Ascendancy

by Trivium

Overview

Trivium has only grown stronger since 2003's Ember to Inferno. That album's mix of classic thrash (early Metallica) with 21st century metalcore rage and progressive metal flourish still roils here. But Ascendancy's fire is more ferocious and its transitions more confident, which means the band is even more dedicated to its clever throwback sound. This is even more impressive when you consider that no one in Trivium is old enough to legally rent a car. The lineup has shifted -- joining vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy and drummer Travis Smith are guitarist Corey Beaulieu and bassist Paolo Gregoletto. But they're a ridiculously tight quartet, unleashing thrilling dual guitar passages and pummeling kick drum gallops as surely as they do melodic breaks and vicious throat screeds. The verses of "Rain" and "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" blister the brain, while Heafy channels James Hetfield effortlessly in the choruses. "Martyr" is particularly insane, its hurricane solos piled on top of percussion that simply engulfs the rhythm. From a technical standpoint, Trivium is often astounding. It's worth reading along when Heafy's screaming becomes unintelligible. Though his lyrics cover familiar territory -- gloom 'n' doom, emotional pain, revenge -- he gets off great lines like "You ask me 'Oh God why?'/'Cause I'm God, that's f*cking why" and "Disintegration constituents to decompose of the parts." Gregoletto steps up for the intro to "Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" before it transforms into a metalcore rant, "Deceived" is downright melodic (but still totally heavy), and there's a great extended bank of guitar solos in "Drowned and Torn Asunder"'s midsection. Ascendancy aligns real-deal thrash with powerful modern influences. But at all times it's a platform for Trivium's own crazed talent. ~ Johnny Loftus

Product Details

Release Date:	12/07/2018
Label:	Roadrunner / Roadrunner Records
UPC:	0016861825119
Rank:	27296

Tracks

1. The End of Everything
2. Rain
3. Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
4. Drowned and Torn Usunder
5. Ascendency
6. A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
7. Like Light to the Flies
8. Dying in Your Arms
9. The Deceived
10. Suffocating Sight
11. Departure
12. Declaration

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Trivium   Primary Artist
36 Crazyfists   Primary Artist
3 Inches of Blood   Primary Artist
Daath   Primary Artist
Paolo Gregoletto   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Vocals (Background)
Andy Sneap   Vocals
Corey Beaulieu   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Travis Smith   Drums,Vocals,Percussion
Matt Heafy   Guitar,Vocals
Gizz Butt   Vocals
Chad Sunderland   Vocals

Technical Credits

Matt Heafy   Audio Production,Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Original Concept
Jason Suecof   Audio Production,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Andy Sneap   Mixing,Mastering
Kirk Hammett   Composer
Cam Pipes   Composer
Lars Ulrich   Composer
Nick Cates   Composer
James Hetfield   Composer
Cliff Burton   Composer
Zeff Childress   Composer
Monte Conner   A&R
Corey Beaulieu   Composer
Jamie Hooper   Composer
Eyal Levi   Composer
Travis Smith   Composer
Justin Hagberg   Composer
Jeremy London   Composer
Brock Lindow   Composer
Thomas Noonan   Composer
Alexei Rodriguez   Composer
Shane Clark   Composer
Mike Gitter   A&R
Paul Romano   Design,Artwork,Art Direction
Steve Holt   Composer
Aaron Cailier   Assistant Engineer
Josh Rothstein   Photography
Justin E. Arcangel   Management
Jeff Weed   Assistant Engineer
Jared MacEachern   Composer
Michael Kameron   Composer
Alexei Riviera   Composer
Brian Redmon   Composer
Cameron Pipes   Composer
Shane Clarke   Composer