This is the re-release of the debut album from metalcore quartet Trivium. And needless to say, this is a very good album and even better with the 3 extra bonus tracks. So, enough introduction, here is the review.
What Is Good About The Album?
Well, there is plenty of good stuff on 'Ember To Inferno'. Many of the songs are notable for exceptional songwriting, others riffs or solos and some have very good lyrical content. The pick of bunch track wise would have to be Pillars Of Serpents, If I Could Collapse The Masses, Fugue (A Revelation), Falling To Grey, When All Light Dies and the breathtaking Blinding Tears Will Break The Skies. Well, tht is six classics and the other songs are pretty good as well. Overall, the lyrics on the album are excellent. The songwriting skills are definitely on par with those of 'Ascendancy. The riffs are also very good as are the solos, if not as plentiful as on 'Ascendancy'. Despite the album being produced on German label Lifeforce Records, whom are very small in comparison to Roadrunner Records, the production of the album is excellent. The sound of the guitars is crisp and has a good tone and the bass can be heard with a fair amount of clarity on a number of tracks. The drumming is also very good and sounds great. The overall sound of the album is definitely very metal and more so than a lot of other metalcore bands. Nevertheless, it is of good quality and makes the album what it is.
What Is Not So Good About The Album?
There are definitely a few bug bears to pick off the album. Firstly, Matthew K. Heafy's voice is definitely a lot weaker than it was on 'Ascendancy', which is probably understandable. The clean vocals especially can be quite bad at times and need a lot of work. Another thing is that a lot of the songs sound quite samey and follow the same sort of pattern throughout, with shouted verses and clean vocals for the chorus. Then there might be a solo, or a stand-a-alone riff. So some may get a little bored and be thirsty for more variety. Also, I don't know whether anybody agrees with me on this one but it sure sounds as if Heafy is saying "falling to gay" rather than saying the title of the song in its chorus. Oh well.
Why Buy?
This album is definitely a solid one and is good value for money. Plus, as it is a re-released album, it is a couple of quid cheaper than previously, so its worth your hard-earned cash. There are some brilliant songs on the album (with my personal favourites being Pillars Of Serpents and Blinding Tears Will Break The Skies) and the rest are still pretty good if a little samey.
Track Ratings
Inception The Bleeding Skies 3/5
Pillars Of Serpents 5/5
If I Could Collapse The Masses 5/5
Fugue (A Revelation) 5/5
Requiem 4.5/5
Ember To Inferno 4/5
Ashes 4/5
To Burn The Eye 4/5
Falling To Grey 5/5
My Hatred 4.75/5
When All Light Dies 5/5
A View From Burning Empires 4/5
Blinding Tears Will Break The Skies 5/5
The Deceived 4/5
Demon 4/5
