The Martyrs is one of Champaign-Urbana’s influential rock bands of the 1980s. This is their brand new release CD containing their debut album remixed, remastered with new bonus tracks. Forming the band while schoolmates at Champaign Central High School, The Martyrs quickly became an important part of the vibrant, fertile and nationally recognized Champaign-Urbana, Illinois original rock music scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. C-U was mentioned in similar breathe with Athens, Georgia as a wellspring of original post-punk pop talent, and was labeled “The Pop Capital of the Midwest.” The culmination of The Martyrs’ impact was the release of their eponymously named LP record containing 13 original songs, including the regional radio hit “Offtrax” which enjoyed regular airplay for years on stations such as WPGU. The new CD version of “The Martyrs remixed and remastered” includes the entire LP in proper order, including the standouts “Only Girl,” “Trends of the Turmoil,” and the radio version of “Offtrax.” The radio-ready single “The Garden” is featured among the six bonus tracks of previously unreleased material along with the live favorite “Nothin’ to Do,” and rare early demos. Scratching a nearly 30-year itch, The Martyrs returned to the studio with the master tapes to completely remix their original album for this release on CD and MP3 downloads. The Martyrs had a lasting impact on Central Illinois music with a legacy of spawning a generation of young musicians in the region, and paving the way for teenage bands to find their way high-profile clubs and other music venues.