Artist - Trivium
Album - Ascendancy
Label - Roadrunner Records
Reviewer - Robin Steeley
Produced by Andy Sneap, the apparently heavier Ascendancy is a follow up to the Florida quartet’s first offering, From Ember To Inferno. Trivium could be best described as modern thrash metal, with more of an edge then most. The band features crushing metal riffs and powerful percussion rounded out by a threatening low-end bass and punishing vocals.
It all starts with a creepy piano driven intro song “The End of Everything” before blasting its way into second track “Rain” which is full of speed demon beats and a melodic emphasis on the choruses. The guitars are energetic and have that enticing metal engorged feel to them; they are definitely the backbone of Trivium’s unique sound; proven once again in the song “Pull Harder on the strings of your Martyr" which starts with a drum solo before the strings kick it into high gear. In general the vocals are extremely heavy but I love the emotionally driven melodies of the cleaner vocals followed by the throat ripping metal screams. It’s an impressive combination.
Other stellar tracks are the title track "Ascendancy," which has a classic hard rock feel and I also really liked “A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation” with its meaty hooks and dominating solos as well as the catchy more radio friendly “Dying In Your Arms” which slows down a little without losing any metal integrity. Progressively more hard core is “The Deceived” and “Departure” which really display Heafy’s vocal abilities as he alternates between guttural howls and hooky melody. The rest of the band follows through creating a modern metal phenomenon that’s powerful, contagious, and worth repeated listening. The final track is the seven-minute long “Declaration” which is the bands epic power song off the CD, which switches up from furious guitars and death metal growls to a slower melodic chorus and breakdowns. It was definitely a good closer for this effort.
Overall, Ascendancy is an excellent follow up to Trivium’s debut. If you love American melodic Metal this is a CD you can’t go wrong with. All twelve tracks on the release are solid, there is no filler here. In an age filled with this breed of music, Trivium stands out above the rest. Look for them on the Road Rage tour in a city near you to catch a live performance or Visit the official Trivium web site: www.trivium.com
Trivium is:
Matt Heafy - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Corey Beaulieu - Guitar, Vocals
Paolo Gregoletto - Bass
Travis Smith - Drums
Tracklisting:
1. The End Of Everything
2. Rain
3. Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr
4. Drowned And Torn Asunder
5. Ascendancy
6. A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation
7. Like Light To The Flies
8. Dying In Your Arms9. The Deceived
10. Suffocating Light
11. Departure
12. Declaration
