Album Review: Trivium – What The Dead Men Say

Solidifying their place with a solid album

American heavy metal band Trivium continues to show people why they are a force to be reckoned with. After the success of their previous release The Sin and the Sentence, What The Dead Men Say builds off that success and displays the band’s consistency for creating great music. With engaging songs due to their songwriting prowess, heavy riffs and aggressive drums, there is not a dull moment. People will find themselves replaying the album, and particular songs, over and over. 

Even though the opener “IX” does not contain any lyrics, the soft strumming at the beginning shifts into a layered piece of work and transitions seamlessly into the next song. While “What The Dead Men Say” has a different tune and beat to it, there is a drumbeat that carries listeners from one track to the next. Being the first single off the album, “What The Dead Men Say” is the first of many tracks with catchy lyrics and vocals that will make people hit replay. “The Defiant” is another track that will entice people to listen again and again because of the catchy chorus and amazing guitar riffs. 

Throughout the album, people will be entranced by heavy riffs and aggressive drums all the while getting a great balance between Matt Heafy’s vocals and Corey Beaulieu and Paolo Gregoletto’s backing vocals. The band understands when Beaulieu’s screaming vocals are needed and how he can enhance a song. The contrast of Heafy singing, “I stand in defiance of your ways,” and Beaulieu following up screaming, “the defiant’s in your way,” is goosebump-inducing. His screaming vocals are not utilized as much in “Bleed Into Me,” but again, the heavy metal band has mastered where it is needed and when it is not needed as much.

From the first single to “The Ones We Leave Behind,” long time fans will be pleased that Trivium is continuing to stick to their own path and long for more music. New listeners will want to get more of the band and set their fate to being long time fans. What The Dead Men Say is another solid album from Trivium; this is a shining album in their discography and propels them forward from the success of their previous release. 

Erin Winans: Hello! I recently graduated from James Madison University. From JMU, I received a B.A. in English & Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication (WRTC). In English, I concentrated in creative writing and in WRTC, I concentrated in writing and rhetoric. So, in my mind, they balance each other out. Since the middle of summer, after I finished my internship at Study Breaks Magazine, I've been writing for two sites. They both operate based on sending in a pitch if you have an idea. For one site, I write about movies and for the other, I write about personal topics and experiences. Now, joining mxdwn will let me expand my horizon by writing about music!
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