1139. Trivium / In the Court of the Dragon. 2021. 4/5

It’s hard to believe that, in their relatively short period of existence, Trivium has just released their tenth studio album. In the ‘old’ days, and that generally covers the period before the internet arrived and allowed music sharing to become a more accessible thing, bands would release a new album every year, sometimes even two, because in those days you could still make a living out of selling vinyl albums. In the modern day that is much more difficult, and so the desire to crate and record albums with a relatively short time span between them becomes less motivating than getting out there and playing live shows where the band can make its living. And yet in recent times Trivium have been at their most prolific. The pandemic triggered different responses in the music industry, oscillating between frantic energy to sofa sitting stagnation. Trivium seem to have settled much closer to the first description than the latter. Matt Heafy’s Twitch live videos have been entertaining, and beyond that it is obvious that the band worked as hard as they could during those lockdown and isolation months in putting together new material. Indeed, Trivium’s ninth album, What the Dead Men Say, had only been released in April 2020, and yet by June of 2020 the band was already well into the writing mode for their next album. Pandemic days utilised to their fullest. The first single from the album surfaced in mid 2021, In the Court of the Dragon, and was followed by the new album’s release of the same name.

From a personal point of view, it feels and sounds like Trivium have been cresting a wave over the last five years, refining and improving all parts of their craft such that their first couple of albums feel like an almost different band. And I believe that in a good way, because they have retained everything that was great about that start and made it into a more distinct and fan friendly sound. Though, to be fair, there are others out there who distinctly dislike the way the band has gone about here. It comes across perfectly in the opening tracks, with the opening of “X” blasting into the title track at top speed and intensity. The confidence the band has in their direction, from Heafy’s stronger than ever vocal chords with both scream and clear alike, along with the guitars and blazing drums, is evident early.
This crashes into “Like a Sword Over Damocles” which combines plenty of fiery riffs with a soaring chorus that highlights the sound that Trivium has ascended to. “Feast of Fire” has an interesting blend of both radio friendly hard rock style that also combines some crunching riffling to offset any thoughts of selling out. “A Crisis of Revelation” and “The Shadow of the Abattoir” offset each other, with “A Crisis of Revelation” incorporating an almost melodic prog metal sound – if such a thing exists, maybe I just made it up – while “The Shadow of the Abattoir” reveals that more standardised enjoyment of great guitar riffs along with a great chorus.
“No Way Back But Through” is highlighted by the catchy riff and easily singalong vocals that make this a fast paced song that keeps the fire lighted throughout. “Fall Into Your Hands” comes back in a much heavier and dominating way, with Heafy’s harsh vocals complementing the harder drumming and guttural riffing that cuts back in. This is followed by “From Dawn to Decadence” which changes tempo and intensity throughout, and defines itself by Heafy’s high velocity harsh vocals being brilliantly doubled along on the drums, which makes the song. The album is concluded with “The Phalanx”, a song that form all reports was written during the session for the Shogun album, but was reassessed and rebuilt to suit the band’s current sound, and it is a nice way to bring the proceedings to an end.

Through their whole career, Trivium have been hit and miss with me. Either the album just clicks with me from the first moment I put the CD in the tray and press play, or I find myself giving the album several listens and searching for a way in, some sort of hook to grab a hold of that makes me ‘get’ the album, and then I am away. And almost without fail, over their whole discography, if I haven’t found myself happy to put the album back on without a struggle after those first three or four tries, then I’m pretty much done and have never been able to come back and try again. And believe me, with those albums that didn’t grab me on release, I have tried to come back later and see if I can discover what I had missed – and I never have. And it isn’t because I don’t like their style, their mix of metal core and a more traditional heavy metal that they obviously grew up with, and the mix of both growling and clear vocals from Matt Heafy, and the thundering of the guitars against the double kick drumming. All of that I like and enjoy.
But for me with Trivium, it appears that I need the right mix of those things to keep me interested. And it has been more over their recent albums that I have found this. Which means that the morphing and maturing of their music over the last decade has been what has appealed to me the most. For me that started with the album “Vengeance Falls” and has continued with every album following that.
While there are the early fans who have been disappointed in what the band has released in the last decade, for me it has been a triumph. I personally think this is a terrific album, especially turned up loud to allow it to engulf you rather than just trying to have it as background music. It may not be their best, but it is best enough.

