Trivium – Gig Review & Photo Gallery 10th April @ Metropolis, Fremantle WA

Trivium had not played a headline show in Perth since last decade. Despite a few festival appearances and a forgettable support slot for Disturbed in 2011 where the band were plagued by technical difficulties, the west coast of Australia had long been deprived of some Trivium action. It was high time the band returned to Western Australia and wowsers, did they return! Let’s get one thing set in concrete straight away. If you’re thinking twice about seeing this band live on the rest of their Australian tour then you need not stress – this is a must see show. Whilst Trivium’s new album, Silence in the Snow has divided opinions with a more slower pace than previous albums, the songs from the new record absolutely slay being played live and with seven albums now in their repertoire, the band are not scared to play a host of tracks from all their albums to appease even the fussiest of punters.

Kicking things off and making their live debut were Perth’s own metal supergroup Make Way For Man. After the success of the first single ‘Limitless’ the band have just released their EP Evolve and Repair. These guys sound hectic in the best possible way. Described as Progressive Metalcore with a mix of intricate layers of guitar, drums and vocals, it makes for a unique musical experience. You have to hear it for yourself to understand. The frantic and aggressive guitar shredding combined with killer progressive beats and ferocious vocal battles raise the hair on the back of your neck and lift your spirit into a musical head spin that’s addictive. These guys really caught the crowd by surprise as they were filling the club. The impact was obvious, there was immediate audience participation. (*)

Melbourne melodic metal band, Orpheus Omega struck gold, perhaps not in $’s but exposure by being named as lead support around Australia for this Trivium tour and would of gained a host of new followers after a strong welcoming by Perth fans. Chris Themelco (Lead guitar and vocals) was commanding in his performance blending a nice growl with subtle melody when required. The use of Keswick Gallagher on keyboard or keytar was bizarre to watch on stage but his keys blend in beautifully with the music being made and combine to make Orpheus Omega something a little off centre and all the more intriguing. Finishing with ‘Sealed in Fate’ from the band’s debut album, Bleed the Way from 2011, these guys certainly laid the foundation for Trivium and more than lived up to the hype of being named national support.

Fittingly, Trivium began their part of the night with Iron Maiden’s, ‘Run to the Hills’ blasting over the stereo, as if summoning the throng to again move forward and prepare for battle. The title track from last year’s album Silence in the Snow was first as vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy immediately set the scene for what promised to be a killer night of heavy metal. Head banging was the order of the night, as Heafy exploded vocally and with all type of mannerisms to hype up the crowd (not that they needed it). Along side him, fellow guitarist and guttural growler, Corey Beaulieu, masterfully played his guitar whilst feverishly head banging away with authority including many memorable windmill efforts that had the moshpit clambering to thank him on stage personally, albeit unsuccessfully thanks to a large barrier.

Diminutive bass player, Paolo Gregoletto plucked away to the side, nodding his head in appreciation with every chord. As ‘Into the Mouth of Hell We March’ picked up the pace, so did the crowd, with sporadic circle pit action breaking out and those sing-a-long moments a plenty throughout the whole set. Welcoming Perth following the initial outburst, Heafy was gracious for the opportunity inciting more pit mayhem and air guitar stances throughout the club, as the riff from ‘Strife’ hit the speakers from 2013 album, Vengeance Falls.

The band as a whole were incredibly tight. Australia has hit Trivium on a high point. Heafy’s vocals, whilst subtly turned down from full scream mode from years gone by has no doubt refined his singing to prolong his career and with vocal coaching, has never sounded as good on stage. The twin guitar attack and duelling between Heafy and Beaulieu is brutal and on point, whilst Gregoletto’s role must not be underrated as his bass lines are sharp and when required, as heavy as fuck, especially on the slower burns tracks such as new single, ‘Dead and Gone’. At the back of the set, is the recently appointed new Trivium drummer, Paul Wandtke. Wandtke ploughs away succinctly in the background, his skill behind faster songs such as ‘Rain’, ‘Like Light to the Flies’ and ‘Kirisute Gomen’, evident. His set ending drum solo prior to the clichéd encore another example of why Trivium have hopefully found a permanent drummer to match it with the echelon of heavy metal bands around the world.

Highlights were plentiful. The aforementioned, ‘Strife’ with that killer Heafy riff was just the starting point. Ascendency songs, ‘Rain’, ‘Like Light to the Flies’, ‘Dying in your Arms’ and the most welcomed song of the night, ‘Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr’ simply blitzed and garnered most praise from the sweaty mass of people hanging on every Heafy word. The new songs held up well, but a special mention for the track, ‘Requiem’ from the band’s first album, Ember to Inferno which sounded savage live. Heafy encouraging a circle pit to which the Fremantle crowd obeyed with merciless speed.

Concluding with the staple crowd participation track, ‘In Waves’ with the band and audience head banging in unison, Trivium had delivered in spades. Fittingly the taped outro, Motörhead’s ‘Ace of Spdes’ filling the speakers as the crowd slowly walked off into the night as if having gone 10 rounds with a heavy weight champion. A killer setlist. A bludgeoning night of heavy metal. You couldn’t ask for anymore.

Check out the full photo gallery below – click on the images to make larger.

Photos courtesy of Jerika Faithfull. Please do not use without permission.
(*)Make Way for Man review by Melanie Scrafton, Manager of This Other Eden (Perth WA), Writer & Presenter for Loud-Stuff  (UK) & Rock at Night (US)

Setlist
Taped intro – Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden song)
Taped intro – Snofall
Silence in the Snow
Into the Mouth of Hell We March
Strife
Rain
Blind Leading the Blind
Anthem (We Are the Fire)
Built to Fall
Like Light to the Flies
Dying in Your Arms
Requiem
Dead and Gone
Kirisute Gomen
Down from the Sky
Until the World Goes Cold
Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
Drum Solo
Encore:
Taped intro – Capsizing the Sea
In Waves
Taped outro – Ace of Spades (Motörhead song)