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MARTYRS

by The Royal Ritual

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £7 GBP  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CD presented in a six-panel digifile, minimising single-use plastics.

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days

      £10 GBP or more 

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited to 250 copies, this deluxe, heavyweight vinyl is housed in a gatefold sleeve.

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 250 

      £20 GBP or more 

     

  • Cassette + Digital Album

    MARTYRS on super-limited edition, hand numbered cassette. Limited to 50 hand-numbered units, pre-order now for shipping on or around 2023-12-12

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 50 

      £10 GBP or more 

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    The deluxe, heavyweight vinyl is housed in a gatefold sleeve, shipped with a copy of the compact disc in 6-panel digifile. Save on shipping costs!

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 250 

      £25 GBP or more 

     

  • USB Flash Drive + Digital Album

    LIMITED TO 25 HAND-SIGNED UNITS

    A beautifully crafted and engraved, collectible USB drive in an equally beautiful and engraved collector’s box, which includes the album plus the following:

    - Music videos for Life, After (vinyl version), Illiterate Messenger, Gnossienne No. 1, Empires, Glide Dog, and Pews In A Pandemic (higher quality than is available to stream online)
    - Promo Photos
    - Lyric PDF

    There is also plenty of additional space on the USB drive for you to use as personal storage.

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 25 

      £15 GBP or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A small number of promo CDs were created for DJs and curators who prefer CDs to digital downloads. The CDs include the album in full, as well as 5 bonus clean/radio edits.

    Presented in a simple but elegant cardboard sleeve, this is definitely a collector’s item.

    NOTE: The CD in 6-panel digifile will also be included with the Radio Promo.

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 50 

      £15 GBP or more 

     

  • MARTYRS - Hand-Typed, Signed, and Stamped Lyric Set
    Sheet Music + Digital Album

    Hand signed and logo stamped lyrics for each song on the album, hand typed on a beautiful early 20th century Imperial typewriter.

    Originally bundled with the test-pressing of the MARTYRS vinyl, there are a handful of sets available as a standalone item.

    Comes with a digital download of the album.

    Shipping price includes insurance.

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

  • "MARTYRS" Vinyl Test Pressing With Signed Lyrics
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited Edition (of 4), signed Test pressing of MARTYRS, with white label. This will also come with hand-typed, hand-signed lyrics to ALL of the songs to the album, plus a copy of the final pressing of the vinyl, in gatefold sleeve.

    Shipping includes insurance.

    Includes unlimited streaming of MARTYRS via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

