Album Review: Trivium - Ember To Inferno: Ab Initio

Trivium's (ahem) ascendancy was swift, but there was a brief period prior to media darling and metal pin-up status, as acknowledged by the reissuing of their 2003 debut.

Elements such as the bipolar vocal attack and thrashy riffage were still being refined; frequent reliance on formula and an overall mish-mash of influences understandable given that main-man Matt Heafy was only 12 when he joined the band. They do occasionally add their own flourishes to stamp some individuality on their chosen style, reiterating that, although such Metallica-ised metalcore is a product of its era, it's apparent why heavyweight label Roadrunner subsequently pursued them. The additional demo tracks on the deluxe version are a curiosity piece, albeit for completists only.