Since releasing their debut album in 2003 there has been a sense Trivium have been searching for their own sound. Albums like ‘Ascendancy’ and ‘The Sin And The Sentence’ have been absolute smashes, but still that feeling of the band trying to find their way as they wander lost through the metal genre has prevailed. Many influences pretty obvious throughout many of their tracks.
But say one thing about them though, their competency in musical ability is second to none. I am a sucker for talented guitar playing and Trivium have never disappointed. Album opener ‘IX’ is a traditional heavy metal extended intro in its neo-classical lead playing building to the title track. ‘What The Dead Men Say’ is an absolute stomper of a track and a big scream from Trivium to acknowledge they are creating something that has been dying to get out for so long.
‘Catastrophist’ with its purer style of singing is a clear single and standout track. Its punching on the verses and with arena filling chorus with a fantastic drum breakdown that will be the soundtrack of many a mosh-pit.
‘Amongst The Shadows And The Stones’ is simply crushing. There’s no let up as it crashes through the speakers. Nothing fancy or showoff about this track just heaviest of heavy metal.
‘Bleed Into Me’ is a slight rest with the bass led verses. The drumming is spectacular and add in another arena filling chorus is song reaches up almost to the metal Gods themselves.
Another standout track goes to “The Defiant”. Traditional heavy metal with a pounding verse and euphoric chorus brandishing the devils horns with pride. The guitar solo is epic with the whole band on blistering form to create absolute metal heaven. Cannot wait to hear this live.
‘Scattering The Ashes’ kicks off with an epic guitar led theme but its the whopping great big bridge-chorus that really grabs and sure to be a crowd favourite when played live.
‘Bending The Arc To Fear’ sees drummer Alex Bent playing out of his skin. Its an absolute bruiser of a song and is up with ‘Amongst The Shadows And The Stones’ with its heaviness.
Ending the album with ‘The Ones We Leave Behind’ ties in this overall themes of war, of loss and changing. Something that Trivium have done over the years. Shedding off the Trivium of old this is the band they were meant to be.
This is an album for all metal fans be it heavy, thrash, black, death, melodic its all here. Its extremely well played and very well produced the Trivium boys have every right to be proud. They have created an album that I think they want to hear as metal fans themselves while putting them back in the metal elite and shutting up their critics once and for all. Trivium can do it all and do it well.
Buy the album here https://shop.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/uk/artists/trivium.html and all good DSPs.
Track listing
- “IX”
- “What The Dead Men Say”
- “Catastrophist”
- “Amongst The Shadows And The Stones”
- “Bleed Into Me”
- “The Defiant”
- “Sickness Unto You”
- “Scattering The Ashes”
- “Bending The Arc To Fear”
- “The Ones We Leave Behind”
Check out the video for ‘Catastrophist’
