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These days, almost all the good epic metal bands seem to come from either Greece or Italy, must be something in the water. Holy Martyr have been around since about '94, but this is their debut full-length, and the years of practice really show in their tight arrangements and killer leads. Their name might seem odd, if you are a total loser who doesn't know anything about Omen.

The closest analog to Holy Martyr's sound is probably Wotan, as these guys play the same kind of Epic Metal with midpaced pounding riffs and lyrics about war and…well war is pretty much it. I am reminded of Doomsword's debut, as well as Battleroar's first full-length – and those are very good comparisons to make. There are no clinkers on this disc, just killers like "Ares Guide My Spear" and "From The North Comes The War". The production is good, if not super, and vocalist Alex Mareu may have a bit of an accent, but he's also got a strong range and a lot of charisma. The riffery is consistently excellent, and the leads are sometimes brilliant. Many bands can't really pull off epics, but the ten-minute "Hatred Is My Strength" is a real highlight here.

Holy Martyr are not breaking the mold here, but they are another fine band to add to the growing list of excellent True Metal bands from this part of the world. If you are a fan of Doomsword, Wotan, Battleroar, Icy Steel or Battle Ram, then this is a disc you will not want to pass up.