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Trivium (band)
Encyclopedia
Trivium is an American heavy metal
band from Orlando
, Florida
, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records
, the band has released five studio albums
, eleven singles, and twelve music videos. Their latest album, In Waves
was released on August 9, 2011.
talent show, guitarist Matt Heafy
performed a cover version of "Self Esteem" by The Offspring
. Vocalist Brad Lewter noticed Heafy and asked him to try out for his band. The pair went over to drummer Travis Smith
's house where they played Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls
". Impressed with Heafy's performance, they accepted him into the band known as Trivium. After several shows at bars and local clubs, Lewter quit the band and Heafy took over his position as vocalist. In early 2003, Trivium went into the recording studio to record its first high-quality demo
disc. A copy of the demo was heard by German label Lifeforce
, who signed Trivium. The band entered a studio to record its debut album, Ember to Inferno
.
As time went on, Corey Beaulieu joined. In 2004, Paolo Gregoletto
joined as the band's bassist to replace Brent Young, before a tour with Machine Head
. The album Ember to Inferno managed to garner the interest of Roadrunner Records
representatives, who later signed Trivium to a record deal. They then began writing songs for their major label debut.
, in Audiohammer Studios and Morrisound Recording in Florida
. Produced by Heafy and Jason Suecof
, the album was released in March 2005. The album debuted at #151 on the Billboard 200
and at #4 on the Top Heatseekers
chart. Allmusic reviewer Johnny Loftus stated on Ascendancy, Trivium are a "ridiculously tight quartet, unleashing thrilling dual guitar passages and pummeling kick drum gallops as surely as they do melodic breaks and vicious throat screeds" and Rod Smith of Decibel magazine
praised "Smith’s impeccably articulated beats, bassist Paolo Gregoletto’s contained thunder, and, especially, Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu’s liquid twin leads." The album was also recognized as the "Album of the Year" by Kerrang!
magazine. Later in 2007 the band recived their first Gold Record in the UK for more than 100,000 Sales.
In 2005, Trivium played the first Saturday set on the main stage at Download Festival
in Castle Donington
, England
, credited by Matt Heafy as the gig that really launched Trivium on the world stage.
Singles and music videos were released for "Like Light to the Flies
", "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
", "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
", and "Dying in Your Arms
". The videos for these songs gained rotation on MTV2
's Headbangers Ball
and Pull Harder on The Strings of Your Martyr has become one of their most well known songs and has become the song that they usually close their set with. In support of the album, Trivium played on numerous tours with well known artists. The band opened for Killswitch Engage
, Iced Earth
, Fear Factory
, and Machine Head
, who were one of Heafy's largest influences. Trivium played at Road Rage 2005, Ozzfest
, and made an appearance at the Download Festival
. Ascendancy was re-released in 2006 with four bonus tracks and a DVD containing all of the band's music videos and live footage.
In April 2006, after a headlining tour featuring Mendeed
and God Forbid
as openers, Trivium entered the studio with Suecof and Heafy producing again. The band played the Download Festival again, this time on the main stage with Korn
and Metallica
. Trivium released The Crusade
in October 2006. Debuting at number 25 on the Billboard 200, the album sold over 32,000 copies in its first week of sales. The album was a critical success, with Andy Greene of Rolling Stone
claiming "Nothing mars a good metal record like so-called harsh vocals" and Don Kaye of Blabbermouth.net
stating The Crusade "is one of the best metal releases of 2006 and quite possibly the heavy music album of the year." On The Crusade, Heafy's vocals changed from the metalcore
scream that was featured on the band's previous albums, to more singing on this album. This new singing style, along with the band's thrash metal
music were criticised of sounding too much like Metallica
, who was a major influence on the band. Heafy commented on the change:
The band supported the album by touring with Iron Maiden
and Metallica
, appearing on the Black Crusade tour with Machine Head
, Arch Enemy
, DragonForce
and Shadows Fall
, as well as headlining a European tour with supporting acts Annihilator
and Sanctity
and acquiring an opening slot on the Family Values Tour
with Korn
. Trivium was named the best live band of 2006 at the Metal Hammer
Golden God Awards.
in October 2007. Heafy stated he wanted to bring back the screaming that was found on Ascendancy. The band stated they did not choose to work with Suecof again because they already recorded three albums with him and they wanted to explore new ideas. Recording ended June 2008.
In an interview with the UK's Metal Hammer
magazine in May 2008, Matt Heafy stated that their new album was to have "more thrash influences, more screaming and more raptors. Possibly more screaming because of the raptors." He told Revolver
magazine, "For the first time, we can't look at our songs and say who the riffs sound like. We're really making our own stuff and our own kind of music and art form, and that's exciting." In September 2008, Trivium released their fourth full-length album, Shogun. The album sold 24,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, and debut at number 23 on the Billboard 200
chart as well as Number 1 in the UK Rock Album Charts.
On August 14, Metal Hammer posted the following message on their blog, as stated by Matt Heafy:
“We have some stuff not as a whole band but each individual guy has maybe ten to twenty songs. I have done about fifteen, but I have gotten rid of all but six because I kept the good ones as I kept going on, the newer songs I was writing were stronger and better so I got rid of the ones that weren’t as good. Paolo (Gregoletto, bass) has a bunch of songs, like twenty or so, but he keeps cutting back as well. Everyone keeps writing as many as they can, but then cutting back the weak ones and not worrying about trying to make them better songs.”
