LIVE REVIEW: Trivium @ Academy, Manchester

TRIVIUM have quite the relationship with the UK. It was here in the UK where the band first took to the big leagues and after all these years, their relationship with the UK still remains immensely strong. Last year’s The Sin and the Sentence showcased TRIVIUM coming full circle, encapsulating all the core dynamics of their sound into one whirlwind of a record and now, after much anticipation, the band have returned to our shores with three of the hottest young bands, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and VENOM PRISON, in tow. We ventured to their sold out show in Manchester to catch the carnage.

After enjoying a bountiful breakout year last year, South Wales wrecking crew VENOM PRISON come into this tour with the wind very much in their sales. Normally, the task of opening a show, especially one on this scale, would swallow most bands but VENOM PRISON are of a different breed as they gave a performance of monstrous brutality. In a short but razor-sharp set, the band never let up as they kept the intensity burning white-hot through blistering riffing and monolithic breakdowns from guitarists Ash Grey and Ben Thomas whilst Larissa Stupar‘s shrieks and guttural blasts sounded enormous. Consistently urging crowd interaction and commanding the stage, Stupar was born for the big stage and she led the line of VENOM PRISON‘s explosive live sound effortlessly. There may have been question marks as to whether they could make the step up to the big stage, but VENOM PRISON gave a mightily impressive opening salvo, one which adds even more excitement to one of the UK’s hottest prospects. God helps us all when that second record drops.

Rating: 8/10

Heavy music has ventured into new and exciting territories but sometimes, a throwback to days gone past is just what the doctor ordered and POWER TRIP deliver exactly that. Granted, their retro-brand of thrash is nothing particularly revolutionary but what the Texan thrashers deliver is nothing short of breathtaking. Launching into the mid-tempo chugfest that is Soul Sacrifice is a sure fire way to snap the audience to attention but it’s the effortless bleed into Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe) where POWER TRIP really started to fire on all cylinders. An anthem in its own right, the snappy tempo thanks to hard-hitting riffing from Blake Ibanez and Nick Stewart sounded even better in the live environment and had heads banging aplenty whilst Rile Gale‘s vocal barks held their own against the thumping wall of sound. Speaking of Riley, throughout their time on stage he demonstrated the qualities of a true front man as he bounced across the stage packing charisma in buckets. It was a whirlwind performance and the inclusion of plenty of material from last year’s stellar Nightmare Logic ensured that POWER TRIP gave a performance that will be remembered fondly for months to come.

Rating: 9/10

Where do you even start with CODE ORANGE? Arguably THE band of last year, the Pittsburgh bruisers have gone from strength to strength since taking the metal world by storm with Forever. From astonishing sets supporting GOJIRA, decimating Download Festival and a Grammy nomination, CODE ORANGE are holding the scene in a vice-grip and if their performance as main support to TRIVIUM is anything to go off, they won’t be loosening their chokehold anytime soon.

Consistently throughout their performance, CODE ORANGE maintained an incredibly high intensity, largely down to the earth-shattering riffs which were amply provided by Reba Meyers, Eric Balderose and Dominic Landolina, and monolithic lead vocal barks from Jami Morgan. Material from last year’s storming Forever, their magnum opus, dominated the setlist and the tracks sounded even more menacing in the live environment. Bleeding In The Blur‘s almost ethereal vibe through Reba Meyers‘ leading clean vocals created an intoxicating atmosphere which washed over the crowd, The New Reality sparked a warzone amongst the crowd and Forever packed the power of a nuclear bomb. Yet for all their gut-punching power, there were moments where the mix dampened their impact. At times, Jami Morgan‘s vocals were difficult to process in the swirling maelstrom of synths and thrashing riffs but despite this, CODE ORANGE still delivered blow after blow of unrelenting power. This is a band who are showing no signs of lessening their impact and moving forward, there will be surely no stopping CODE ORANGE from dominating heavy music for years to come.

Rating: 8/10

Given that the evening’s supports have clearly shown that the next generation of heavy music is mighty strong, TRIVIUM have their work cut out in their headlining performance in Manchester and yet, they pull out all the stops and give a show that is simply breathtaking. From the moment the band take to the stage with the enormous title track from their latest record, it becomes quickly apparent that TRIVIUM aren’t pulling their punches.

Operating as a tight unit, the band were on scorching form as they blistered through a set that was thoroughly enjoyable. Throes of Perdition‘s slick guitar licks from Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu got the crowd roaring, firm classics like Ascendancy and Like Light to the Flies have never sounded better in the live environment and deeper cuts like Becoming the Dragon and Shattering the Skies Above demonstrate that the band have quite the arsenal. But where TRIVIUM really hit their stride was through material from their latest record, The Sin and the Sentence. With a hefty chunk of cuts from their latest opus displayed in the live environment, it’s clear that the band are aiming to make a lasting impression with their new material and they achieved just that. The Heart From Your Hate is an absolute anthem thanks to the chunky riffing and gorgeous vocal lines from Matt Heafy, Betrayer‘s opening salvo was absolutely deafening and the mid-tempo chugging from the combined efforts of Heafy, Beaulieu and Paolo Gregoletto and bombastic drumming from Alex Bent in Sever The Hand whipped up an absolute storm.

Ebbing and flowing from emphatic anthems like Until The World Goes Cold to sheer gargantuan power through Drowned and Torn Asunder and Beyond Oblivion, TRIVIUM gave absolutely everything in their headlining set and closing the show with a double whammy of Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr and In Waves was the icing on the cake. It was utterly remarkable and signed off a show that will be fondly remembered for many months to come.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our stunning photo gallery from the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: