Schedule
Martyr
It all began in 1989 in Quebec, Canada, when brothers François and Dan Mongrain (aged 15 and 13 at the time) got their first musical instruments. Along with school friends, the band practiced daily for years, honing their skills through metal covers and experimenting with songwriting.
In 1995, Martyr recorded a 4-track demo called Ostrogoth, which was well received and led to the production of their first studio album, Hopeless Hopes, released in 1997. The concept of the album was to act as a mirror reflecting the human mindset. Shortly after, drummer Patrice Hamelin joined the band.
Hopeless Hopes was voted Independent Album of the Year in 1998 by the Canadian magazine Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles.
Martyr promoted their first album with local tours and had the opportunity to play at the famous Milwaukee Metalfest XII in 1998 alongside Meshuggah, Death, Cryptopsy, Napalm Death, and Merciful Fate. In 2000, after numerous concerts across Canada that helped build a solid fanbase, the band released their second studio album, Warp Zone, which achieved great success in the underground scene and still commands worldwide respect among genre enthusiasts.
Warp Zone explores the evolution of life, transitions, self-questioning, and personal reflections. Martyr self-promoted their first pan-Canadian tour and gathered more and more fans through their impressive performances, becoming a live act not to be missed, playing highly complex music with a lot of energy and passion.
In 2001, the live album Extracting the Core captured the essence of the band’s performances, featuring key tracks from their first two albums.
Shortly after, the departure of guitarist Pier-Luc Lampron led the band to restructure with the arrival of new guitarist Martin Carbonneau. This new chemistry allowed them to resume concerts and start writing new material.
In 2006, Martyr released their third studio album, Feeding the Abscess. A considerable amount of work was put into this album, both musically and visually. Feeding the Abscess contains 13 complex songs marked by pure aggression, surreal sound labyrinths, and rhythms.
The album was followed by a live DVD in 2008, Havoc in Quebec City. This DVD features over three hours of exclusive footage, including a full fifteen-song headlining performance, studio clips, five additional live songs, and a one-hour documentary.
In 2012, the band went on hiatus. During this time, the musicians participated in various projects:
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Dan Mongrain toured extensively and recorded with Voivod, a band he joined in 2008. He is a two-time Juno Award winner as a member and composer of Voivod for the albums The Wake (2019) and Synchro Anarchy (2022) in the Best Metal/Hard Album category (Canada). He also wrote and recorded an album with Gorguts (From Wisdom to Hate, 2000) and toured with Cryptopsy as a session musician in 2005. He performed in the musical Dracula: Entre l’amour et la mort and participated in various pop scene projects in Montreal, including live shows, TV appearances, and studio work. He has also appeared as a guest soloist on albums worldwide. (www.danmongrain.com)
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Martin taught guitar and regularly played in various live music projects.
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François stepped away from music until 2022, when he joined the band Apocalyptic Fear with Patrice. He substituted as bassist for Kataklysm during a North American tour (2008) and recorded bass on the Ex-Deo project Romulus (2009).
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Patrice Hamelin toured and recorded with Quo Vadis (2008), Despised Icon (2008), Senate (2008), Gorguts (2014–2023), Cephalic Carnage (2011–2024), Beneath the Massacre (2012–2024), and Apocalyptic Fear (2022–2024).
In 2019, talks about a reunion began just before the global pandemic struck.
In 2023, following an invitation from Trois-Rivières Metal Production to play at the famous Trois-Rivières MetalFest in their hometown, Martyr decided it was time to reunite and reconnect with their fans, their roots, and the excitement of playing this crazy music again under the MARTYR banner.
- Thursday 11 September 2025
- 7:00 PM
- Agora port de Québec