Saint Martyn: And Testament
DL | Vinyl | Streaming
Released 3rd April 2026
Saint Martyn explores darkness and faith with goth, post-industrial and trip-hop inspired sounds on her third album, And Testament. Andy Brown reviews…
And Testament – the third album by Leicester-based artist Ryanne Saint AKA Saint Martyn – submerges the listener within seconds. Imagine those scenes in Jonathan Glazer’s Under The Skin when – lured in by an enticing alien – a series of men are unwittingly drawn into the dark before sinking into the black ooze beneath their feet. Except, rather than suffer some grisly fate, we’re willingly engulfed by a potent mix of goth, post-industrial and trip-hop inspired sounds. Now, that’s my kind of darkness.
Saint’s music has always felt extremely personal, with 2023’s The Day God Died partly serving as an exploration of her transition. And Testament does not shy away from the emotional rawness that made her previous album such a compelling experience. The themes of faith are apparent from the rather striking artwork while the songs also delve into doubt, survival and loss of innocence. It would be fair to say that Ryanne is putting a lot on the table with this one. The album title itself is a nod to the term Last Will And Testament.
Appropriately enough, we begin at the end with The Closing. A slow, steady submersion that utilises subtle trip-hop beats, piano and slowly suffocating synths. “Try to save my memory of all that’s pure,” she sings in shaky tones before the inevitable gut punch, “There’s a child inside me/ That burns in hell.” Oof! The crystal-clear production ensures every note hits, while Saint’s delivery feels like she’s murmuring unspeakable secrets into your ear. It’s one hell of an opening statement.
Released as a single last year, Sorrow is a gloomy and enthralling slice of dark wave. A few minutes in, the whole thing is ripped apart with a cathartic cry and a black wave of industrial guitars. A defiant scream from the pit of the abyss. With layers of sublime synths, As It Flows Below is an immersive and subtly unsettling piece. Again, I can’t say enough about how pitch perfect the production is and how well Saint Martyn’s vision has been captured on these recordings. Dark, troubled yet immaculate.
Sparse electronics and Ryanne’s trembling tones lead us further into the unknown on The Lie That Burns The Sin. “What is it that you pray for?” she asks before headphone rumbling bass seeps into the mix. No big chorus or hook, just a cold – emotionally exposed – landscape, steadily unfolding. Rhythm 0 draws us in with shivering, post-industrial synthscapes before juddering beats and strange, disconcerting sounds create something wholly entrancing. It’s all so close to the bone, it’s as if you’re hearing something you weren’t really meant to. Like a microphone in a confessional.
Martyr is a brilliantly unnerving slice of gothic synth-pop and a real ghost in the machine. “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” comes some disembodied voice in the midst of the song; a gramophone quietly crackling in the background. With its talk of black roses and sinking swansongs, the title track is a sad yet unquestionably beautiful lament. For the most part, the tension seems to dissipate as we’re wrapped in the songs dreamy embrace. This is an album that – once it takes hold – really won’t let go.
Up next, Blood & Fire provides us with a rhythmic blast of fiery sonic exorcism. A rejection of a religious lie that bristles with anger and disgust. The sense of release is tangible as Saint chants over the song’s propulsive catharsis. This is an album rife with strength and struggle; an album where – against all odds – pain and trauma are transformed into art. Everything comes together with the record’s last offering, The Sudden Silence. Eight minutes of synth-laden sprawl that push through purgatory to finally find a little light, peace and comfort. And suddenly, you’re not alone.
An album from an artist that seems to reach new heights with each release, And Testament is a powerful and utterly astounding piece of work.
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You can find Saint Martyn on Instagram and Bandcamp.
All words by Andy Brown. You can visit his author profile and read more of his reviews for Louder Than War HERE.
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