However, it was confirmed on November 7, at the Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, that the band would "not be returning to Philadelphia for awhile or touring as much" due to plans to return to the recording studio's to record their 5th studio album during mid-2010.
Trivium toured extensively throughout 2009 in support of Shogun, with two headline legs of the US, a headline slot on the Mayhem Festival
second stage, a Australia/Japan leg, as well as a conclusive UK run in March 2010. Throughout their headline runs they have been supported by Chimaira
, Darkest Hour, Dirge Within, Whitechapel
, Rise to Remain and Black Tide
.
They are now scheduled to play a major role in Australia's Sound Wave Festival.
Travis Smith unofficially left the band on the second leg of the "Into the Mouth of Hell We Tour" tour. On February 4, 2010, the band announced that Travis had indeed officially left the band and fill-in drummer, ex-drum tech, Nick Augusto, was replacing him. Augusto is a former member of Maruta and Metal Militia, in which he played in with Gregoletto. The band has not yet stated the reason of his departure.
While Trivium's relationship with Smith had deteriorated over the years, the band had no immediate plans to replace him when he announced in late October 2009 that he would be sitting out the 'Into the Mouth of Hell We March' tour to take care of "some personal business." It was not until after the band members started playing with Augusto on the tour that they realized the injection of new blood served Trivium well.
"I was familiar with Nick's stuff with Maruta, and I knew he could play really fast, but I was really curious on how he'd do with our band," Heafy said. "I remember stepping out of the car and hearing him practicing 'Into the Mouth of Hell We March,' and I'd never heard the song played with that ferocity. It sounded like the album, but it was a little faster, harder and angrier. The first song we played [with him] was 'Rain' [from 2005's Ascendancy] and I remember him playing the end section and it was so effortless it almost looked fake. I looked at Corey and we both started laughing at the same time. I could tell we were both just thinking, 'Who the fuck is this guy?' So it's very cool he was able to bring that intensity to stuff that already existed and bring his own flair as well."
To this day, Heafy insists he has no idea exactly what 'personal issues' prevented Smith from touring, but he is grateful for the opportunity to play with Augusto, and wishes Smith the best of luck with his future endeavors.
In an interview with OneMetal.com, guitarist Corey Beaulieu added, "...over time, things just kinda weren’t working out, and we did a headline tour of the US and about halfway through Travis just said he wasn’t going to do the next tour, so regardless we had to think about getting someone to fill in, then once we started playing with Nick we just knew it was the right thing." On the nature of Smith's dismissal from the band, Beaulieu stated
Trivium contributed to the God of War III
soundtrack by recording the song, "Shattering the Skies Above". It is exclusively included on God of War: Blood & Metal, a digital
EP that comes with the Ultimate Edition of the game and is available from the iTunes Store
. The band has also recorded a cover of the song "Slave New World" by Sepultura
. "Shattering the Skies Above" was also released exclusively to their fanclub (TriviumWorld) on February 12, 2010 and was released widely on February 15. The next day their Sepultura cover "Slave New World" was released as a free download for members of the UK via Metal Hammer UK. Then on August 9 2011 Trivium released "Shattering the Skies Above" and their cover of "Slave New World" on their deluxe version of the album "In Waves".
In an interview with Guitar World, it was stated that for their forthcoming fifth studio album, Trivium will move forward by looking back. The group will forgo the complex epic compositions, tricked-out, leads and seven-string guitars that characterized its past two albums. Trivium will take an approach similar to that of its second album Ascendancy (2005) by using uncluttered riffs, drop-D tuning, and more straightforward solos. "When we did Ascendancy, we were writing specifically for the songs, not to show how well we could play," says frontman and guitarist Matt Heafy. "That wasn't exactly the case with our next two records." The album's guitars and bass are actually tuned to drop C#.
Adds Heafy’s co-guitarist, Corey Beaulieu, "We're making sure every part in every song needs to be there and is super-catchy and doesn't go over people's heads." Heafy stated via Twitter that they will be entering the studio on January 2. Matt Heafy stated on December 11, that there are going to be 10–13 songs on the new album.
On January 31, 2011, it was announced that Trivium would take part in the Mayhem Festival
for the second time alongside Machine Head
, In Flames
, Megadeth
, Godsmack
, and Disturbed.
It was announced on February 18, that Trivium will be special guests for Iron Maiden, on their Final Frontier world tour at the London 02 on August 6, 2011. On their official website, Matt Heafy says "We couldn't be more honoured and excited to share a stage with the legendary Iron Maiden. This will be Trivium's first UK show in a long time & we'll have a new record under our belts to debut. Lights Out London for an immense night of metal. Up The Irons." On May 21, Trivium's new single "In Waves" leaked onto the internet. On June 6, Matt Heafy announced that the record would also be called In Waves
on Twitter.
On 6 June, Metal Hammer
revealed that the band have decided to entitle their upcoming album In Waves and that it would be released on August 9, 2011.
On 19 June, Trivium debuted two new songs live in Birmingham entitled "Dusk Dismantled" and "Black".
