Band:	Trivium
Album:	Ascendancy
Style:	Alternative metal, Metalcore, Thrash metal
Release date:	March 15, 2005
A review by:	jupitreas

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.