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Trivium - Ascendancy review



Reviewer:
4.0

570 users:
7.92
Band: Trivium
Album: Ascendancy
Release date: March 2005


01. The End Of Everything
02. Rain
03. Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr
04. Drowned And Torn Asunder
05. Ascendancy
06. A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation
07. Like Light To Flies
08. Dying In Your Arms
09. The Deceived
10. Suffocating Sight
11. Departure
12. Declaration
13. Blinding Tears Will Break The Skies [2006 reedit bonus]
14. Washing Away Me In The Tides [2006 reedit bonus]
15. Master Of Puppets [Metallica cover] [2006 reedit bonus]
16. Dying In Your Arms [video mix] [2006 reedit bonus]

The word trivium is an academic term from the middle ages used to describe the three subjects that were taught in universities at that time. It also serves as the root for the word trivial and indeed, Trivium more that lives up to its name as not only is it trivial, it is also mundane and superficial.

Trivium is yet another in the ever growing line of bands that sound like Killswitch Engage ie. - they play the commercial hybrid consisting mainly of metalcore and having some elements of thrash metal and Gothenburg melodic death metal. We all know the drill - growled/screamed verses, refrains sung in an off-key and whiny manner and an almost inhuman, sterile production which makes the whole thing seem like it was designed and not composed. Every record label these days must have one of these little bands in their arsenal and Trivium is reportedly Roadrunner's secret weapon. Well, RoadRunner must be keen to shoot blanks...

All the tracks on this album follow the exact same formula. Hear one and you've heard them all. Therefore, all you actually need to hear to know everything about Trivium is the song "Drowned And Torn Asunder". It happens to be the most impressive use of the afore-mentioned formula on this album. The other 'highlight' that you might find interesting (albeit only during your first listen as it will get old quickly) is "Dying In Your Arms" where Trivium sounds a little like Icon/Draconian Times era Paradise Lost. The album closer "Declaration" is a whopping 7 minutes long and this proves to be way too long for this sort of music as the track is a snorefest.

Bands like Trivium trivialize another thing in todays world: the musicians' abilities. The music on Ascendancy is executed with great precision and the production is so clear that it is impossible to find a single flaw in the entire album. It sounds perfect. Too perfect. The result is that the technically apt playing is simply not impressive. It makes you think - just how many takes did the band need to make the music sound like this? And how much was cleaned up in the studio? Besides, all of these bands sound almost exactly the same and there is really no telling the difference between Trivium's drummer and guitar players and those of other bands in this genre. For all I know, these could be the same people playing under different pseudonyms. Seems like there is no place for uniqueness here. Thus, any sort of technical and musical abilities that the musicians might have are completely lost in the superficiality of the whole product, which this album too obviously is.

The bottom line is that what record companies these days don't realize is that this is Rock music and its fans can feel if its honest and sincere or not. These fans will find listening to Trivium as empty and pointless an experience as it was for me. No, actually - who am I kidding? The masses will eat it up since they know no better and they have by now been totally brainwashed by the commercial media... Sad but true.





Written on 11.05.2005 by With Metal Storm since 2002, jupitreas has been subjecting the masses to his reviews for quite a while now. He lives in Warsaw, Poland, where he does his best to avoid prosecution for being so cool.


Comments

Comments: 72   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 340 users
03.08.2006 - 19:50
lFrostl
Account deleted
Good Review...this Band sucks!!!!!!...
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03.08.2006 - 19:59
Xtreme Jax
Psycroptipath
Lol, I have no idea how people think this band is one of the best new bands out there when everything of theres sounds exactly the same...

... Absolutly crap band with no real tallent!
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Hellcunt Smurf
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03.08.2006 - 20:49
Damnated
Churchburner
I was surprised to see a trivium review, but I'm happy jup wrote this, because it's a good one, and tell's the truth about this band: they suck! I often read that they are so talented and shit like that, but they're not. They sound like an old man's fart.
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Blessed is he that murders Christ in himself and in his fellow men.



Written by TheBigRossowski on 10.02.2009 at 16:01

if my wife and I can't conceive, I want a medical shipment of your sperm so our baby will be just like you.
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03.08.2006 - 21:17
Lucas
Mr. Noise
My god, I'm going with you guys. It sucks. Live too, they are so fucking annoying!
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SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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06.08.2006 - 10:36
Jason W.
Razorbliss
One of the most irritating bands to watch live. The rating of this CD is dead on with how I felt after watching them... the vocalist is obnoxious live AND on the studio recordings.
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"After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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15.08.2006 - 18:14
Dirt pride
Account deleted
saw them at download, these guys shouldnt even be getting gigs at thier local pub!
and there are so many trivium gay ass emo fans!
anyway, good review! exactly what i think.
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25.08.2006 - 01:58
Lindsay4ever
Account deleted
I realy liked the album, 8.5 from me
Go to hell tr00 people
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25.08.2006 - 13:57
Baz Anderson

i am glad this review has been written like this, everything is true
i am just glad i am not the only one that is turned off by their disingenuous, insincere music
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25.08.2006 - 21:22
xoJ1nXox

I honestly liked Trivium, long before I even had a chance to me "brainwashed". And they were amazing live, before. Now they are shit. They've got it in their heads that they are the next Metallica, which they are NOT. No matter how many people, magazines, and metal gods say they are. Quite frankly, Trivium is one of those bands which has lost it's touch. The old music is worth giving a shot and listening to. And also consider that nearly all of the guys in the band are 20 or under. Hopefully this gives them time to go back to their talented music and deflate their heads.