On the 28th of June "Dusk Dismantled" was released to TriviumWorld users only; it was released to general public on the 29th.
On 13th July, the premiere of "Inception of the End" was released to the general public on the website Hot Topic
.
In Waves was released on August 2011 worldwide, and has received mixed reaction from both fans and critics. Kerrang! described the album as "draws from the band's entire repertoire and shapes what it finds into a defining and definitive set". A special edition was released featuring the tracks: "Ensnare The Sun", "A Grey So Dark", "Drowning In Slow Motion", "Slave New World" cover and the single from the God of War III soundtrack "Shattering The Skies Above".
Trivium will support Dream Theater
on their North American headlining tour starting September 24th.
Trivium has announced that the next music video will be for the song "Built To Fall". During a live chat on WJRR
on September 19th, Matt Heafy stated that the band is also planning to film a music video for the song "Black".
Trivium will participate in a co-headlining trek with Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames
in both Europe and North America. European support will come from Ghost
and Rise to Remain
and North American support will come from Veil of Maya and Kyng
.
, thrash metal
, progressive metal
, alternative metal
, groove metal
, and death metal
. Their style has evolved over the years from their earliest work on Ember to Inferno
right through to Shogun, there is a clear thrash influence from Metallica
and Machine Head
, as well as some early In Flames
. Trivium has stated that in general they are influenced by musical groups such as Metallica, In Flames, Machine Head
, and Iron Maiden
.
Upon the release of their second album Ascendancy
, Trivium were identified as metalcore with strong elements of thrash metal, with the third track on the album “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
” becoming a permanent fixture in the band's set lists and the rest of the album selling itself to gold status. Ascendancy was even featured as one of Metal Hammer’s
Albums of the Decade. Later releases have marked changes in the band. The Crusade
was seen as a major shift in musical direction due to the change in vocal style, namely the absence of screaming, and some of the melodies featured.
The Crusade is a much more thrash-oriented album and lyrical content was also different in direction, citing current affairs, such as the Yates
murders and the 1999 Amadou Diallo
killing. In Autumn 2008, Trivium released Shogun, which has a heavy Japanese influence on its title track as well as the first single release "Kirisute Gomen
", which translates to "authorization to cut and leave
". Acknowledging Matt Heafy’s Japanese heritage, the album also was described more favorably as more their own style, as previous references to Trivium sounding like Metallica had been made on the back of The Crusade. The Crusade made sparing use of 7-string guitars
, which were featured heavily on Shogun.
Many of the songs on Shogun draw lyrical inspiration from Greek mythology
. "Into the Mouth of Hell We March
" and "Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis" detail the story of Odysseus
choosing whether to face the giant whirlpool Charybdis
or the 6-headed monster Scylla
. "He Who Spawned the Furies" is about the Titan
Cronos devouring his children and castrating his father Uranus
, creating Aphrodite
and the Erinýes
(the Furies). "Of Prometheus and the Crucifix" references the daily torment of Prometheus
and alludes to crucifixion
of Jesus Christ
, serving as a metaphor for enduring torment by the public for daring to contribute something new to society. "Like Callisto to a Star in Heaven" is written from the perspective of the nymph
Callisto
, detailing her rape
and impregnation by Zeus
and her transformations into a bear and into Ursa Major
. "Down from the Sky" features a contemporary theme, chastising those who spark wars for profit
or religion
, and warning of nuclear holocaust
.
Former members
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, the band has released five studio albums
Trivium discography
The discography of Trivium, an American heavy metal band formed in 1999, consists of five studio albums, one demo, eight singles, and fifteen music videos...
, eleven singles, and twelve music videos. Their latest album, In Waves
In Waves
In Waves is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium, released worldwide on various dates August 2, 2011 and August 9, 2011 through Roadrunner Records.-Background:...
was released on August 9, 2011.
Formation and debut album (1999—2004)
At his Lake Brantley High SchoolLake Brantley High School
Lake Brantley High School is located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, an urban community approximately 13 miles north of Orlando, Florida, USA. It is a public high school serving grade levels 9-12 in Seminole County, FL, operated by Seminole County Public Schools...
talent show, guitarist Matt Heafy
Matt Heafy
Matthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy is a Japanese-American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the American Metal band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof.-Biography:Heafy is Japanese from his mother...
performed a cover version of "Self Esteem" by The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
. Vocalist Brad Lewter noticed Heafy and asked him to try out for his band. The pair went over to drummer Travis Smith
Travis Smith (musician)
Travis Smith is the former drummer in the metal band Trivium. He was with Trivium since forming the band in 1999. Travis is best known for his very fast footwork, and intricate rhythms on the toms, a skill that has been noted several times by music magazines such as Revolver and Modern Drummer as...
's house where they played Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls
For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica song)
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third and final single from their second album, Ride the Lightning....
". Impressed with Heafy's performance, they accepted him into the band known as Trivium. After several shows at bars and local clubs, Lewter quit the band and Heafy took over his position as vocalist. In early 2003, Trivium went into the recording studio to record its first high-quality demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
disc. A copy of the demo was heard by German label Lifeforce
Lifeforce Records
Lifeforce Records is a German record label that specializes in metalcore, death metal, and post-hardcore. Their current roster contains bands such as Burning Skies, This or the Apocalypse, Light Pupil Dilate and Nightrage, and they have helped to launch the careers of a number bands who went on to...
