Trivium – Shogun Review

Discussion in 'Music Reviews, Albums, Biography etc' started by sgt.misery, Aug 23, 2012.

  1. sgt.misery

    sgt.misery New Member

    Trivium, a band which is like a love or hate affair for metal heads all across the globe.This is my 2nd review in this site of their album "Shogun" which I consider to be their finest effort so far. Sorry about the huge length of the review. Please bear with me, be patient and give it a read. Enjoy :D

    Album Name: Shogun
    Album Artist: Trivium
    Release Year: 2008
    Genre: Thrash Metal
    Rating: 9/10

    Track list:
    1. "Kirisute Gomen"
    2. "Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis"
    3. "Down from the Sky"
    4. "Into the Mouth of Hell We March"
    5. "Throes of Perdition"
    6. "Insurrection"
    7. "The Calamity"
    8. "He Who Spawned the Furies"
    9. "Of Prometheus and the Crucifix"
    10. "Like Callisto to a Star in Heaven"
    11. "Shogun"


    Trivium was formed in the year 1999 when guitarist and vocalist Matt Heafy was only 13 years old!! As time progressed Trivium started evolving their sound. Lead guitarist Corey Beaulieu and bassist Paolo Gregoletto joined Matt and Travis Smith (drums) to complete the new line up. With the release of “Ascendancy” Trivium slowly started ascending to the throne of the metalcore scene. However they decided to alter their sound and take a more thrash metal approach in their next album “The Crusade”. That was perhaps the biggest blow as well as the biggest boon in their career. While “The Crusade” alienated many of their original dedicated fans, the album gave a small glimpse of the musical virtuosity which the band could attain. Critics started panning the band for sounding similar to Metallica(Matt Heafy gave up screaming for a more clean James Hetfield kind of voice). Trivium had to come up with an answer and then came their fourth studio outing “Shogun”.
    In “Shogun” Matt Heafy returns to growling/screaming as well as giving a much stronger clean singing performance. The high point of the album is the guitar work. Shogun heavily features 7-string guitars and 5-string bass guitars, which had been used sparingly on The Crusade. Matt Heafy succeeds in writing some of the most intricate riffs in his career so far. Every song is scattered with the typical catchy chorus characteristic of the band however the verse riffs, breakdowns became much stronger, grittier and tighter. And the guitar solos for which Trivium has attained a certain share of fame became even more complex. With Corey and Matt sharing the lead duties they manage to harmonize and blend their acts so perfectly, it is clear that each has now become the shadow of the other. Travis Smith has always been one of the better drummers in metal today, with this outing he manages to cement his status even more. And Paolo, unlike many other bassists, is very much audible throughout the record. Here is a song by song review.

    1. Kirisute Gomen – A monster of an album opener. Beginning with an eerie acoustic intro, it hints at the epic heights this album is set to achieve. One of the better vocal outings of Matt. The riffs blend in perfectly with his voice and a gives way to a monstrous breakdown and an amazing solo by Matt and Corey to return to the original head banging riff. This song is definitely one of the high points of the album.
    2. Torn Between Scylla And Charybdis – Starting with a one string melody this song moves on to a heavy and one of my most favorite riffs in this album. This song perhaps has the most complex solo Trivium has written in their whole career. Also some amazing bass lines by Paolo and some great drumming from Travis.
    3. Down From The Sky – This is one song you can never stop head banging too. Although relatively simpler riffs in this song but one of the best to put on full volume and set loose. This is perhaps the most radio friendly song in this album, though until the heavy breakdown followed by the “elephant” riff, it transitions to a much heavier death metal kind of feel.
    4. Into The Mouth Of Hell We March–I am not sure but this is perhaps my most favorite song in the album. With a simply superb chorus and another heavy verse riff, this was the first single of the album. It has one of the finest guitar solos Matt and Corey have ever written. Travis Smith is top notch with his double bass in this song.
    5. Throes Of Perdition – The usual set closing song in Trivium shows and obviously for a reason. This song is an example of how amazingly a metal piece can be constructed without just cramming hundreds of riffs. The simple one string melody in the high B string… transpose it to the low B string…add some mind numbing drums and you have an instant crowd pulling song. The solo also complements the song showing the neoclassical side of Corey.
    6. Insurrection – As a guitarist I will just say this is the toughest Trivium song ever. First time I have seen Corey doing 6 string sweeps and Matt’s riffing as well as soloing is perhaps the most complex he has ever done in his career.
    7. The Calamity – I just love the chorus of this song. A superbly written song with some old riffs from their “Ascendancy” days. However the solo is once again insane in the least to say. By this point in the album Corey has already written some of the most intricate solos and Matt not much far behind.
    8. He Who Spawned the Furies – One of the heaviest songs in the album. This song has some intense lyrics and they require Matt to show his growling abilities. And although Matt has never been a death metal growler he finds the most guttural side of his voice in this song. The heaviest breakdown of the album and one of the wildest solo of the album (it has a 24th fret natural harmonic in the song! Ever tried?) This is a must listen for death metal fans and all guitarists.
    9. Of Prometheus And The Crucifix – This is again another song which I may call my most favorite in the album. Matt does the best clean singing he has ever done, plays some of the most crushing riffs in the album. But its after the breakdown that the song attains I true best. With one of the highly entertaining Matt and Corey solo plus their trademark harmony solo that became so famous in Ascendancy.
    10. Like Callisto To A Star In Heaven – This is perhaps my least listened song in this album but that doesn’t mean it is bad. Its got some great heavy riffs and obviously the highlight of this song is the brilliant Corey solo. Drumming is also superb.
    11. Shogun – This brings us to the final track of the album. The epic 12 minute title track. There is just three words for this song. EPIC…EPIC…EPIC. This song is the hallmark of Trivium's musicianship. A song which single handedly defines everything that is Trivium. It shows how much Trivium has progressed throughout the years. From being a metalcore band to bringing an almost progressive feel to this album. Shogun has it all. Be it Matt’s melodic singing, screaming, death growls. The acoustic part of the song is so beautifully constructed and it truly complements Matt’s voice. This part also has an amazing bluesy solo so uncharacteristic of Corey but he does it beautifully. The breakdowns, verse riffs are in short intricate. And the solo is the most intense on the album. All that thanks to the amazing riff going behind. I think in this song as a vocalist, as a rhythm guitarist and as a lead guitarist Matt Heafy meets the highest point of his career. Corey and the rest complement him amazingly.

