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THE REVIEW
For many people, myself included, Trivium seems to be the "next big thing," the next big name that will be remembered in the world of heavy metal twenty years from now. This is proven by their third work, "The Crusade," which could not be a better album.
Expectations weren't the highest; the previous and highly praised "Ascendancy," although a gritty and aggressive album, was tied to the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal. In raw words, it was simple and banal metalcore with some flashes of '80s thrash (but very little). "The Crusade," on the other hand, is the symbol of a band's maturity, aware of its excellent abilities and ready to break through with them. The first positive element of the album is the clear change in direction regarding the vocal lines of singer Matt Heafy, who has finally abandoned the growl from "Ascendancy" (typical of metalcore) for a voice that remains aggressive but is much more melodic, almost akin to a certain James Hetfield.
Also and especially from a musical point of view, there are devastating improvements. Here, the Trivium of "Ascendancy" with lots of ideas but all thrown together in chaos no longer exist. Here, the points of reference become real dogmas to be respected; you can hear the early sounds of Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, not to mention the solos (and some riffs) clearly influenced by Maiden’s school. Indeed, the thanks in the booklet go to Metallica and Iron Maiden.
Riffs that rock hard, hypertechnical solos, fast yet precise drumming, pounding bass, and an aggressive/melodic voice: this is the essence of "The Crusade," confirmed by the best tracks of the album such as "Ignition," "Detonation" (where the voice reaches beautiful melodic peaks), "Anthem," "To The Rats," and "Entrance Of The Deflagration." Also noteworthy is the concluding instrumental title-track that stands apart from the rest of the album but is still excellent because it's a solid and powerful heavy rock piece that would remind one of something by Def Leppard or Motley Crue.
In summary, buy it and you won't regret it!
P.S. I really hope they don't follow in the footsteps of Metallica, who once they smelled money, sold even their underwear!
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Summary by Bot
Trivium's third album, The Crusade, marks their growth into a mature metal band with improved melodic vocals and technical musicianship. Moving away from metalcore's growls, Matt Heafy's singing now channels classic thrash metal icons. The album pays homage to Metallica and Iron Maiden with tight riffs and solos. It's a powerful, aggressive release that fans of thrash and melodic metal will appreciate.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Trivium
Trivium are an American metal band frequently discussed in terms of metalcore roots and thrash/heavy metal ambitions, with singer/guitarist Matt Heafy often singled out in reviews for his vocal approach and Metallica comparisons.21 Reviews
Other reviews
By Adil
Trivium’s compositions stand out for their maturity and freshness, despite their main genre reference being the thrash metal of “old school” bands like Metallica and Megadeth.
The overwhelming passion that characterizes the relentless march of Trivium... has what it takes to convince even the most skeptical and strict metalheads.
By Taurus
The band decided to almost definitively shelve the dominant growl until the previous 'Ascendancy' to arrive at a sound derived from classic 80's thrash metal.
Double pedal in full swing and ferocity on display that contrasts with the melodiousness of the refrains.