, who signed Trivium. The band entered a studio to record its debut album, Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno is the debut album from American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on October 14, 2003 on Lifeforce Records.-Background:...
.
As time went on, Corey Beaulieu joined. In 2004, Paolo Gregoletto
Paolo Gregoletto
Paolo Gregoletto is an Italian-American bass player for the band Trivium. Gregoletto resides in Pompano Beach, Florida. He is Italian on his fathers side and American on his mothers side...
joined as the band's bassist to replace Brent Young, before a tour with Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
. The album Ember to Inferno managed to garner the interest of Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
representatives, who later signed Trivium to a record deal. They then began writing songs for their major label debut.
Ascendancy (2004—2006)
In 2004, Trivium recorded its second album, AscendancyAscendancy (album)
Ascendancy is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium. Released on March 15, 2005 by Roadrunner Records.-Background and production:The album was produced by Jason Suecof and frontman, Matt Heafy...
, in Audiohammer Studios and Morrisound Recording in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Produced by Heafy and Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof
-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
, the album was released in March 2005. The album debuted at #151 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and at #4 on the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart. Allmusic reviewer Johnny Loftus stated on Ascendancy, Trivium are a "ridiculously tight quartet, unleashing thrilling dual guitar passages and pummeling kick drum gallops as surely as they do melodic breaks and vicious throat screeds" and Rod Smith of Decibel magazine
Decibel magazine
Decibel is a monthly heavy metal and extreme music magazine published by the Philadelphia-based Red Flag Media. Since October 2004, Decibel has featured a plethora of extreme metal bands and musicians. Its sections include Upfront, Features, Reviews, Guest Columns and the Decibel Hall of Fame...
praised "Smith’s impeccably articulated beats, bassist Paolo Gregoletto’s contained thunder, and, especially, Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu’s liquid twin leads." The album was also recognized as the "Album of the Year" by Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine. Later in 2007 the band recived their first Gold Record in the UK for more than 100,000 Sales.
In 2005, Trivium played the first Saturday set on the main stage at Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
in Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, credited by Matt Heafy as the gig that really launched Trivium on the world stage.
Singles and music videos were released for "Like Light to the Flies
Like Light to the Flies
"Like Light to the Flies" or "Like Light", as it is often referred to, is a song by heavy metal band Trivium and is the first single and music video from their 2005 album, Ascendancy...
", "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" is a song by heavy metal band Trivium. It appears on their 2005 album Ascendancy and was released as the album's second single in the same year....
", "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
"A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" is a song by Trivium's, released as the third single from their second album Ascendancy. It features mainly screamed vocals and solos by both Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu. Its main riff has been voted 63rd on Total Guitar's 100 Greatest Riffs.- Meaning :"It's...
", and "Dying in Your Arms
Dying in Your Arms
"Dying in Your Arms" is a 2005 single written by Matt Heafy. It is the eighth track on Trivium's second album Ascendancy. The Ascendancy Special Edition also includes the music video for the song, the song being performed live and the single edit of the song...
". The videos for these songs gained rotation on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
and Pull Harder on The Strings of Your Martyr has become one of their most well known songs and has become the song that they usually close their set with. In support of the album, Trivium played on numerous tours with well known artists. The band opened for Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
, Iced Earth
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
, Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, and Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, who were one of Heafy's largest influences. Trivium played at Road Rage 2005, Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
, and made an appearance at the Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
. Ascendancy was re-released in 2006 with four bonus tracks and a DVD containing all of the band's music videos and live footage.
The Crusade (2006—2008)
Mendeed
Mendeed were a metalcore band formed in 2000 and disbanded in 2007.-History:The band's members met at school in Dumbarton. In 2002 they self-released their first EP Killing Something Beautiful. In 2003 the band released their second EP As We Rise....
and God Forbid
God Forbid
God Forbid is an American heavy metal band formed in 1996 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.-Biography:Building up a following in the late 1990s by touring with bands such as GWAR, Nile, Cradle of Filth and Candiria, God Forbid's first full album Reject the Sickness was released by 9 Volt Records in 1999...
as openers, Trivium entered the studio with Suecof and Heafy producing again. The band played the Download Festival again, this time on the main stage with Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. Trivium released The Crusade
The Crusade (album)
-Reception:* Allmusic [ link]* IGN * Kerrang! * Metal Hammer * Rolling Stone * Sputnikmusic * Total Guitar -Personnel:Trivium*Matt Heafy – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitars*Corey Beaulieu – lead and rhythm guitars...
in October 2006. Debuting at number 25 on the Billboard 200, the album sold over 32,000 copies in its first week of sales. The album was a critical success, with Andy Greene of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
claiming "Nothing mars a good metal record like so-called harsh vocals" and Don Kaye of Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was officially launched in March 2001...
stating The Crusade "is one of the best metal releases of 2006 and quite possibly the heavy music album of the year." On The Crusade, Heafy's vocals changed from the metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
scream that was featured on the band's previous albums, to more singing on this album. This new singing style, along with the band's thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
music were criticised of sounding too much like Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, who was a major influence on the band. Heafy commented on the change:
The band supported the album by touring with Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, appearing on the Black Crusade tour with Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Arch Enemy
Arch Enemy (band)
Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. It was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan...
