The Perfect Combination | Thrash Metal, Humor, And Motivik

Humor is one of the essential ingredients of Thrash Metal. Irony and sarcasm are evident throughout much of the scene, and they’re among the characteristics that make it a unique genre. Motivik is not an isolated case. Rather, it’s something quite distinctive.
And while Motivik’s uniqueness stems from its sense of humor, the band also has its strengths in terms of sound and that undeniable connection to the old-school style of Thrash Metal. Their latest album, “Renouncement”, is a prime example of this.
But Motivik’s story has its roots way back in the mid-’90s, when the project was called Unorthodox—a band that disbanded in 1998 and whose members included Ryan Roebuck and Courtney Simmons. Yes, those very same members would reconnect to form Motivik, reviving a sound rooted in old-school Thrash Metal, with notable influences from bands like Tourniquet, Believer, and Sacrament, among others.
Their debut album was “Death Of The Gunman” in 2020, and in 2024 they released “Renouncement”, their second album, which we got our hands on recently—revealing material that places them among our favorites. It’s an explosive album that reminds us of the good old days of the ’90s, with Thrash Metal down to the bone.

Humor and sarcasm are hallmarks of Motivik, especially evident in their funny social media posts, which help break up the monotony that often surrounds bands with Christian themes in their lyrics—a trait that’s quite characteristic of the Thrash Metal genre in general.
“We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We like to laugh”, the guys from Motivik told us, before quickly clarifying that “I think our songs speak for themselves and the seriousness of each topic is clear in them”, and for further clarity, they quote Psalm 126:2, which reads: “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them”, which perfectly captures what Motivik offers: Thrash Metal, good humor, and a special message within the genre.
Motivik isn’t just a recent sensation. Their recent smash hit “Renouncement” doesn’t seem to be a mere fluke, and in fact, as announced by the band itself, new things are coming. A new album is on the horizon.
“We have a few things in the works”, the band admits, and it initially has to do with what’s happening on November 20—a date to mark on your calendar. “Without giving away too much, on November 20th, we will release a “condensed offering” of some tunes”, they reveal mysteriously, though they still add more mystery to the mystery itself. “Definitely heavy, but also possibly a touch of something familiar…redone”, Motivik promises, adding that they’ll soon share more details about this and what 2027 has in store for them.

Motivik acknowledges that they poured everything into “Renouncement”, an album that we, at least, loved, and which we felt was among the best we’ve heard lately on the scene. We had to ask them if the new material would follow the same path. “We poured a lot into that album”, they said, referring to “Renouncement”, and, in response to our curiosity, they added, “…The new material I would say builds on that sound, but also doesn’t let you guess what’s coming next!”—adding even more mystery to the mystery itself!
But for Motivik, not everything begins and ends with “Renouncement”. We’d already told you about their 2020 debut album, “Death Of The Gunman”, but the band also made a notable appearance this year on a tribute album celebrating the 40th anniversary of Stryper’s iconic “To Hell With The Devil”, contributing a heavy-as-hell cover of “More Than A Man”. The guys told us a bit about how the opportunity to participate in “40th Anniversary: To Hell With The Devil”—the aforementioned tribute album—came about. “Bill Bafford at Roxx Records asked us about a year ago if we were interested in participating in a Stryper tribute”, they told us. “He already had “More Than A Man” in mind for us to cut. We said absolutely, and the rest is history”. One of the things we highlighted at the time regarding that cover is that Motivik performed “More Than A Man” in their own way but in the best traditional Heavy Metal style, with a guitar sound that’s clearly more characteristic of Thrash Metal, yet still managing to capture the spirit of the original version. It’s a track we recommend you check out, and one that gives us a glimpse of Motivik’s versatility, beyond their Thrash Metal-focused style.

The only thing that’s certain is that November 20 is a key day for Motivik and their fans. There’s sure to be something new, so keep an eye out for that date. In the meantime, let’s follow Motivik’s sound advice: “Life is hard. People need a laugh and encouragement. Plus, they all need Thrash Metal too!”…as it should be!!!!
To keep up with these crazy guys, here are Motivik’s social media accounts so you can follow them and stay updated on their latest news—which, it seems, will be plentiful soon—as well as the lyric video for “Dethroned” from “Renouncement”, for which we’ve included our review, and their cover of Stryper’s “More Than A Man”….