Review: “Martyr” by Face Yourself

They may have only started out in 2023 but transcontinental Deathcore six piece Face Yourself are a group that truly believe that idle hands are the devils workshop. Thus far the group, who feature members hailing from New York, New Jersey, Colorado and France, have hammered out an unholy trinity of extended plays, running up more than 7.5 million streams across the various streaming platforms in the process. As if that wasn’t enough, last year saw them join the Chaos & Carnage tour across North America alongside Humanity’s Last Breath, Vitriol and Cattle Decapitation. Their latest chapter, titled “Martyr” was crafted with producer Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, Of Mice & Men, The Devil Wears Prada) and has lyrical themes that flicker over the fragile line between strength and vulnerability are cut against skull crushing breakdowns with hauntingly melodic interludes…

Comprising vocalist Yasmine Liverneaux, drummer Eric DiCarlo (who you may know a music video director from SquareUp Studios with works from Lorna Shore, Shadow Of Intent and Bodysnatcher), bassist Kyle Muenzner and guitarist trio Thomas Cardone, Corey Doremus and Dave Ricco, Face Yourself are a band whose reputation precedes them and rightly so. Opening cut “Primal” sets a chilling tone with a glitchy speech sample before going hell for leather with Liverneaux offering up a banshee like shrill unclean vocal that borders on a rap scream. Thunderous percussive battery from the first verse onslaught slows to a downtempo flow that cuts like a hot knife through butter as the guitars chug, the distinctive air of influence from peers in the likes of ten56, Crown Magnetar and Distant apparent. What sets Face Yourself apart is that this beast is a vicious one with razor sharp teeth and after a first track that’s less than 108 seconds long it’s obvious that their bite is going to the far worse than their bark. 90’s break beats in Vein.fm style bring “Predatory” to life as Liverneaux roars like a beast from the black depths, the staccato riff breaks injecting bounce between the feral verses. Sturgis has nailed the mix and the drums sound like hammer blows from a wrathful God that register as seismic activity, the rumbling bass the tremor that follows the earthquake.

There is a melancholia to “The Poet” that lies beneath the down tuned guitar crush and eerie sounds which weighs heavy on the head as if it was written to be remixed in cold as ice industrial style. Bleak and brutal in equal measure, this one hits like a concrete slab to the face even before the classy downtempo grand finale. Flipping the script to point the fickle finger of fate at the naysayers “Saboteur” finds Liverneaux offering up her most emotive vocal performance. Its crystal clear from it that the lyrics of this one mean that much more and when the barrage of eight string guitar attacks is added to by short and yet sickly sweet technical solo it drives the nails deep into their coffins. Last but by no means least “Sideration” explores a mental state that shields you from violent events before you reclaim control to defend yourself. Ferocious from the first second the track encapsulates everything that Face Yourself offer in one single, easily to swallow capsule – from the bombastic bassline to the eerie leads, bursts of blast beats and thick gauged string chugs – it’s a seriously heavy hitter [8/10]

Track Listing:

1. Primal
2. Predatory
3. The Poet
4. Saboteur
5. Sideration

“Martyr” by Face Yourself is out 18th April 2025 via Sumerian Records