Trivium – amongst many metal-loving friends of mine – are almost that musical marmite that divides our crowd. Usually echoing praise for the same bands and not really feeling certain bands’ vibes, it’s a strange moment to find a band that can earn so much respect yet evoke such disagreement in a usually unanimous group. I suppose, in a weird kind of way, they’ve managed to break our group and offer for an interesting debate. Some say 2006’s ‘The Crusade’ was their peak and, ever since, they’ve been unable to remotely compare. Others have rather enjoyed watching them progress to 2008’s ‘Shogun’ and “can’t wait to see where they go from here”. Well, that mystery is over as Trivium unleash their fifth studio album ‘In Waves’ for our judgement; filling many I know with excitement and dread in equal measures. So, which side of the group will be proved right?
With both arguments strongly settled in my head, I can’t help but enter the album with a certain trepidation. Admittedly, my favourite work from Trivium dates back to 2005’s ‘Ascendancy’ and – with six years of music yet to impress me quite as much as this – I’m secretly hoping that Trivium have come out with all guns blazing.
Their intro (‘Capsizing the Sea’) alludes to a more musically experimental album, brandishing an eerie piano introduction before dropping full-force into the album’s title-track ‘In Waves’. This was the only track, prior to listening in full, that I had already heard. Trivium have undoubtedly named their album after a strong track, with prominent break-downs and a sleek solo.
A perk of Trivium lies in the strong vocal capabilities between Matt Heafy, Corey Beaulieu and Paolo Gregoletto; overlapping to working together in a highly complementary fashion. Heavier works including ‘A Skyline’s Severance’ compared to ‘Of All These Yesterdays’, a ballad of sorts, allows the stark contrast in tracks to show. There is a push on Trivium’s part to create a strong array of tracks, flaunting Matt Heafy’s purely aggressive vocals and hard-faced riffs, yet there is criticism to go alongside their undeniable talents.
It can, at times, seem a little monotonous and – aside from a few stellar tracks - the rest seem to repeat themselves. The last track is a rather big disappointment, just through what it leads you to expect. As ‘Leaving This World Behind’ builds up into what should be a crescendo that would signal the album’s end with a triumphant bang, it simply cuts to silence.
Trivium have undeniably created some strong tracks on this album yet there are too many that detract from that through not hitting as high a quality. It almost feels like the album had the potential to grab the title of “favourite Trivium album” had they maintained the high quality hit at points. Their piano introduction is almost the most interesting part of the album, which really doesn’t give the album enough credit.
I can’t deny that if you like Trivium or music akin to them, then there will be something for you on ‘In Waves’, yet I can’t promise the whole album will blow you away. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps I am still living in 2005 and refusing to relinquish ‘Ascendancy’ from my grasp. Whatever the reason may be, Trivium’s new album would sit at a good release, but not amazing.
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With both arguments strongly settled in my head, I can’t help but enter the album with a certain trepidation. Admittedly, my favourite work from Trivium dates back to 2005’s ‘Ascendancy’ and – with six years of music yet to impress me quite as much as this – I’m secretly hoping that Trivium have come out with all guns blazing.