<33 Moni
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28.08.2006 - 22:10
bravenewworld
Account deleted
i must admit i do like trivium but i agree with the guy who said they sucked at download cos that is true. but i'd give the album 9.:banger:
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17.09.2006 - 01:32
Rating: 7
ozieb

you're funny guys (along with polish mate jupitreas), i'm into metal for six years and for about three i haven't heard, blah, i've never heard something like Trivium. don't even compare them with Killswitch Engage, because they (killswitch) play honestly in very simple way (i don't want to call it nu-metal, but you got the idea). and for the first time in my life, i've heard that "perfect" production is disadvantage, you make me almost laugh mate...but i'll tell you one thing - you don't like them, because they went extremely popular in small amount of time...these guys are brilliant and they deserved what they got....they are very good musicians and don't tell me rude stupid thing about Roadrunner, because as i'm aware, there are also bands like Porcupine Tree or Opeth...i must admit that some songs are repetetive, but it's their receipe for music and they have strong right to exploit it....9/10 for me
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23.09.2006 - 19:17
Rating: 9
rock_2_thrash

Perfect album : Good guitar work,screamin vocals,damm good production!!!

Flaws: Admit repetitive..give them a break! its was just their second album.

Watch out: THeir new album is a pure offspring of an 80's metallica album.No screamin...That's what i've heard from the samples.
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..the darkness and silence are the end of my song!!!!!
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24.09.2006 - 02:38
Rating: 1
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
Written by rock_2_thrash on 23.09.2006 at 19:17

Perfect album : Good guitar work,screamin vocals,damm good production!!!

Flaws: Admit repetitive..give them a break! its was just their second album.

Watch out: THeir new album is a pure offspring of an 80's metallica album.No screamin...That's what i've heard from the samples.


If there are flaws, it's not perfect.
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26.09.2006 - 07:47
Winter Death
Account deleted
I had to sit through these assholes at a Bodom/Amon show. They almost ruined my night. Fuck this band.
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27.09.2006 - 09:50
BlackMin
Account deleted
Yeah the band sucks ass. I just hope those "poppish.emo.metalcore aka i wanna copy at the gates / in flames riffs" who seem to be so popular/cool atm (MTV.. YEAH MAN!) will fade away in near future.
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29.09.2006 - 20:14
Rating: 4
DahliaRock

oh my those badass cranks that tell shit about this review... man they really gotta shut their ears or they'll even find music in the fucked up city life sound pollution.. maybe even when I'm shitting like lunatics because these fuckers of music screwed my head off! Man, some people really gotta learn a little bit about music... deserve music, man! Good one jup, you rule =)
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02.10.2006 - 00:22
IgarTheTerrible
Account deleted
they are a bunch of untalented moneywhores; magazines and stuff say they are the new metallica so whats the first thing they do? why make their next album sound exactly like a metallica album. (the bad ones of course)
I downloaded their new album so that I could join the legions making fun of them, and i got through half of it before i quickly stuffed the files into my trash bin. Trivium's music isn't even worth downloading.
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02.10.2006 - 04:54
Rating: 1
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
Someone needs to tell them that Metallica never had cheesy, poppy choruses...
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03.10.2006 - 22:00
RavenLord

Written by Dangerboner on 02.10.2006 at 04:54

Someone needs to tell them that Metallica never had cheesy, poppy choruses...


Someone ought to tell them that even on ReLoad, James Hetfield managed to sing in tune...

Good review, and I don't think it's particularly 'tr00'. I don't see why we should give this band a break if their music is (as even their fans admit) repetitive and they are pretentious beyond words. Metalcore is more (crap) punk than metal, anyway, so it's not very surprising that many on this forum despise them.

Unfortunately, I'm seeing them in December with Maiden, but I think it will be a good opening act...because I'll want them to get off quickly so Maiden come on!
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07.10.2006 - 03:25
PRIMAL FEAR
Account deleted
Written by Dangerboner on 24.09.2006 at 02:38

Written by rock_2_thrash on 23.09.2006 at 19:17

Perfect album : Good guitar work,screamin vocals,damm good production!!!

Flaws: Admit repetitive..give them a break! its was just their second album.

Watch out: THeir new album is a pure offspring of an 80's metallica album.No screamin...That's what i've heard from the samples.


If there are flaws, it's not perfect.

Exactly, why would a person bother to say something which contradicts its purpose?

Anywho, I find this statement pretty much outlined everything:

We all know the drill - growled/screamed verses, refrains sung in an off-key and whiny manner and an almost inhuman, sterile production which makes the whole thing seem like it was designed and not composed. Every record label these days must have one of these little bands in their arsenal and Trivium is reportedly Roadrunner's secret weapon. Well, RoadRunner must be keen to shoot blanks...