1.
2.
It doesn't even taste good, It doesn't even feel like death, I'll give you just a little more, Just a little more... … until it's life sucking life, Death feeding everything, I had to say it all belongs to you, But you belong to me. Everything belongs to you, But you belong to me. So get down on your knees, So fall down at my feet. You think somebody knows my mind? A black robe, white dog collar, bleeding wine? I've got everybody doing time, I want all your money, Every tithe. I'll go and spread a sickness in your food, A death trap, So don't you leave that pew, And get down on your knees. Everything belongs to you, But you belong to me.
3.
Martyrs 05:12
...well, it's the price to pay To bring you life from the other side,  For ten minutes in your free world. It's alright. It's just a dress rehearsal. It's alright. Because if you pray to your god, And you wish hard enough,  And you pay all your tithes To the kingdom above, It's alright. Because I'm far away In another land, Hearing every other fucker In the courtyard screaming “Off with his head!” Next time... ...maybe next time, You won't be able to say "It's just a dress rehearsal" And then it's "Off with his head!” For real. They'll give me something to feel,  And I'll be martyred on air, And you'll pretend that you care... ... And it's all because you didn't believe When they were screaming "Off with his head!”
4.
5.
Life, After 04:05
It never really took me, It never even really crossed my mind To ever think about the consequence Of leaving everything we've ever known Behind. It never really struck me, That when we're gone we could go on (We could go on). This flesh and bone, It's not a throne. It's not the only way to stay around. It's the closest thing we'll have To an afterlife. It's the only way to avoid the inevitability Of leaving everything we've known Behind. But still it didn't take me, At least, I didn't give it time. And even after this epiphany, I can't make up my mind. And still it didn't shake me. I think that maybe I was blind. But even so, it goes to show,  We're clearly not aligned,  And maybe won’t be. It's the closest thing we'll have To an afterlife. It's the only way to avoid the inevitability Of leaving everything we've known Behind. So why won't I?
6.
Empires 03:50
When I was a little girl,  And you were a little boy,  And England was an empire. England was an empire. Daddy didn't like me being cold, And mummy didn't like it when I told. They hid it for their empire. They hid it for their empire. Father didn't want you speaking out, For how would he explain to king and crown? When heaven was an empire. When heaven was an empire. When I was a little girl,  And you were a little boy, Nothing was an empire. Nothing was an empire.
7.
Model Army 05:09
Big brother watching, looking  On closed circuit television. A voyeuristic way to be, A pervert getting off on me, Doing everything I can; Doing everything I should: Doing everything I couldn't fucking do Without a special kind of violence in my heart… …the loving kind that makes it hard To see the forest for the trees; The kind that falls upon its knees. I'm just taking orders, not taking lives. An inferior effigy, stood in the firing line. Model army; Plastic heart; Empty vessel, filled right from The start of everything to come: A bloody war! There's always something left to come, It's never over. Bang bang, little fucker. Bang bang, you're dead. Silly fucker, and you've got big brother to thank For all his generosity, For always smiling down on me. Your liberation? It will never be Until you fall upon your knees. I'm just taking orders, not taking lives. An inferior effigy, stood in the firing line. Model army; Plastic heart; Empty vessel, filled right from  The start of everything to come: A bloody war! There's always something left to come, It's never over. I'm just taking orders, not taking lives. An inferior effigy, stood in the firing line. Model army. Model army.
8.
I did not hallucinate, And there's nothing wrong inside my head. I... I did not hallucinate, I've been teling everyone I meet. I… I did not hallucinate, But I couldn't write it down because I... I've got a message for you, So lean in, if you want the truth. It might seem like you've heard it before,  But all similarities, ignore. I'll cast off your filthy sins For a little piece of what's inside you, But don't you ever question what I'm saying. You did not hallucinate, Because you know I wouldn't tell a lie. I… I did not hallucinate, And I know I'm onto something real, I… I did not hallucinate you. You did not hallucinate. It might seem a little hard to believe, But put your faith in me. You won't believe you're blind, But I will take your mind… ...out into another plain, Just give it time, From there we'll reign. Spread the word to get it out. Prove to me you are devout. We could not imagine why, But these words are all we have to live by. We are not accountable, And we do not have to justify why We take all and give none back, I'm just passing on the message that I... …I did not hallucinate, And you know I wouldn’t tell a lie, I… I did not hallucinate, And there's nothing wrong inside my head.
9.
Finally Free 07:39
It was an idle Sunday morning When you found me lying there - An empty shell; A carcass; Lifeless. A body, not a vessel; Expired flesh and blood; A pointless article of worth. And if you didn't know it yet, Then soon you surely should. The tolling of the iron Won't make it through my ears. And there's no reason to believe That anything will come of me… ...that there's a final judgement; That I'll be finally free. Beggars; Whores; Countrymen of harmless dispositions, Dreaming up the punishments, waiting ahead; Dreaming up a life For when they are dead. Priests, Who are poised for altar boys, And cardinals, safe in exile, And suicide bombers in the midst of replevin, All dreaming up rewards they'll be given in heaven. And every time a child rapist Is leniently sentenced after citing Jesus as the saviour of all, And vicarious settler of scores... …it's always pinned on those countrymen; On those beggars; On those whores. And it goes on, And on, And on. And I'm glad it's not true.

credits

released May 20, 2022

Written*, arranged**, engineered, performed, programmed†, and produced by David Lawrie


Mastered by Andy Wilson


Artwork by HARUKO


* Track 4 written by David Lawrie and Dustin Schultz 


** † Tracks 3 and 4 arranged and programmed by David Lawrie and Dustin Schultz


† Additional programming on track 4 by Robert Ashbridge


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The Royal Ritual England, UK

The Royal Ritual is the dark/industrial project by U.K. born David Lawrie

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