Band's List Metalcore Trivium Shogun

Now normally I wouldn’t devote two reviews in a row to a single band, especially if it is Trivium, the metal Marmite if you will. I try to review all types of metal and all different bands but I decided that ‘Shogun’ needed to be reviewed after my previous comments about ‘The Crusade’. It was a let down, a collection of riffs and ideas that was put together badly and, while showing potential for a new thrash direction (in the same way Unearth rocked on ‘III: In the Eyes of Down from the Sky’), failed to impress.So what of ‘Shogun’? Well it is a definite improvement on ‘The Crusade’, being much more of an amalgamation of that album’s thrashier riffs, and the more metalcore leanings of ‘Ascendancy’. Matt Heafy’s metalcore scream has also returned, which is a welcome addition to the record, as it comes across as a more intense and heavier album that way. Heafy’s clean vocals have also improved dramatically; he still sounds like a younger James Hetfield but he has a more confident feel about him now, and that shines through on tracks like ripping opener ‘Kirisute Gomen’ and excellent video cut ‘Down from the Sky’. Lyrically and visually, the band has focused on Japan and its culture as a concept for the album, which is good because they have moved away from their failed attempts to be socially conscious on ‘The Crusade’.

Trivium have finally managed to write the album that they were capable of doing, a technically excellent, passionate album full of inspired riffs, soaring choruses, tearing solos and a distinct lack of their past failings. The riffing now feels less like you’ve heard it before, the vocals less gratingly familiar also. Ironically, it is the rebirth of thrash-Metallica that is the best comparison here. Just like their heroes, Trivium have managed to write a new album that is a perfect mix of all their previous albums, and performed with an energy and intensity that just creates good music. Highlights include the spiralling riff that ends ‘Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis’, the Testament-esque ‘Throes of Perdition’ and the soaring choruses and technical virtuosity that enlighten ‘He Who Spawned the Furies’. But it is possibly ‘Insurrection’ that is the best track on the album, a thundering thrasher that descends into a downtuned, growling chug, then punctuated by one of Corey Beaulieu’s best solos.

Of course there are fans of metal out there that will instantly disregard Trivium as ’sellouts’, ‘pop’, ‘boyband metal’ or ‘Metallica rip-offs for the new generation’. But they should at least listen to ‘Shogun’ before they start that all again, it might just change their mind. A surprise triumph for modern metal.

The long awaited Trivium album has arrived, and I stand by my conviction... Ascendancy is their best album. It is evident, especially throughout their last album, ‘The Crusade’ that Trivium is heavily influenced by Metallica, and there are a few parts in this album where it is almost as if James Hetfield is behind the mike, until the ‘Ascendancy’ style roars cut in, which brings us to the albums biggest problem, song structure.

Since ‘Ember to Inferno’, Trivium have combined different styles into each individual song, making each song like a montage of three or four different songs. ‘Ascendancy’ was brilliant; the style changes flowed into each other very nicely to create awesome songs. ‘The Crusade’ didn’t have quite as intense style changes throughout it, as it was a softer album altogether... But this album is different. They’ve tried to recreate an album like ‘Ascendancy’ with the roars, and then the soft parts, but they didn’t manage to make it flow as smoothly. Each song is like a montage of a few songs that just don’t complement each other. In some parts, it’s like cutting from Amon Amarth to Fairyland.
The style changes in this album wouldn’t be so bad if they weren’t so intense, as the change from Death core to Boy Bandish just doesn’t work. If the styles stepped down a bit more gradually, or if the soft bits weren’t quite as soft, it wouldn’t be so bad. I’m sure plenty of diehard Trivium fans will flame me for this, but... I’m sorry... for me, this album just doesn’t work. Each soft bit, and each heavy bit work well on their own, they just don’t slot together well.

Lyrically, this album is fucking brilliant. It tells of mankind’s greed, and how those in the system destroy those who try to be themselves without relying on it and conforming like the rest of the world. My favourite track on the album is ‘Throes of Perdition’ because it has a good chorus, and I like this line because it is so true :
“This world looks down upon a man who can stand on his own two feet”

After a few listens the album becomes tolerable, and it is worth listening to if you’re an old Trivium fan, because I’m sure any old Trivium fans will like this new album... But, if you’re not a Trivium fan already, it isn’t the one to start with. They haven’t lost their edge yet, and their lyrics are as powerful as ever... If they can just bring the quality of their musical montages up to the same level of quality they achieved with ‘Ascendancy’, I can say without hesitation they are a band that will be around for a very long time.

I hadn't been following Trivium for a long time, so I was kind of surprised when I heard they had a new album out.

I was a big fan of The Crusade, and it was probably my favorite album of theirs. This album, not so much. Matt's screams are back, but they're deeper than they were before, which isn't an improvement. His clean vocals are fantastic, though they can't carry the album alone.
The album as a whole feels uninspired, unlike their previous two releases. There are no real stand-out songs, which is also an unwelcome change from their other albums. The instrumentation has gotten even better, but to quote Murderface, it doesn't have that "zazz" that it once did.

Trivium may have peaked early, despite their billing by some as the next Metallica. I never thought that, but this album is still a letdown.