Joey Jordison
Scar the Martyr / Vimic
Overview
Heavy music has long provided a sanctuary for restless creative spirits. As drummer and songwriting mainstay for US metal titans Slipknot, Joey Jordison has earned himself a fearsome reputation as one of the most prolific and artistically driven figures in modern music. Now, after many years of side-projects and collaborations, he has formed a new band that boldly encapsulates his unique creative personality. A full-blooded and fully-formed sonic beast that brings Joey together with some of the most talented musicians in the rock world, Scar The Martyr are starting as they intend to continue: as an unstoppable force.
Pieced together by Jordison and his new comrades over the last couple of years, Scar The Martyr’s debut album is both a celebration of one man’s unique vision and a potent collision between diverse but effortlessly compatible musicians. Although Joey plays guitars, bass and drums on the record, the contributions of lead guitarists Jed Simon (ex-Strapping Young Lad) and Kris Norris (Darkest Hour), vocalist Henry Derek and keyboard scientist Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails) are not to be underestimated.
A dark, powerful and wildly inventive blend of punishing hard rock riffs, eerie keys and atmospherics, towering melodies and seething metallic aggression, Scar The Martyr represents a seamless blending of Joey’s influences into a warped but mesmerizing whole. From the turbulent refrains and thunderous pulse of "Soul Disintegration" and "Cruel Ocean" to the driving, soulful thrust of "Never Forgive Never Forget," "My Retribution"’s brooding riff attack and the slamming industrial crunch of "Blood Host," it is a compelling maelstrom of smart ideas and massive hooks that recalls everything from Alice In Chains and Faith No More to Ministry and Neurosis while never once sounding remotely derivative. Mixed by legendary producer and sound sculptor Rhys Fulber (Fear Factory/Paradise Lost) Scar The Martyr is a mercurial meeting of minds, custom designed for maximum impact.
Despite being a member of one of the biggest metal bands on the planet while possessing a resume that includes stints with Korn, Satyricon, Ministry and Rob Zombie, not to mention two acclaimed albums with zombie punk crew Murderdolls, Joey Jordison still has more energy and ideas than virtually anyone else in heavy music today. Scar The Martyr is a brave and exhilarating bolt from the blue that promises to delight music fans from all points along the sonic spectrum. Once the album hits the streets, Joey and his new band will be hitting the road with full force, proving that not only is Scar The Martyr a bona fide band of brothers but also that this music is built to last and to leave us all with scars to cherish.