Mention Trivium and you tend to polarise opinion rapidly. Are they metalcore? Have they evolved into a thrash/power metal hybrid? Or do they sound like Metallica junior, as many of their critics have protested? Most of the basis for comment on Trivium’s previous work has centred around the contentious issue of Matt Heafy’s vocal style.
When he screamed the critics liked it but the riffs were deemed immature, when he sang cleanly on ‘The Crusade’ in 2006, he was roundly criticised for so-called James Hetfield-esque singing.
Well, to whom it may concern, the screaming is back and Shogun finds Trivium in rude health, a band finally finding themselves as a unit and producing the album we knew was within their capabilities.
It’s easy to forget that band leader and front man Heafy was just 17 years old when the album 'Ember to Inferno' was written and recorded back in 2003, now they’ve grown up, happy to make a racket completely of their own creation and despite the odd fumble (the album isn’t perfect), they excel and prove themselves worthy.
Travis Smith’s drumming has always been the lead sail that has kept the Trivium boat afloat, and he doesn’t disappoint on 'Like Callisto to a Star in Heaven', showing the metal community why he is one of the most underrated young drummers around, whipping a nice controlled storm with a flurry of precision hitting. Heafy goes through the full gamut of his talents from death-grunt to midrange snarl to clean tenor, all the while shredding away like a demon with a barrage of false climax riffing and a sophisticated chorus that brings the band to new heights. A major contender.
Where to Find: Shogun (2008)
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