Dutch metal powerhouse Martyr has announced their brand new studio album, entitled “Dark Believer”, for an August 15th, 2025, release on ROAR!
A video clip for the band’s first single, the colossal album title track, is now premiering below!
“The first single from our upcoming album ‘Dark Believer’ is here. During the writing and recording process, this song evolved into something dark and mysterious”, the band states. “Embracing the shadows — where demons lurk, witches chant, and lost souls are drawn into the unknown. Heaviness meets melody. Crushing riffs. Epic vocals. Relentless bass and drums. It’s pure Martyr metal. ‘Dark Believer’ is your first descent into the abyss we’ve carved on our new album. A taste of evil, despair, and hypocrisy that stains the soul of humanity”.
Watch the video clip for “Dark Believer” below.
Martyr is a metal band from the Netherlands, forging their legacy since 1982. The world first took notice in 1985 when their track “En Masse (Stand or Die)” appeared on Metal Blade’s iconic “Metal Massacre VI” compilation alongside acts like Possessed, Dark Angel, and Nasty Savage. That same year, their debut album “For the Universe” became an instant classic, praised by Encyclopaedia Metallum for its superior songwriting.
Martyr’s impact on Dutch Metal was further cemented with their inclusion in the 2014 “Dutch Steel (80’s Metal From The Netherlands)” compilation. The band’s hometown of Utrecht also recognized their contributions, with Mayor Jan van Zanen personally thanking them in 2018 for representing the city on the global stage. Renowned for their electrifying live performances, Martyr has toured extensively across Europe, Japan, and India, sharing stages with legends like Trivium, Iced Earth, Saxon, Raven and Flotsam & Jetsam, as well as Iron Maiden alumni Paul Di’Anno and Blaze Bayley. In 2022, Martyr released “Planet Metalhead” to widespread acclaim, earning “Album of the Year” from Metalfan.nl and leading to a partnership with Rock Of Angels Records for its global re-release in 2023.
Now, on August 15th, 2025, Martyr is set to unleash their seventh studio album, “Dark Believer”, through ROAR. With headline slots, festival appearances, and club shows on the horizon, Martyr continues to prove why they remain one of metal’s most enduring forces!
The album pre-order, available as CD, Vinyl and Digital formats, has just started here.
Tracklist:
01. Darkness Before Dawn
02. Dark Believer
03. Wrath of the Fallen
04. Cemetery Symphony
05. Insidious
06. The Weight of Words
07. Venoms Scent
08. Harvest of Souls
09. Legions of the Cross
Line-up:
Rop van Haren – Vocals
Rick Bouwman – Guitars
Justin Schut – Guitars & Synths
Vinnie Wassink – Bass
Elwin Molenaar – Drums
