Relationships are indeed a strange affair coming in all sorts of sizes. Easily the most important opinion out there, fans truly are the back bone to a band. Having had a home from home in the UK since their inception Trivium have always been our Florida heroes. Releasing their excellent album Silence In The Snow has seen the band headline festivals and perform in major player venues yet as yet another example of interaction with their fans the band have opted to forget sell out capital dates and visit our more colloquial of Metalheads. Taking a trip up Norwich we went to see just what the band had in store…
[date]20th March 2016[/date]
[venue]LCR[/venue]
[city]Norwich[/city]
[support_bands]As Lions, Heart Of A Coward[/support_bands]
Prior to our thrash metal protégées As Lions appear to deliver a set that is chock full of energy with the British brand of Metalcore going down a treat here in vastly full LCR. Bouncing up and down the band create a great little introduction for the night which seeing as they have merely one track out, they aren’t doing bad! Ensuring that our crowd are nice and warmed up it seems that regardless of band the Norwich metal heads support their local bands with a much larger audience than you might see at a London show for example. Making the band all the more grateful as the sense of animosity that can sometimes be draped over capital shows is dispelled.
Nevertheless the absolutely deafening roar that erupts from Jamie Graham‘s lungs as Heart Of A Coward take to the stage is vastly superior as the band launch into a no nonsense set with “Hollow”. Performing material from their new release Deliverance the band, despite having a mere six songs absolutely obliterate the LCR for some odd forty minutes. Galvanising their young buck attitude with a seasoned sense of musicality. With guitarist Carl Ayers bringing the low end distortiontones completed by Graham’s truly fierce delivery that brings out crowd of well to do metal heads foaming at the mouth a frenzy is unleashed for “Miscreation”.
A shining example of just how far the band have come with having just released their third album, coincidentally on the same date as our headliners. The band work as a pneumatic machine. Bassist Vishal beckoning bedlam as he climbs monitors flanking an increasingly animated Graham as we move into final section of the band’s set with the inevitable “Deadweight”. Asking to join the band in their defiant statement of “I don’t give a fuck” as the song reaches its peak our audience complies. Anyone who has seen the band before knows just how destructive their live presence is. Now having already performed at Download Festival the band are more decisive understanding exactly where the future will be taking them and bringing us all kicking and screaming with them. If any of you reading this will be attending the smaller shows make sure you get there for them, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
As the stage becomes vastly larger, whiter and more grandiose so we hear the introduction of “Run To The Hills” blarig through the PA. Followed by the foreword of somber Ihsahn orchestral “Snofall” immediately setting the tone as Trivium begin what will be one of the finest performances yet. The double header of “Silence In The Snow” coupled with “Into The Mouth Of Hell We Ride” make for an impressive opening gambit. Bringing their arena worthy stage with them drummer Paul Wandtke is sandwiched between the soon to be iconic skulls whilst our trio each cover their bases at the front.
Working the crowd into melodic single “Strife” Heafy’s skills as a frontman are undeniable. Forgetting the machismo ideals of Heavy Metal the band feel incredibly welcoming stating that we are “at a Trivium show“. Coaxing out the ferocity hidden behind the polite elements of us Brits. Interacting with the crowd enough without pandering and ensuring that our audience are always participating particularly during the rabble rousing “Anthem (We Are The Fire)”. Announcing a worldwide premiere we at last get to hear what I deem to be the best song on the new record. Pulling off those absolutely genius vocal cadences “The Ghost That’s Haunting You” is barrelled out with ease despite it being the first performance. Showing the many different sides to Trivium tonight the set flits throughout the era’s from Shogun bangers “Down From The Sky” to Ascendancy classics, incidentally celebrating its tenth year anniversary last week. One two punch of “Like Light To Flies” and “Dying In Your Arms” are as well received as ever. Despite the change in sound the likes of riffing “Insurrection” sees the more energetic of fans get their dose whilst the anthemic of choruses of “Until The World Goes Cold” ensures the band exhibit their near faultless song writing ability.
Quietly confident, Paulo Greogletto inspires the likes of the younger legions here tonight to go wild whilst Corey Beaulieu delivers excellent leads covering the harsher vocals. However man of the match drummer Paul Wandtke could very well be the band’s best yet. Introducing the devastating “Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyrs” with flair the drummer creates his own imprint on songs. Adding an extra crash hit here a drum fill there to fill the space brilliant in the band’s later work not taking away making the songs ever so slightly more interesting and with a fantastic mini drum solo commands the crowd. Shortly before the band briefly exit as the clattering introduction of “In Waves” plays. Returning our rousing leader Heafy has more than proven his worth as a brilliant frontman here tonight one more time inciting just the right amount of insanity needed. Mustering their final dregs of energy an absolutely Herculean bellow of “In Waves!” echoes through as our audience collectively loses their voices.
Having headlined Bloodstock last year the band are just as easily at home at a 15,000 arena setting as they are to the intimate setting of the LCR. Understanding that unique quality of interaction with their fans the band quite simply put are unstoppable. Releasing what I deemed last year to be one their best efforts in their career, Silence In The Snow may have seen the band sky rocket to filling out major league venues but tonight they have proved that regardless of size they will never forget the true reason they are indeed here, the fans.