, DragonForce
DragonForce
DragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
and Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
, as well as headlining a European tour with supporting acts Annihilator
Annihilator (band)
Annihilator is a Canadian heavy metal band hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, also from Vancouver, British Columbia between 1987-2002 by founding member, vocalist, guitarist and bassist Jeff Waters. The band has been around since 1984 and is the biggest selling heavy metal artist from Canada in history,...
and Sanctity
Sanctity (band)
Sanctity was a heavy metal band from Asheville, North Carolina, USA. They formed in 1998 and have released one album, Road to Bloodshed, on April 24, 2007. They are currently writing for a new album, with their new TBA vocalist...
and acquiring an opening slot on the Family Values Tour
Family Values Tour
The Family Values Tour was created by the band Korn in 1998 to be an annual rock & rap tour.The tour began in 1998 and would take the year off in 2000, due to heavy competition from other tours, such as the Anger Management Tour and the Summer Sanitarium Tour. After a four year hiatus, the Family...
with Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
. Trivium was named the best live band of 2006 at the Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
Golden God Awards.
Shogun (2008—2009)
Trivium started working on a new album with producer Nick RaskulineczNick Raskulinecz
Nick Raskulinecz is a Grammy-winning American record producer. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.-Production career:Raskulinecz is from the Bearden area of Knoxville, Tennessee. He first produced and recorded bands in Knoxville on a 8-track recorder that his grandfather bought for him...
in October 2007. Heafy stated he wanted to bring back the screaming that was found on Ascendancy. The band stated they did not choose to work with Suecof again because they already recorded three albums with him and they wanted to explore new ideas. Recording ended June 2008.
In an interview with the UK's Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
magazine in May 2008, Matt Heafy stated that their new album was to have "more thrash influences, more screaming and more raptors. Possibly more screaming because of the raptors." He told Revolver
Revolver (magazine)
Revolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
magazine, "For the first time, we can't look at our songs and say who the riffs sound like. We're really making our own stuff and our own kind of music and art form, and that's exciting." In September 2008, Trivium released their fourth full-length album, Shogun. The album sold 24,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, and debut at number 23 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart as well as Number 1 in the UK Rock Album Charts.
On August 14, Metal Hammer posted the following message on their blog, as stated by Matt Heafy:
“We have some stuff not as a whole band but each individual guy has maybe ten to twenty songs. I have done about fifteen, but I have gotten rid of all but six because I kept the good ones as I kept going on, the newer songs I was writing were stronger and better so I got rid of the ones that weren’t as good. Paolo (Gregoletto, bass) has a bunch of songs, like twenty or so, but he keeps cutting back as well. Everyone keeps writing as many as they can, but then cutting back the weak ones and not worrying about trying to make them better songs.”
However, it was confirmed on November 7, at the Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, that the band would "not be returning to Philadelphia for awhile or touring as much" due to plans to return to the recording studio's to record their 5th studio album during mid-2010.
Trivium toured extensively throughout 2009 in support of Shogun, with two headline legs of the US, a headline slot on the Mayhem Festival
Mayhem festival
The Mayhem Festival is a touring metal festival that takes place during the summer. The inaugural iteration took place in 2008; the festival has since become an annual event across the United States and Quebec, Canada. The tour has been sponsored by the Rockstar Energy Company since the time of its...
second stage, a Australia/Japan leg, as well as a conclusive UK run in March 2010. Throughout their headline runs they have been supported by Chimaira
Chimaira
Chimaira is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1998, the group is a notable member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene. The band's name is derived from the word Chimera, a monstrous creature in Greek mythology...
, Darkest Hour, Dirge Within, Whitechapel
Whitechapel (band)
Whitechapel is an American deathcore band from Knoxville, Tennessee. The group comprises vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade, Zach Householder; bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Ben Harclerode. Their band name is derived from a district in the built-up inner city of London, known...
, Rise to Remain and Black Tide
Black Tide
Black Tide is an American heavy metal band from Miami, Florida. Formed in 2004, the group is currently signed to Interscope Records and is composed of Gabriel Garcia , Austin Diaz , Zachary Sandler , and Steven Spence...
.
They are now scheduled to play a major role in Australia's Sound Wave Festival.
Travis Smith unofficially left the band on the second leg of the "Into the Mouth of Hell We Tour" tour. On February 4, 2010, the band announced that Travis had indeed officially left the band and fill-in drummer, ex-drum tech, Nick Augusto, was replacing him. Augusto is a former member of Maruta and Metal Militia, in which he played in with Gregoletto. The band has not yet stated the reason of his departure.
Departure of Smith and God of War III contribution (2010)
A couple of days after the release of Trivium's "Shattering the Skies Above", the band's first release that does not feature original drummer Travis Smith, frontman Matt Heafy opened up about why Trivium no longer includes Smith, and how former drum tech Nick Augusto was made into his replacement."We were coming to the point where the band was – not necessarily dissolving – but dissolving in creativity and maybe in live fire and energy, so we had to make a change for the positive," Heafy told Noisecreep. "Thankfully, we were able to find Nick, who was able to step it up and really be that guy to take us to the next level."
