I have more than 600 Roadrunner Records albums in my record collection. Be it a Roadrunner release or a licensed release in Europe via e.g. the Metal Blade label, Roadrunner Records would be the first label coming to my mind dealing with the term Extreme Metal (back then). From Sepultura to D.R.I., from Motorhead (yes, Orgasmatron's Motorhead) to Obituary, from Infernal Majesty to Atrophy and then to Flotsam & Jetsam, the label has offered some of the finest examples of the so called extreme Metal music (yes, Motorhead ARE extreme Metal to me...). Years have passed since the vinyl romantic era and I'm curious 'bout what artists who have signed to Roadrunner Records have to present in the year 2005.
Not being a fan of what I heard in Trivium's Ascendancy album, I'll try and be as objective as possible. To succeed in this, I'll additionally try to be as brief as hell:
Trivium hail from Florida, were formed in 2000 by guitarist Matt Heafy and drummer Travis Smith, and are a Death / Thrash / semi-Nu outfit that has already released two CD albums - Trivium in 2002 and Ember To Inferno in 2003 - before signing a deal with Roadrunner Records in 2004. Under a descent production by Jason Suecof and Heafy himself - mixed by the magic hands of Mr. Andy Sneap. So, guess we're talkin' 'bout a major-to-be act in the States (at least).
In my ears, Trivium summons influences from heterogeneous bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, System Of A Down, Sentenced, Machine Head, Iced Earth and Evanescence. Be it brutal or clear vocals, eerie or normal guitar harmonies, blastbeats or mid-tempo drumming and triplet or isotonic ass lines, it's obvious that Ascendancy is ready to conquer the world in today's extreme music (if the promoting-meets-marketing script rolls well). The recipe is now known: mix the above bands/styles and the youth in London and/or California can diffuse their 20th Century counterfeit Metal-ic fury while the guy in the next seat with the good ol' Priest/Savatage tee tries to understand why the hell this womb of extra-terrestrials is called a Metal Club.
Teenagers or older fans of the music that the U.K. and U.S.A. export since 1995 will surely be pleased with this product - the musicians are excellent, I guarantee that. The problem for me is that this album IS a product, destined for (a specific reason) the music grocery store. Fuck you, who cares?, you'll probably snap back. You're so damn right, thus...