Roger Dale Martin, or more commonly known as Roger Dale, is a
heavy metal musician who has performed with several acts including
Vengeance Rising
Vengeance Rising was an American Christian metal, Christian thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Fronted by vocalist Roger Martinez, they originally formed as Vengeance in 1987, but changed their name in 1989 to avoid conflict with an ...
and
Once Dead
Once Dead is a Christian metal band that originated in Los Angeles, California. The band has played at Festivals such as Up From The Ashes, Elements of Rock Festival and Nordic Fest.
History
The band started as a reunion for Vengeance Rising a ...
.
History
Roger Dale Martin was born on June 19, in
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. At the age of 12 he was playing in bands, as he did throughout and even after his
High School
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
years.
He worked for a construction company, which traveled to several different states, where he would form new bands. One job took him to California, where he met David Enos and joined the band Emerald.
He recorded on the band's debut EP, ''Armed for Battle'', and following its completion, moved on from the band. After finishing his stint with Emerald, he played a few shows with Holy Right before leaving that band.
Martin then went on to play for Sanctuary Church's band – Sanctuary Celebration Band – for a brief time in 1986. Afterward, Martin was introduced to Doug Thieme, who started Sacrifice with Martin. The two brought in Thieme's friend
Larry Farkas
Larry Farkas (born May 2, 1966) is an American musician who primarily performs thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harri ...
, who was in
Deliverance
''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American survival thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their feature film debuts. The screenplay was adapted ...
. The three then began searching for a drummer and vocalist to play for the band. Originally, the three found Steve Bertram on Drums and Sharon on Vocals. Bertram left the band, and was replaced by Mike Betts of
Neon Cross.
However, Sharon and Betts both departed. The group then found Glen Mancaruso, who agreed to play for the band temporarily until they could find a more permanent drummer, and
Glenn Rogers
Glenn Alan Rogers (born 12 April 1977) is an Australian-born former cricketer who played international cricket for Scotland. A slow left-arm orthodox bowler, his ODI debut was in Chittagong against Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), offici ...
on guitars. The group wrote some material and were introduced to Vocalist Roger Martinez by Pastor Bob Beeman. Rogers left the band, but after writing a majority of the songs.
With the lineup of Martin, Thieme, Farkas, Mancaruso and Martinez, the band now known as
Vengeance Rising
Vengeance Rising was an American Christian metal, Christian thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Fronted by vocalist Roger Martinez, they originally formed as Vengeance in 1987, but changed their name in 1989 to avoid conflict with an ...
began recording their debut album, ''
Human Sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherein ...
''.
The band toured around and signed to Medusa Records, which then got bought out by the Christian label, Intense Records, a subsidiary of
Frontline Records
Frontline Records was a Christian rock record label, founded in 1986 by James Kempner in Santa Ana, California. The label focused primarily on modern rock, rap, dance-pop and hip-hop. The label closed in the early 1990s, and then resurfaced in ...
.
The band played several shows and got secular distribution and became respected by many metal bands. In 1990, the band recorded and released ''
Once Dead
Once Dead is a Christian metal band that originated in Los Angeles, California. The band has played at Festivals such as Up From The Ashes, Elements of Rock Festival and Nordic Fest.
History
The band started as a reunion for Vengeance Rising a ...
''. While supporting the album on the Once Dead Tour, the band members, including Martin, felt a disconnect with Martinez.
After the tour finished, the four signed over all debts to Martinez, which he agreed to.
The ordeal was documented in ''
Heaven's Metal Magazine
''HM Magazine'' is a monthly, digital and print on demand publication focusing on hard music and alternative culture of interest to Christians. It is headquartered in Houston, Texas. The magazine states that its goal is to "honestly and accurat ...
''. Much drama followed after this, with Martinez blaming the members of the band as stealing from him and abandoning him with all the debt.
Martin then joined Triple Ace, a ministry based biker band, which was a part of Bikers for Christ.
