Face Yourself – Martyr (EP)
Release Date: 18th April 2025
Label: Sumerian Records
Order/Stream
Genre: Deathcore, Symphonic Deathcore, Beatdown.
FFO: Lorna Shore, Carcosa, Angelmaker, Distant.
Review By: Mike Leighton
Face Yourself are an up-and-coming powerhouse of a deathcore band, hailing from New York. Face Yourself have been taking the deathcore scene by storm since their debut, self-titled extended play that released in March 2023. That same year, they graced the scene with 2 more EPs, Death Reflections and Tales of Death, releasing in June and November respectively. During 2024 there was a lot brewing for the band, but not a lot of music until their announced their signing to Sumerian Records as well as the date and name of their upcoming release, Martyr. Face Yourself is made up of Yasmin Liverneaux Belkhodja on vocals, Eric DiCarlo on drums, Thomas Cardone on guitar, Corey Doremus on guitar, Dave Ricco on guitar, and Kyle Muenzner on bass! Their new EP, Martyr is scheduled to drop 18 April of 2025 through Sumerian Records with Joey Sturgis at the production helm.
The first track, Primal, is a short but dynamic track that perfectly sets the tone and expectation for this EP, providing a perfect introduction to Face Yourself to those that might not have heard of the band before their signing to Sumerian. The guitars sound amazing; crunchy, with the perfect tone to match the rest of the instruments. For a first track, it oozes aggression and high energy, almost sounding “primal” in nature. Next track, Predatory, the second single and much like the first, highlights just how much growth the band has seen since their last EP in 2023, especially from a writing/production standpoint. On top of that, vocalist Yasmin sounds as impressive as ever as she shifts between low, mid and high guttural screams throughout the track. The breakdown at the end is bound to get the pit going at shows, and I definitely hope to experience it live!
Next, The Poet begins with some eerie, and ominous electronic elements that remind me of an alarm sounding, preparing one for disaster. The guitars and vocals blend so well on this track, and I especially love that there is a clear distinction between the two layers. The vocal execution throughout this track is very refreshing to hear as far as the newer wave of deathcore goes; they are not over the top, but still highlight the range that Yasmin is capable of. Absolutely killer track! Fourth track, The Saboteur, is just a super fun track, and it checks all the boxes for me as far as deathcore goes; beautifully disgusting vocals? Check. Crunchy, heavy guitars? Check. And to top it all off, the drummer Eric is doing a phenomenal job behind the kit. The breakdown at the end really separates this track from the rest for me, especially alongside with the guitar solo! The Saboteur has to be one of my favorite tracks on the EP.
Finally, we have Sideration, which was the first single released, as well as the listener’s first introduction to the new era of Face Yourself. This is the perfect track to reel the old fans back in with the big, heavy sound that we’ve grown to love from this band. The electronic elements running alongside the symphonics, especially when paired with the vocal delivery, make this song perfect for the genre and is bound to kill on the stage at future shows!
My only issue overall for the new EP is it’s too short. I want more!
If this EP is any indication of the growth that is apparent within Face Yourself, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this band. If you’re a fan of a well-executed deathcore to get your blood pumping, check out the new EP, Martyr from Face Yourself!
(4.5 / 5)