While Trivium's relationship with Smith had deteriorated over the years, the band had no immediate plans to replace him when he announced in late October 2009 that he would be sitting out the 'Into the Mouth of Hell We March' tour to take care of "some personal business." It was not until after the band members started playing with Augusto on the tour that they realized the injection of new blood served Trivium well.
"I was familiar with Nick's stuff with Maruta, and I knew he could play really fast, but I was really curious on how he'd do with our band," Heafy said. "I remember stepping out of the car and hearing him practicing 'Into the Mouth of Hell We March,' and I'd never heard the song played with that ferocity. It sounded like the album, but it was a little faster, harder and angrier. The first song we played [with him] was 'Rain' [from 2005's Ascendancy] and I remember him playing the end section and it was so effortless it almost looked fake. I looked at Corey and we both started laughing at the same time. I could tell we were both just thinking, 'Who the fuck is this guy?' So it's very cool he was able to bring that intensity to stuff that already existed and bring his own flair as well."
To this day, Heafy insists he has no idea exactly what 'personal issues' prevented Smith from touring, but he is grateful for the opportunity to play with Augusto, and wishes Smith the best of luck with his future endeavors.
"We told him over the phone [that we were continuing with Augusto,] and it was hard for everyone involved," Heafy said. "But I hope it's going to be something Travis recognizes was for the better for him in years to come. For his own health and well-being as well and for our own. I heard that he's doing very well now and that's the best you can wish for. And we hope he does amazingly, no matter what he picks in life to do next."
In an interview with OneMetal.com, guitarist Corey Beaulieu added, "...over time, things just kinda weren’t working out, and we did a headline tour of the US and about halfway through Travis just said he wasn’t going to do the next tour, so regardless we had to think about getting someone to fill in, then once we started playing with Nick we just knew it was the right thing." On the nature of Smith's dismissal from the band, Beaulieu stated
"...things were falling apart, and we just kind of pulled the trigger first, just to get it done, move forward and get the new guy settled in and comfortable. It’s been working really great with Nick and when people see the show they will see why."
Trivium contributed to the God of War III
God of War III
God of War III is an action-adventure video game released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010...
soundtrack by recording the song, "Shattering the Skies Above". It is exclusively included on God of War: Blood & Metal, a digital
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
EP that comes with the Ultimate Edition of the game and is available from the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
. The band has also recorded a cover of the song "Slave New World" by Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
. "Shattering the Skies Above" was also released exclusively to their fanclub (TriviumWorld) on February 12, 2010 and was released widely on February 15. The next day their Sepultura cover "Slave New World" was released as a free download for members of the UK via Metal Hammer UK. Then on August 9 2011 Trivium released "Shattering the Skies Above" and their cover of "Slave New World" on their deluxe version of the album "In Waves".
In Waves (2010—present)
In an interview with STV, Heafy has said: "Things are great and its definitely preparing us for our next record which is what we have been prepping for and we have been writing for it. It's going to be and has to be the best record we have ever done. Every record we say that but this is going to be definitive, this is going to be the one." Bassist Paolo Gregoletto adds: "We have been rehearsing full new songs at soundchecks and stuff. We have a lot of new ideas and every year we talk about what we want the album to be and we are still in the stages of finding where I think it's going to be and it's starting to shape up right now. We just have tons of material written already and after this tour, [we'll] take a small break and then we're hitting the warehouse where we rehearse and write the music and we're going to start demoing and hopefully we'll get it started by the summer and finished by the fall."In an interview with Guitar World, it was stated that for their forthcoming fifth studio album, Trivium will move forward by looking back. The group will forgo the complex epic compositions, tricked-out, leads and seven-string guitars that characterized its past two albums. Trivium will take an approach similar to that of its second album Ascendancy (2005) by using uncluttered riffs, drop-D tuning, and more straightforward solos. "When we did Ascendancy, we were writing specifically for the songs, not to show how well we could play," says frontman and guitarist Matt Heafy. "That wasn't exactly the case with our next two records." The album's guitars and bass are actually tuned to drop C#.
Adds Heafy’s co-guitarist, Corey Beaulieu, "We're making sure every part in every song needs to be there and is super-catchy and doesn't go over people's heads." Heafy stated via Twitter that they will be entering the studio on January 2. Matt Heafy stated on December 11, that there are going to be 10–13 songs on the new album.
On January 31, 2011, it was announced that Trivium would take part in the Mayhem Festival
Mayhem festival
The Mayhem Festival is a touring metal festival that takes place during the summer. The inaugural iteration took place in 2008; the festival has since become an annual event across the United States and Quebec, Canada. The tour has been sponsored by the Rockstar Energy Company since the time of its...
for the second time alongside Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
, and Disturbed.
It was announced on February 18, that Trivium will be special guests for Iron Maiden, on their Final Frontier world tour at the London 02 on August 6, 2011. On their official website, Matt Heafy says "We couldn't be more honoured and excited to share a stage with the legendary Iron Maiden. This will be Trivium's first UK show in a long time & we'll have a new record under our belts to debut. Lights Out London for an immense night of metal. Up The Irons." On May 21, Trivium's new single "In Waves" leaked onto the internet. On June 6, Matt Heafy announced that the record would also be called In Waves
In Waves
In Waves is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium, released worldwide on various dates August 2, 2011 and August 9, 2011 through Roadrunner Records.-Background:...
on Twitter.