And yet this is undenaibly true, roadrunner is infamous for wrecking good bands as well as making more bands which defecate on the ears of their drone-like, brainless listeners...
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10.10.2006 - 21:46
Rating: 5
jadawal

I've never heard of the band, although I can almost imagine exactly how they are going to sound. I get a feeling it'll sound like when I heard COB's in your face or thrashed lost and strungout , whatever its called. I just know its going to sound absolutley garbage. I'll have to download (not buy it, fuck) it and check it out, to have a laugh like everyone is. I'm going to listen to this one and not their new one because supposedly this one is their "best".

Written by Guest on 25.08.2006 at 01:58

I realy liked the album, 8.5 from me
Go to hell tr00 people


Fuck you.
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10.10.2006 - 22:05
Rating: 5
jadawal

I couldn't find the cd for download, but hearing some samples off the road runner website, the band is actually WAY better than I expected. For the people who are saying it is metalcore, you are wrong. And for the people saying this release is horrible? You are absolutely correct! If they stuck with the growling vocals and had no poppy chorus', this band would be half respectful in the metal society, I think. But this release Ascendancy, is almost 10 times better then their newest Crusade. It seems like in the Crusade they are actually trying to exactly copy Metallica's vocals. Think of something new and stop copying! Fuck!!!! But all in all, this is their best release, I give it a 5/10.
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16.10.2006 - 22:05
Vunts

I saw from some place that "If you are bored of waiting for Metallica to play like they used to, check out the new Trivium".
So i downloaded this CD and invited my friend over. Put some song on and said "So, dude. This is totally like tallica used to be yea?" And he was like And he's a mighty huge tallica fan (owns the discography and all that shiz). Even more than when he was a Slipknot fan a few years back.
And yeah, i had the CD playing as background noise and none of it stood out. Seriously, i'd rather listen to ***** (name cut out due to fear of being proscecuted by prog-heads) than this...A great review as expected.
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10.11.2006 - 00:25
devildriver86

man u guys are all wrong this was a great cd they are one of the few metal bands that ive heard that can put together the scream that they do along with great guitar rifs and solos so dont go and tell me they suck me they are very talented at a young age and they have time to get better
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11.11.2006 - 01:16
Insineratehymn
Account deleted
I might as well hop on the bandwagon and say that this band sucks. There is not a single hint of originality to be found in their work. Now, Matt Heafy is actually a good vocalist (just check out his vocal work on Capharnaum's "Fractured" LP). The thing is, the corporate execs told him to be as mediocre as possible so that they could attract as many dull-minded pop culture followers as possible (or at least, I think that's how the story went). Funny thing to mention is that he sings in such a raspy voice on this album, that it often gets misinterpreted, case in point, these hilarious interpretation videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNLDLyeepVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euv38Pxom9s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX7aviv6uy0
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11.11.2006 - 06:29
Rating: 1
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
Written by Guest on 11.11.2006 at 01:16

Matt Heafy is actually a good vocalist (just check out his vocal work on Capharnaum's "Fractured" LP).


WHAT!!!! I just ordered that Caphernaum cd a few minutes ago...if I had known that he was the vocalist I would have never ordered it. I bought it without hearing them.

omg....I spent $21 on Matt "Poser Spice" Heafy. I think I might cry...

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11.11.2006 - 07:13
Insineratehymn
Account deleted
Written by Dangerboner on 11.11.2006 at 06:29

Written by Guest on 11.11.2006 at 01:16

Matt Heafy is actually a good vocalist (just check out his vocal work on Capharnaum's "Fractured" LP).


WHAT!!!! I just ordered that Caphernaum cd a few minutes ago...if I had known that he was the vocalist I would have never ordered it. I bought it without hearing them.

omg....I spent $21 on Matt "Poser Spice" Heafy. I think I might cry...



Oh noes!

I did not expect the repercussions of what I just said! What ever shall we do? The entire fabric of the world is falling apart at the seams! This is the end of mankind as we know it! Ok, I'll stop dramatizing now. Anyway, just give the album a chance once it arrives. I did, and I actually found the album quite enjoyable.
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11.11.2006 - 09:08
Mega-Slayer

I enjoyed this band for a second,and finally realized they are the same as Atreyu,Unearth and Bullet For My Valentine,gay.My friend Josh thinks Trivium is the best,and he said they were Death Metal .I thought it was time I pulled out some real death like Malevolent Creation,Obituary and Death,and he was brutalized sure enough,said that is was dumb.I tried and it didn't work,do Metal Core fans not realize that those bands inspired their favorite bands
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Intestinally Punctured Smurf
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12.11.2006 - 01:44
Rating: 1
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
huh? Are you saying that death metal bands inspired metalcore? Trivium isn't really metalcore either, but that is beside the point.
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12.11.2006 - 09:17
Mega-Slayer

Written by Dangerboner on 12.11.2006 at 01:44

huh? Are you saying that death metal bands inspired metalcore? Trivium isn't really metalcore either, but that is beside the point.

Well i'd say thrash and death,what else would inspire them to play such extreme and fast music
.Though what other genres would inspire them?
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Intestinally Punctured Smurf
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