When  the line-up for this year’s Mayhem Fest was announced last week, we were told that more bands would eventually be announced. Not to sound like gloating pricks or anything, but we here at MetalSucks already knew that Trivium were gonna be on the bill, even if their involvement hadn’t been made public yet.

Well, now it’s public. Trivium are on the bill. They’ll be on the main stage along with Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Machine Head, and In Flames; the line-up is rounded out by second stage acts Unearth, Suicide Silence, Kingdom of Sorrow, All Shall Perish, Red Fang, and Straight Line Snooze.

When we saw the band at Mayhem in 2009, they were one of the dominant acts on the second stage; I will never forget wondering “Where the fuck is Paolo Gregoletto?” before realizing that he had jumped into the crowd and was playing amongst the thousands of rabid fans. And Trivium’s live show has increased in quality by 100% since they traded drummer Travis Smith for Nick Augusto last year. (Read Vince’s article on the matter here.) In other words: Trivium’s addition to the bill is a good thing.

Trivium are at Audiohammer Studios in Florida working on a new album with producer Colin Richardson even as I type this; I’ve heard that the goal is to get that record out in time for Mayhem. While we wait for more news of that release, here are Mayhem dates:

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I haven’t enjoyed an All That Remains album since This Darkened Heart, and that was in 2004, which is like a millenia in blogger years. The problem, I think, is that I saw them live, and realized that Phil LaBonte can’t sing and the rest of the band apparently looks to 21st century Mick Mars as their model of how much to move on-stage. Once I know I’m never gonna be able to enjoy a band in concert, who gives a flying fuck about their records? Especially when their records sound like Overcome.

But ATR’s popularity seems to be ever-increasing, and I’m nothing if not a people pleaser, so here I present the cover for their forthcoming …For We Are Many. The art, by the very talented Travis Smith, makes almost no sense to me as a concept, because while there are “many” people on the cover, only three of them seem to be emitting light from their heads. So unless ATR are suggesting that they and/or their fans are faceless dim bulbs, it kinda seems like the release should be called …For We Are Few. But, hey, what do I know? I’m just a guy who enjoys the act of thinking.

All That Remains’ latest Adam Dutkiewicz-produced affair comes out October 12 on Prosthetic/Razor & Tie.

-AR

[via Noisecreep]

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.

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If you hit up Trivium’s most recent U.S. tour with Chimaira, you may have noticed an absence of drummer Travis Smith. When the tour started, the band said that Smith “will not be joining us on this leg and is home taking care of some personal business.” Filling-in for him on the tour was his drum tech, Maruta’s Nick Augusto.

Meanwhile, we’d heard some rumors from a pretty reputable source that Smith wasn’t coming back at all. We didn’t say anything at the time ’cause sometimes someone tells you something off the record and it’s not cool to print that kinda thing (even we’re not that dickish)… but now that Metal Underground is reporting the rumor, fuck it. We don’t think Smith is coming back to Trivium.

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