Trivium head up a triple bill of metalcore mayhem that shakes the O2 Academy in Glasgow from its post festive slumber.
It wasn’t clear if starting the set with the thunderous assault of Rain was a dig at the meteorological groundhog day that Glasgow has found itself in since before Christmas but given what had gone before, the headliners needed to make an immediate impact. No worries there then!
The evening starts at 7pm sharp with Sheffield’s Malevolence blasting through a hardcore set centred around their recent 2022 LP Malicious Intent. The monstrous riffs of Malicious Intent set the tone as Alex Taylor growls out lyrics over their ambitious hardcore punk metal hybrid. With a series of well received festival sets last year, there’s no lack of confidence in their performance and with melodic new single Higher Ground, there’s definitely more to this band than first impressions would suggest.
Heaven Shall Burn are no strangers to the hardcore metal scene with a musical legacy going back to the mid-nineties so it’s not a surprise that we witness an accomplished performance. Vocalist Marcus Bischoff pivoting off the monitors to deliver their powerful, politically charged lyrics with a special kind of venom. They finish their set with the machine gun blast of Enzeit leaving a fired up crowd eager for the main event. Mission accomplished!
Formed in Orlando in the late nineties, Trivium have managed to amalgamate the drop tuned power of hardcore metal with the melodic sensibilities of more mainstream acts like Metallica or Faith No More. It’s ensured they enjoy broad appeal with a fanbase spanning the metal sub genre tribes, most of which are represented here at the O2 Academy tonight.
With a back catalogue of ten albums to choose from, the band have been mixing things up with the set-list changing nightly which ensures there’s a real energy filling the room. It’s something frontman Matt Heafy picks up on from the off. He’s clearly enjoying himself as he strikes the sort of pose normally reserved to the confines of Gene Simmons’ cod piece so tongues oot it is!
This translates into fantastic onstage chemistry with the vocal and musical interplay between the band members ensuring every scream, break, tempo change or brain melting solo is on point. Highlights include the first live outing of fan favourite Drowned and Torn Asunder since 2018.
Lyrical themes drawing from mythology and fantasy have long been a happy hunting ground for metal bands and has caused some to question their credibility but by and large, it’s done with tongue stuck firmly in cheek (or at the audience in Heafy’s case). Trivium are no exception – from the naff serpent statues each side of the stage to the devil horns adorning the drum riser, it’s a full house of metal cliches. But these sins are blown away thanks to the unrelenting power of the music. It’s an unholy collection of pin sharp, bowel shaking metal monsters thrill the packed out crowd.
There’s no encore, there’s no point, why stop the momentum. Penultimate track Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr see’s Alex Bent’s double bass drums go into overdrive as Heafy does is best to destroy his vocal chords as he flips from melodic to demonic.
They finish off with a cover from the band that defined the metal genre, Black Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell, the perfect ending to what has been a heavenly night for metal fans.
Words: Rob Alexander
Pictures: Frank Murphy @frankmurphyphotography