Belfast band Middler have returned with ‘A Martyr Beneath’. The new single follows ‘Turismo‘ and is the second to come from their upcoming album, Sacrosanct. Set to arrive on October 24th.
Much like its predecessor, the single offers just as much grit as it discusses the anti-immigration protests the band witnessed last summer:
“Growing up in Northern Ireland, civil unrest became background noise. The 12th of July, the flag protests it’s always there. But last summer felt different,” the band recalls. “We were caught in the crossfire on Botanic Avenue, on our way to a day party. Protesters clashed with police, businesses were vandalised, chairs met with windows. We tried to carry on like normal, but it felt hollow. That tension, the dissonance between what we saw and what we were meant to ignore left a mark. This song is the result.”
With an instrumental that contains crushing drums, roaring guitars and emotive vocals, the song captures the tension that exhumes from such a wild moment. The intro screeches into the ears – like a siren that immediately makes you take notice, before it erupts with a thunderous display of noise that tears through the airwaves. Its urgent tempo illustrates the think-on-your-feet moment, which is delivered by wave upon wave of distortion.
Lyrically, the song does a great job at highlighting how quickly the mask falls in times like this. Highlighting the violence and brutality that comes from all sides when a controversial topic arises. It makes ‘A Martyr Beneath’ sympathise with how quick society crumbles in this situation, and continues to make you pay attention.
It’s a powerful listen in many ways, and one that makes me excited to hear what’s to come from Middler, and their debut album Sacrosanct.