Several months later, the four formed a project called
Die Happy
Die Happy is a German alternative rock band from Ulm. The group was founded in 1993 by Czech singer Marta Jandová and Thorsten Mewes. Even though the band is based in Germany, their songs are written and performed almost exclusively in English. ...
with former
Joshua
Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...
vocalist Robin Basuri and recorded a self-titled album, which was released in 1992. Martin departed from Die Happy in 1993, as he was moving to Nashville and started a ministry band called Pond Scum.
Not much else was heard from Martin musically until 2004, when the four members of Vengeance attempted to do a reunion show with the band and Scott Waters of
Ultimatum
An ultimatum (; ) is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance (open loop). An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series o ...
on vocals. The group were sued by Martinez, claiming he owned the rights to the name.
Since the band could not play as Vengeance, they formed under the name of
Once Dead
Once Dead is a Christian metal band that originated in Los Angeles, California. The band has played at Festivals such as Up From The Ashes, Elements of Rock Festival and Nordic Fest.
History
The band started as a reunion for Vengeance Rising a ...
and released a DVD titled ''Return With a Vengeance.''
However, by 2006, a three members of the band - Mancaruso, Waters and Martin - departed from the band.
In August 2017, it was announced that Vengeance Rising would be reuniting for So Cal Metal Fest in honor of Dale Huffman, a radio show host of Metal Pulse Radio and writer at Untombed Zine. The band also re-released ''Human Sacrifice'' on vinyl for the 30th Anniversary of the album.
Martin also had personal hand written notes within the 30 year pressing on the album.
The band performed at the Festival with the original lineup, with Jim Settle (ex-
Tantrum of the Muse,
Hand of Fire) on vocals.
The band, as this incarnation, are currently working on new material and have gained a record deal in the process.
Later, it was announced, that the band would be going under the name of Once Dead, reviving their old project with Jim Settle and Roger Sampson (ex-
Precious Death) on Vocals and Drums respectively.
In 2019, it was announced that Emerald would reunite, with Martin being a part of the lineup once more.
Personal life
Roger Dale Martin is an outspoken Christian.
He has been described by reviews as having a fun presence and as a fantastic bass player.
Bands
Current
*Emerald (1984-1986, 2019-present)
*
Once Dead
Once Dead is a Christian metal band that originated in Los Angeles, California. The band has played at Festivals such as Up From The Ashes, Elements of Rock Festival and Nordic Fest.
History
The band started as a reunion for Vengeance Rising a ...
(2004-2006, 2018-present)
*
Vengeance Rising
Vengeance Rising was an American Christian metal, Christian thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Fronted by vocalist Roger Martinez, they originally formed as Vengeance in 1987, but changed their name in 1989 to avoid conflict with an ...
(1987–1990, 2004, 2017–present)
Former
*Holy Right (1986)
*Sanctuary Celebration Band (1986)
*Triple Ace (1990)
*
Die Happy
Die Happy is a German alternative rock band from Ulm. The group was founded in 1993 by Czech singer Marta Jandová and Thorsten Mewes. Even though the band is based in Germany, their songs are written and performed almost exclusively in English. ...
(1990-1993)
*Pond Scum (1994-1996)
Discography
Emerald
*''Armed for Battle'' (1987)
*''Selah/Armed for Battle'' (2001)
Vengeance Rising
*''
Human Sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherein ...
'' (1988)
*''Vengeance'' (1988)
*''Hot Metal Summer II'' (1989)
*''
Once Dead
Once Dead is a Christian metal band that originated in Los Angeles, California. The band has played at Festivals such as Up From The Ashes, Elements of Rock Festival and Nordic Fest.
History
The band started as a reunion for Vengeance Rising a ...
'' (1990)
Die Happy
*''Die Happy'' (1992)
Once Dead
*''Return with a Vengeance DVD'' (2005)
*''Return with a Vengeance: Live in Anaheim'' (2010)
*''Ghost Tribe'' (2019)
External links
Roger Dale Martinon Discogs
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Roger Dale
Living people
American Christians
Thrash metal musicians
Christian metal musicians
American heavy metal musicians
Die Happy (band) members
Once Dead members
Year of birth missing (living people)