Metal Returns
As you walk in to the Wolverhampton Civic something seems rather strange - Trivium's backdrop is already present on stage and nobody else has played yet. Arguably the largest act on this year's Road Rage won't be opening up the first UK date… will they?
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As Matt, Corey, Paolo and Travis walk on stage the crowd immediately rush towards to stage realising that a band being hailed for bringing back "true metal" to the mainstream are ready to kick off the UK's Road Rage tour.
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From the second that they walk on stage, Trivium provides a Brutal onslaught of noise that should carry a health warning even if the venue's acoustics don't do them any favours. As the bass overpowers vocals and guitar solos someone has messed up somewhere but it's not the band that much is obvious. Seeing the band standing on stage somehow resembles a young Iron Maiden as they take control of the crowd and run through perfect solos. One thing is clear - Trivium are going to go far and this show is only a hint of how good they have the potential to be live.
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As the current single, 'Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr', starts it seems lost in the PA but that doesn't stop the crowd overpowering the band's sound as they scream the lyrics as if they were their own. Not happy with only impressing a crowd with the singles, 'Suffocating Sight' starts the low-end seems to actually shake everyone physically and emotionally to the core as the 1,200 capacity of the Wulfrun erupts in to one giant pit.
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'Ascendancy' is an album that leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions. Are these guys going to have any live stage presence, are they going to make it without the luxuries of a studio behind them, can they live up to the expectations piled on to them by the genre? Fuck yeah. Trivium are proof that metal is making a strong comeback and that the genre has finally managed to root itself again after a decade of floundering. Any doubts that existed with the album are blown out then window when you see Trivium live.
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As their short 30 minute set draws to a close with 'Like Light to the Flies' you're left with the feeling that Trivium won't be departing from fore-front of metal any time soon and quite rightly so.
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As Trivium finish with an awesome solo it's clear that whilst nu-metal may be long gone it's time for bands like Trivium to take control of the mainstream at long last. If you're going to Download this year then missing Trivium, who are rumoured to appear, would be a crime.
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 10 available.