    Lyrically Shogun has a few songs that deal with ancient Japanese military customs and several regarding Greek mythology, some serving as metaphors to be interpreted by the listener. "Into the Mouth of Hell We March" and "Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis" detail the story of Odysseus choosing whether to face the giant whirlpool Charybdis or the 6-headed monster Scylla. "He Who Spawned the Furies" is about the Titan Cronus devouring his children and castrating his father Uranus, creating Aphrodite and the Erinýes (the Furies). "Of Prometheus and the Crucifix" references the daily torment of Prometheus and alludes to crucifixion of Jesus Christ, serving as a metaphor for enduring torment by the public for daring to contribute something new to society. "Like Callisto to a Star in Heaven" is written from the perspective of the nymph Callisto, detailing her rape and impregnation by Zeus and her transformations into a bear and into Ursa Major. "Down from the Sky" features a contemporary theme, chastising those who spark wars for profit or religion, and warning of nuclear holocaust.

    All in all this album is a must listen for all metalheads and guitarists. In India I have found the following of Trivium to be very feeble. I hope people reading this review will give this classic album a listen and appreciate this amazing band that is… Trivium!!
     
  2. guitarplayer729

    guitarplayer729 New Member

    Shogun is a good album but a bit odd to my ears. I liked the old albums like Ember to Inferno and Ascendancy.
    In waves is good too but Shogun ranks the lowest on my Trivium Album list.
    Any recommendations which might change my mind.
     
  3. sgt.misery

    sgt.misery New Member

    Well like I wrote in the review I enjoyed each and every song on this record and I could hardly find any fault in it. But if I had to pick my favourite tracks it wud be a tie between "Kirisute Gomen", "Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis", "Into The Mouth Of Hell We March" and "Of Prometheus and the Crucifix". I would recommend you to hear "Into The Mouth Of Hell We March" and then "Kirisute Gomen". I fell in love with these tracks instantly.
     
  4. guitarplayer729

    guitarplayer729 New Member

    I like Down from the Sky and Into the mouth of Hell we March

    Well thanks!
    And if you want my recommendation
    then
    Pil lars Of Serpents
    If I could collapse the masses
    Pull harder on the strings of your martyr(My Favourite)
    Dying in your arms
    Ember to Inferno
     
  5. sgt.misery

    sgt.misery New Member

    thanks dude...hell yeah i love down from the sky....especially wen the death metal kinda riff kicks in..well i have heard every song of Trivium.....and indeed Pull Harder is amazing thats the song that got selected in the top 50 metal songs of this decade...my favourites from ascendancy apart 4om it are Drowned,torn and asunder,Rain and A gunshot to the head of trepidation... u dint mention any Crusade songs....try listening to the Detonation or Entrance Of The Conflagration(my top played song on last.fm)
     
  6. guitarplayer729

    guitarplayer729 New Member

    Not listened to Crusade yet
    Tomorrows the day for it
     
  7. john23

    john23 New Member

    Really grat topic well done guys :)
    vrati
     

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