Trivium have always been given the tag of the 'new Metallica' whether or not this is true is debateable but despite this they have done something similar to what Metallica did with this their fifth album. Whereas 'Tallica's was the Platinum selling 'Black Album' Trivium's is In Waves and it has the same features that that seminal album had. It incorporates the melody and aggression of their first 3 albums and marries it with the technicality and mature nature of their last album Shogun. I also have to say that I am reviewing the Special edition of the album that features 5 bonus tracks, two of which being Shattering The Skies Above which originally featured on the God Of War III soundtrack and the Sepultura classic Slave New World. The album starts out with a small instrumental intro that opens up into the crushing first single and title track. This track gives a good idea of what is to come which is a more mature but still melodic album, the next two songs are the already leaked Inception of the End and Dusk Dismantled, both of which are prime slices of Trivium's sound. The playing on the album is superb with new drummer Nick Augusto matching Travis Smith's style and improving on it tenfold. The dual guitars are equally great and Matt Heafy's voice has returned to its former glory. All of the tracks are very well written and incorporate different styles, some have a more death like sound e.g. A Skyline's Severance and Chaos Reigns some are more Djent (the title track especially), some are have a classic metal sound like Watch The World Burn and Forsake Not The Dream and others are introspective like the final two tracks Of All These Yesterdays and Leaving This World Behind. This is a fantastic album that has the right light and shade to make it as popular as Ascendency but also has the technical chops and strong brutal song writing that will make people re-evaluate the kiddie metal tag that went with Trivium before. They have released their 'Black Album' that is to say an album that is going to make them huge. But please don't follow this with a Load or Reload. 9/10
Outloud: We'll Rock You to Hell and Back Again (Frontiers) & Love Catastrophe (AOR Heaven)
Outloud are a band formed by Greek Guitarist/Keyboardist Bob Katsionis who is most famously plays that role in Greek Power Metallers Firewind. However Outloud is a different beast, it still retains some of the hallmarks of Bob's day job but this has more of a melodic vibe. The lyrics feature love, lust and partying and the guitars are sleazy and rocky with the keys bringing an 80's vibe. The tracks are well performed with great performances all round Katsionis and his protégée Tony Kash give a great harmonic guitar attack, the drumming of Mark Cross (also a Firewind alumni) is superb as always but the real star is vocalist Chandler Mogel who's smooth as silk delivery and substantial power is a pleasure to hear. Both albums are chock full of rocking anthems and great ballads but the band sound more polished and professional on second album Love Catastrophe which proves that this band are not just a one-off flight of fancy away from the Firewind mothership, they are truly a great band in their own right. Now they just need to be able to tour, so when's Ozzy making his next album? 7/10 & 8/10 respectively
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