700. Trivium / Vengeance Falls. 2013. 4/5

I was looking forward to this album for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I think possibly for the first time since I have been listening to Trivium, I was ready for a new release from the band. I enjoyed In Waves but never really got fully connected to it. This time around however, I also have the knowledge that I will be seeing the band live for the first time at the upcoming Soundwave Festival, which also raised my excitement at hearing the new album.
I had the album at work, and played it on constant rotation, but after three or four listening cycles I was still slightly ambivalent about it. Sometimes you need a trigger to get you into an album, something that finally hits home for you that the band or the album works, and from that point you can see (or hear) it everywhere. At that point you find that certain element that you couldn't necessarily find on previous listens. In most circumstances it is one song on the album that really draws you in, and then the rest will follow. For me that song turned out to be one of the bonus tracks, a cover of two of my favourite Misfits songs, "Skulls" and "We Are 138". "Skulls... We Are 138" is an awesome tribute to an awesome band, and is a wonderful homage to the original versions. Hearing the passion that went into this was my trigger, and the rest of the album fell into place as a result.

It feels as though this album has been drawn into a more commercial aspect, if only because my wife has heard this now and doesn't hate it, unlike Ascendancy for instance. It is a more mature sound from those early albums, no doubt directed by producer David Draiman. And while some long time and fanatical supporters of the band may start to feel there is a degree of selling out involved, I can only say that I really enjoy this album. The production is slick, and each instrument is clearly defined in the mix. Nick Augusto's drumming is simply superb, his precision is a joy to air-drum along to. The guitars too and terrific, with some fantastic riffs and lineage. Matt Heafy's vocals, for me, are just getting better and better. There is little doubt that there is a toning down and lessening of the growling vocals from the band's early days, but I really think they are being compensated by the quality of the music as well. While I always felt that the songs on other albums lacked power when they were dominated by clear vocals, here on Vengeance Falls that is certainly not the case. This is a complete package musically, and Heafy does a superb job.
My favourite songs from the album include "Villainy Thrives", "At the End of This War" "Vengeance Falls" and "Strife".

This is the fourth successive day at work where Vengeance Falls has been the only album on rotation, and it is still getting better with each listen. If that isn't a ringing endorsement to the album then I don't know what is.

366. Trivium / Ember To Inferno. 2003. 2/5

Like everything Trivium has done, the majority of people really love it, or really hate it. For some reason I have sat on the fence with all three of their albums. Sure, I have made my point that the vocals that the group employ are not my cup of tea. Funny thing is, with clear vocals there would be no power in the music, which means there is something lacking there. But with guttural screaming, I find it difficult to enjoy the songs. So there is something lacking there.

Ember To Inferno, the group’s first album, has similar problems to the other two albums. And it’s not that I really hate the album – but I don’t love it either. There are just too many obstacles set up that can’t allow me to appreciate it like many people do. Can I listen to it? Sure, if someone puts on the album, I can get through it without shrieking. But so help me if they decide to play it again!

Rating: Still sitting on the fence somewhat I guess… 2/5

341. Trivium / The Crusade. 2006. 3/5.

You wouldn’t know that this was the same band that released Ascendancy. The whole feel of the album is different, capped off of course by the vocals, which are now more clear than anything else. Looking for a different market? Or just attending the James Hetfield School Of Vocals? There is a definite Hetfield feel about some of the vocals, especially the first half of “Detonation”. Whether this was deliberate, or is just a part of the general morphing of the band as a whole I don’t know.

That’s not to say that some of the songs don’t still rock. “Entrance of the Conflagration” is easily the best song on the album, fueled by great drums and guitars. Funnily enough, if all the songs here were in the same vein, I think The Crusade would be being praised by a lot more people. As it stands, there are just too many songs that aren’t strong enough, and where the vocals especially are too weak to hold your attention through too many listens.

While it may not be their strongest effort, there is still a lot to like. I think there is still a lot for this band to achieve. In more ways than one, their next album may be the most telling release of all.

Faves for me include “Entrance of the Conflagration”, “Anthem (We Are The Fire)” and “The Crusade”

Rating: Not what I expected, but still listenable enough. 3/5.

300. Trivium / Ascendancy. 2005. 3/5.

Another in the line-up of bands to be suggested as saviours of the metal genre in the new century, and another of the bands that I think have just missed the mark a tad.
Yeah OK, I’m old, and I know what I like, and I probably want everything to be an extension of that, and I know that won’t happen.

Trivium are another band that dice with the scream/clean vocals, and of course you either like it or loathe it. I’m never a big fan of it, and yet there is a twist here on Ascendancy. Whereas those songs that concentrate on the growling work for the most part, “Dying In Your Arms” comes up weak and lifeless, probably because it has a lack of those exact type of vocals.
In fact, it is that song that suggests to me that there is a hook which, if it disappears, so does the popularity of the band.
I digress…

For me, this is an average album from an average band. I don’t dislike either – in fact, I think my rating is indicative of that. However, it isn’t something I can put on too often, nor listen to over and over again. To do so just gives me a headache. Some out there may just think that is old age, and I couldn’t disagree.

Favourites for me include “Rain”, “Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr” and “A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation”.

Rating: The Album is over. My headache is waning. 3/5.