On 6 June, Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
revealed that the band have decided to entitle their upcoming album In Waves and that it would be released on August 9, 2011.
On 19 June, Trivium debuted two new songs live in Birmingham entitled "Dusk Dismantled" and "Black".
On the 28th of June "Dusk Dismantled" was released to TriviumWorld users only; it was released to general public on the 29th.
On 13th July, the premiere of "Inception of the End" was released to the general public on the website Hot Topic
Hot Topic
Hot Topic is an American retail chain specializing in music and pop culture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music on CD. The majority of the stores are located in regional shopping malls. The first Hot Topic store was opened in 1988 by Orv Madden, who retired as CEO in 2000...
.
In Waves was released on August 2011 worldwide, and has received mixed reaction from both fans and critics. Kerrang! described the album as "draws from the band's entire repertoire and shapes what it finds into a defining and definitive set". A special edition was released featuring the tracks: "Ensnare The Sun", "A Grey So Dark", "Drowning In Slow Motion", "Slave New World" cover and the single from the God of War III soundtrack "Shattering The Skies Above".
Trivium will support Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
on their North American headlining tour starting September 24th.
Trivium has announced that the next music video will be for the song "Built To Fall". During a live chat on WJRR
WJRR
WJRR — branded 101one — is a commercial radio station located in Maitland, Florida broadcasting to the Orlando, Florida area. The station mainly airs an Active Rock playlist....
on September 19th, Matt Heafy stated that the band is also planning to film a music video for the song "Black".
Trivium will participate in a co-headlining trek with Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
in both Europe and North America. European support will come from Ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
and Rise to Remain
Rise to Remain
Rise To Remain are a 5-piece London based metalcore band. The band have made appearances at Download Festival, Sonisphere Festival and have extensively toured the UK. The band have released three EP's, the majority of which have been "viral" releases, via their myspace...
and North American support will come from Veil of Maya and Kyng
KYNG
KYNG may refer to:* KYNG , a radio station licensed to Springdale, Arkansas, United States* KRLD-FM, a radio station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, which used the call sign KYNG from March 1992 to March 2003...
.
Musical style and lyrical themes
Trivium cross multiple heavy metal genres such as metalcoreMetalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
, thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
, alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
, groove metal
Groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
, and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
. Their style has evolved over the years from their earliest work on Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno is the debut album from American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on October 14, 2003 on Lifeforce Records.-Background:...
right through to Shogun, there is a clear thrash influence from Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and Machine Head
Machine head
A machine head is part of a string instrument ranging from guitars to double basses, a geared apparatus for applying tension and thereby tuning a string, usually located at the headstock. A headstock has several machine heads, one per string...
, as well as some early In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. Trivium has stated that in general they are influenced by musical groups such as Metallica, In Flames, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
.
Upon the release of their second album Ascendancy
Ascendancy (album)
Ascendancy is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium. Released on March 15, 2005 by Roadrunner Records.-Background and production:The album was produced by Jason Suecof and frontman, Matt Heafy...
, Trivium were identified as metalcore with strong elements of thrash metal, with the third track on the album “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" is a song by heavy metal band Trivium. It appears on their 2005 album Ascendancy and was released as the album's second single in the same year....
” becoming a permanent fixture in the band's set lists and the rest of the album selling itself to gold status. Ascendancy was even featured as one of Metal Hammer’s
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
Albums of the Decade. Later releases have marked changes in the band. The Crusade
The Crusade (album)
-Reception:* Allmusic [ link]* IGN * Kerrang! * Metal Hammer * Rolling Stone * Sputnikmusic * Total Guitar -Personnel:Trivium*Matt Heafy – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitars*Corey Beaulieu – lead and rhythm guitars...
was seen as a major shift in musical direction due to the change in vocal style, namely the absence of screaming, and some of the melodies featured.
The Crusade is a much more thrash-oriented album and lyrical content was also different in direction, citing current affairs, such as the Yates
Andrea Yates
Andrea Yates is a former Houston, Texas resident who killed her five children on June 20, 2001 by drowning them in the bathtub in her house. She had been suffering for some time with very severe postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis...
murders and the 1999 Amadou Diallo
Amadou Diallo
Amadou Diallo was a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant in New York City who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999 by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers: Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. The four officers fired a total of 41 shots...
killing. In Autumn 2008, Trivium released Shogun, which has a heavy Japanese influence on its title track as well as the first single release "Kirisute Gomen
Kirisute Gomen
"Kirisute Gomen" is a song by metalcore band, Trivium, released as the first single from their fourth album, Shogun. It was made available as a free digital download through the Roadrunner Records website for 24 hours on ....
", which translates to "authorization to cut and leave
Kiri sute gomen
Kiri sute gomen Kiri sute gomen Kiri sute gomen (斬り捨て御免 or 切り捨て御免: literally, "authorization to cut and leave" (the body of the victim) is an old Japanese expression dating back to the feudal era right to strike. Samurai had the right to strike with sword at anyone of a lower class who was...
