the past two years that were dedicated for composing/producing “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask” we developed a new style by blending industrial elements, a dark electro mood and a melancholic ambient to our already established extreme metal sound. With the new release we decided to push the boundaries of what some people think is “Metal” which makes “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask” a unique album susceptible to criticism for its diversity.

Do you have other interests of work outside the band? MartYriuM: Other interests vary for each band member, we are mostly occupied with work and band related tasks.

Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?MartYriuM: In the past we have worked with booking agencies and also organized tours ourselves by having good relations with foreign bands. In the near future our label Art Gates Records will be assisting us to get bigger tour opportunities.

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?MartYriuM: We are currently signed with Art Gates Records, who provide us with a professional service, support and never fail to deliver opportunities. We are honored to be part of Art Gates Records roster alongside Noctem, Killus and many other great artists.

What made you decide to make this music? MartYriuM: Being fans of metal music we wanted to contribute to the scene by producing our own material.

What are your songs about? MartYriuM: The themes vary from occult concepts, masochistic references, demonic possession,…

Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? MartYriuM: The composing process of any song begins with Umarth and The Count. Together they compose the skeleton of a song by choosing the keyboard and drum sounds. The rest of the band contributes by building on their ideas. Lyrics are written by Vanja Obscure.

Do you compose in a certain environment? MartYriuM: All band related tasks are done in our rehearsal room and offices.

Have you done any covers live?MartYriuM: Yes, we covered Behemoth`s “Ov Fire and the Void” and Dimmu Borgir`s “Mourning Palace”, but at the moment we are only playing songs from “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask” and some songs from “Awakening The Ancient”.

What language do you sing in? MartYriuM: We sing in English and sometimes use Latin words. For example one of the title tracks from our new release is called “Angelus Mortem” which means Angle Of Death.

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? MartYriuM: Attendance depends on the type of event, organization, promotion, location, date and many other things. Usually in festivals there is a bigger attendance than at independent gigs, since more bands participate. Also, on weekends more people go out so the date is a huge factor. Promotion also determines the turnout. Over the years we did experience some poorly attended events but most often then not the gigs we participate in are well organized and crowded.

What ages are most of your concert attendants? MartYriuM: Probably from 18 onwards since some venues don’t allow younger people to attend gigs.

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? MartYriuM: Usually we stick to an agreed set list for a period of time before changing it in favor of new songs. We also consider the festivals and events we play in and make sure to craft the best set list for the genre of the event and to provide the best experience to our listeners in the given amount of time.

What was your first gig like? MartYriuM: The first time MartYriuM appeared on stage was in 2000 at Hard Rock Café which was packed for the night with metal heads hungry for new blood! From the start the band gained followers and a dedicated crowd who shared their love for black metal. This performance officially set MartYriuM into the world of metal.

What was your latest gig?MartYriuM: Our latest gig was the “Metal Over Malta” festival headlined by Septic Flesh.

Have you had to cancel a gig? MartYriuM: No, we never canceled a gig.

Where have you played live this year?MartYriuM: This year has been good so far! The first gig was in March at “Shellshock Metal Fest” after which we went on a short European tour spreading the sickness from our new album through Germany, France and Belgium. The high point of the “Winter Tour” included the “Female Fronted Metal Extreme Festival” where we played with “In Mute”, “Mechanical God Creation”, “Cryptogenic”, “Paper Doll Decay” and “Thallium”. As we returned home, we took part in the “Metal Over Malta” festival which was our last gig.

Where do you plan to gig the coming year?MartYriuM: Although we have some thrilling plans for next year, it is too early to reveal anything. We have already started working on new material to follow up “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask”. However, in 2016 we will be playing in Ukraine/Kiev festival “Carpathian Alliance” headlined by “Blind Guardian”, and in September we are hosting a Female Fronted Metal Festival in Malta called “Voices Of The Succubi” with “Cadaveria” as headliner. In the mean time we are working on confirming more shows for this year which should be announced soon.

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale? MartYriuM: We have CD’s and clothing available on our website. The most asked for products are the four full length studio albums, “Withering In Voluptuous Embrace”, “Carnage Lit By Darkness”, “Awakening The Ancient” and “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask”. As for clothing you can find the album T-shirts both black and white, Logo T-shirts, T-shirts fitted for girls, Shorts and Hoodies.

Where can people buy your merchandise?MartYriuM: Anyone who wishes to support MartYriuM and swell the ranks of the Martyrs can purchase our merchandise through our website: http://www.martyrium.co/

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? MartYriuM: The problem with downloading music is that it is not viewed as stealing because it became too common and accessible. This is probably an unavoidable outcome with the advance in technology. No one listens to CD anymore, everything became digital and people became too lazy to go out of the house and buy the album, take the CD out of the case, place it in the laptop/CD player when downloading is more convenient being just a few clicks away. The problem is that very few consider the time, effort and money it takes to create an album.

How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? MartYriuM: As a result of illegal downloading the promoters seeing their profit decrease invest in already established bands which leaves fewer opportunities for newcomers. Also, many labels have closed for this reason, leaving bands to promote their material by themselves. That’s why there is so much competition between artists today.

Do you have any role models or idols? MartYriuM: There are a lot of artists that we look up to and would love to share the stage with. Some of the few are: Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Lost Soul, Dark Funeral, Samael, Anaal Nathrakh, Vital Remains, Dimmu Borgir, Watain.

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? MartYriuM: The age of the band is irrelevant as long as it does not reflect on their music. Some of our favorite bands started in the 90’s but evolved their sound and production with the time.

What do you think of my work? MartYriuM: We do appreciate journalists who take time and effort to promote up and coming bands, helping them reach new listeners. We thank you very much for your interest and support.

What have been your biggest obstacles? MartYriuM: Our biggest obstacle is living on the Island of Malta, it`s very hard to tour as we can only travel with planes which require a lot of expanses and isn’t the most flexible way of travelling especially with musical equipment.

What advice would you give other bands or artists? MartYriuM: Be dedicated and don’t give up because everything is achieved through hard work and belief. 

How do you get psyched for a gig? MartYriuM: We don’t really have a special ritual for this; it’s just something that comes naturally. Sometimes we watch a live concert from Vital Remains. Their stage performance is spot on.

Do you have any new material? MartYriuM: The new album “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask” was just released a couple of weeks ago. We also have already started to write new material to follow up “Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask” and we plan to enter the studio later this year.

What are your web sites? MartYriuM: Website: http://www.martyrium.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Martyriumhorde/

How can people reach you? MartYriuM: Anyone can reach us through our email: [email protected] or through our facebook page.

What are your plans for the future? MartYriuM: Tours, new songs and creating a new female fronted metal community in Malta!