MegaDeaf's RankViews: Trivium

Trivium are one of metalcore's more divisive outfits. From embracing the genre, changing the game, completely disowning it and currently pushing it to new territories - Trivium are and always were unsung game changers. With their latest effort In the Court of the Dragon due in a month, the band are here to take names. Whether this is biased or not, the band deserve the recognition we'll be giving today throughout what could be a controversial ranking for die-hard fans of the Floridian metallers.

#9 - Ember to Inferno (2003) (2.5/5)

• Heaviness; 3.5/5

• Memorability; 3/5

• Context; 1.5/5

• Ambitions; 2/5

• Venom; 2.5/5

"Growing pains were all but inaudible on Trivium's first full-length effort (especially vocally), and it shows. Though not without a hook in almost every track, Ember to Inferno feels very much a high school level band making their very first record."

#8 - The Crusade (2006) (2.9/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 2/5

• Context; 2.5/5

• Ambitions; 3/5

• Venom; 4/5

"After achieving insane amounts of success at such a young age off Ascendancy, the Trivium boys decided to release a collective 'f**k you' in the form of The Crusade. While the intent of creating a record that was nothing like it's predecessor - the record was quite a let down and the pressed quickly moved on. Though in saying that, it's worth a listen"

#7 - Silence in the Snow (2015) (3/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 4/5

• Context; 2/5

• Ambitions; 3/5

• Venom; 3/5

"Though people were starting to screw their noses at Trivium's choice making after the much over-looked Vengeance Falls, the band managed to achieve a new mainstream high with their extremely polished Silence in the Snow. Completely driven by clean sung hooks due to vocalist/frontman Matt Heafy's vocal blowout the year prior - Silence in the Snow was written for the casual metal newcomer."

#6 - Ascendancy (2005) (3.3/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 4/5

• Context; 2.5/5

• Ambitions; 3.5/5

• Venom; 3.5/5

"The hit making machine was officially born with the release of 2005's Ascendancy. Trivium became the metal progenitors of the year. Though it lay the foundation for what would come - what would come would far improve on it."

#5 - Vengeance Falls (2013) (3.5/5)

• Heaviness; 3/5

• Memorability; 5/5

• Context; 3/5

• Ambitions; 2.5/5

• Venom; 4/5

"Easily the most overlooked Trivium album to-date, Vengeance Falls was steered by Distrubed frontman David Draiman's guidance - to much speculation of every Trivium fan on the planet. The outcome however paid off immensely and spawned the band's best and biggest hooks (that might be a bit biased)."

#4 - What the Dead Men Say (2020) (3.6/5)

• Heaviness; 4/5

• Memorability; 3.5/5

• Context; 3.5/5

• Ambitions; 3/5

• Venom; 4.5/5

"What would be Trivium's shortest album cycle following the worldwide pandemic that surrounded the release of What the Dead Men Say - the record would see the band pushing themselves in certain aspects, but largely retaining the sound established by it's predecessor. Though the band's performance on each individual instrument is absolutely outstanding and easily the highlight of the album. (That bass tone, tho!)"

#3 - The Sin and the Sentence (2017) (3.9/5)

• Heaviness; 4.5/5

• Memorability; 4.5/5

• Context; 4/5

• Ambitions; 2.5/5

• Venom; 4/5

"The record that Trivium needed to make following the highly divisive Silence in the Snow. - The Sin and the Sentence put Trivium back on top of their game and gave career highlight songs after career highlight songs. Even the deep cuts are worthy of being live staples. However, we've heard it all before."

#2 - In Waves (2011) (4.2/5)

a. Heaviness; 4.5/5

b. Memorability; 4.5/5

c. Context; 4/5

d. Ambitions; 3.5/5

e. Venom; 4.5/5

"The record that did everything Ascendancy established and made it even better, In Waves put Trivium firmly into the 2010's and solidified their reputation of making heavy, brooding tunes and melodic, catchy tunes to boot. Sometimes both. Anybody who knows the band will know the titanic title-track and scream along every single lyric to it."

#1 - Shogun (2008) (4.3/5)

• Heaviness; 4.5/5

• Memorability; 4/5

• Context; 4/5

• Ambitions; 4.5/5

• Venom; 4.5/5

"No surprise whatsoever that this made it to the top. Shogun is a bonafide metal classic and easily a candidate for album of the decade. Doing everything that The Crusade fumbled, every song pushes the boundaries of what modern metal was at that point. An absolute must listen!"