". Acknowledging Matt Heafy’s Japanese heritage, the album also was described more favorably as more their own style, as previous references to Trivium sounding like Metallica had been made on the back of The Crusade. The Crusade made sparing use of 7-string guitars
Seven-string guitar
A seven-string guitar is a guitar with seven strings instead of the usual six. Some types of seven-string guitars are specific to certain cultures . The standard 7-string guitar tuning is BEADGbe...
, which were featured heavily on Shogun.
Many of the songs on Shogun draw lyrical inspiration from Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. "Into the Mouth of Hell We March
Into the Mouth of Hell We March
"Into the Mouth of Hell We March" is a song from Trivium's album, Shogun, and was released on August 11, 2008 in promotion of the album.The song is featured on the EA sports game, Madden NFL 09. Due to the ESRB rating of the game, the song is heavily censored, with delay masking certain words in...
" and "Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis" detail the story of Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
choosing whether to face the giant whirlpool Charybdis
Charybdis
Charybdis or Kharybdis was a sea monster, later rationalised as a whirlpool and considered a shipping hazard in the Strait of Messina.-The mythological background:...
or the 6-headed monster Scylla
Scylla
In Greek mythology, Scylla was a monster that lived on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite its counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait were within an arrow's range of each other—so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis would pass too close to Scylla and vice...
. "He Who Spawned the Furies" is about the Titan
Titan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
Cronos devouring his children and castrating his father Uranus
Uranus (mythology)
Uranus , was the primal Greek god personifying the sky. His equivalent in Roman mythology was Caelus. In Ancient Greek literature, according to Hesiod in his Theogony, Uranus or Father Sky was the son and husband of Gaia, Mother Earth...
, creating Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
and the Erinýes
Erinyes
In Greek mythology the Erinyes from Greek ἐρίνειν " pursue, persecute"--sometimes referred to as "infernal goddesses" -- were female chthonic deities of vengeance. A formulaic oath in the Iliad invokes them as "those who beneath the earth punish whosoever has sworn a false oath"...
(the Furies). "Of Prometheus and the Crucifix" references the daily torment of Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
and alludes to crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
of Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, serving as a metaphor for enduring torment by the public for daring to contribute something new to society. "Like Callisto to a Star in Heaven" is written from the perspective of the nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
Callisto
Callisto (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Callisto or Kallisto was a nymph of Artemis. Transformed into a bear and set among the stars, she was the bear-mother of the Arcadians, through her son Arcas.-Origin of the myth:...
, detailing her rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and impregnation by Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
and her transformations into a bear and into Ursa Major
Ursa Major
Ursa Major , also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere. It can best be seen in April...
. "Down from the Sky" features a contemporary theme, chastising those who spark wars for profit
War profiteering
A war profiteer is any person or organization that profits from warfare or by selling weapons and other goods to parties at war. The term has strong negative connotations. General profiteering may also occur in peace time.-International arms dealers:...
or religion
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
, and warning of nuclear holocaust
Nuclear holocaust
Nuclear holocaust refers to the possibility of the near complete annihilation of human civilization by nuclear warfare. Under such a scenario, all or most of the Earth is made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons in future world wars....
.
Band members
Current members- Matt HeafyMatt HeafyMatthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy is a Japanese-American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the American Metal band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof.-Biography:Heafy is Japanese from his mother...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, guitar (1999–present) - Corey Beaulieu – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2003–present) - Paolo GregolettoPaolo GregolettoPaolo Gregoletto is an Italian-American bass player for the band Trivium. Gregoletto resides in Pompano Beach, Florida. He is Italian on his fathers side and American on his mothers side...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals (2004–present) - Nick AugustoNick AugustoNick Augusto is an Italian-American drummer of the heavy metal band Trivium . He replaced Travis Smith on 4 February 2010. Since joining Trivium, Augusto has recorded eighteen tracks: "Shattering the Skies Above"—which featured on the God of War: Blood & Metal EP— a cover of Sepultura's "Slave...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2010–present)
Former members
- Brad Lewter – lead vocals (1999)
- Brent Young – bass, backing vocals (1999–2004)
- Travis SmithTravis Smith (musician)Travis Smith is the former drummer in the metal band Trivium. He was with Trivium since forming the band in 1999. Travis is best known for his very fast footwork, and intricate rhythms on the toms, a skill that has been noted several times by music magazines such as Revolver and Modern Drummer as...
– drums (1999–2010)
Discography
Studio albums- Ember to InfernoEmber to InfernoEmber to Inferno is the debut album from American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on October 14, 2003 on Lifeforce Records.-Background:...
(2003) - AscendancyAscendancy (album)Ascendancy is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium. Released on March 15, 2005 by Roadrunner Records.-Background and production:The album was produced by Jason Suecof and frontman, Matt Heafy...
(2005) - The CrusadeThe Crusade (album)-Reception:* Allmusic [ link]* IGN * Kerrang! * Metal Hammer * Rolling Stone * Sputnikmusic * Total Guitar -Personnel:Trivium*Matt Heafy – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitars*Corey Beaulieu – lead and rhythm guitars...
(2006) - Shogun (2008)
- In WavesIn WavesIn Waves is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium, released worldwide on various dates August 2, 2011 and August 9, 2011 through Roadrunner Records.-Background:...
(2011)