TRIVIUM NOW ONE-QUARTER BETTER
I’ve personally never understood all the ire directed at Trivium by metal purists. In Trivium you have a band with above average chops and way better than average songwriting skills led a young phenom who’s a helluva nice guy. What’s not to like — or, at the very least if it just ain’t your thang musically speaking (which is fine), what is there to HATE? Sure, there was that Metallica ripoff album that was pretty ridiculous in concept, but even that album was executed well and the band promptly righted their ship with the next one. As for as more commercially-oriented metal goes there are WAY WAY WAY worse bands than Trivium. Way worse, people. Trivium are the good guys in that fight.
We’ve always felt that the band did lack a bit in the live department, though, mainly because of drummer Travis Smith. Way back in March of 2007, only our third month as a website, Axl reviewed a Lamb of God gig at NYC’s Roseland at which Trivium opened, nailing the problem with Smith thusly:
the fault here appears to lie primarily with drummer Travis Smith, who often seems to be playing a different song from his bandmates. I’m all for fast drumming, but Smith is completely incapable of staying on the beat, and the rest of the band’s performances suffer severely as a consequence of trying to keep up with him.
And this has always been the case with Smith. It seemed like he was always trying to keep up with the ProToolsed performances he laid down on record and couldn’t quite do it. But the other three members of Trivium need worry no more, as rumors of Travis Smith’s departure from the band have now been confirmed. Noisecreep reports:
“We’re really happy to have our good friend and fellow Floridian Nick Augusto join the Trivium family,” Vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy commented.
“Nick’s drumming is very technical and diverse, and he brings a real intense energy to the band and we can’t wait for everyone to hear the new song, ‘Shattering the Skies Above,’ that we just recorded with Nick. I think it’s the best Trivium recording we’ve ever done; it’s raw, full of energy, and I think Nick’s drumming really pushed us to a new level.”
It isn’t clear whether it was a “he quit” or “we fired him” situation, but whatever the case one thing is certain: the former Maruta drummer — who filled in for Smith on Trivium’s fall tour with Chimaira — is now an official member of the band, and Trivium are all the better for it. Trivium just recorded a new song called “Shattering the Skies Above” with Augusto on drums, but the real difference will come in the live arena where we’ve already seen Augusto play. And yes, the band is now markedly improved; he’s a helluva drummer.
-VN
