"Kirisute Gomen," the first single from Trivium's upcoming fourth album, Shogun, is titled after a Japanese samurai expression that's the equivalent of "I'm gonna kick your f---ing ass" and translates to "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to take your head." It's an accurate description of the impact of the album, but Trivium offer no apologies for their brand of brutality.
Unlike 2006's The Crusade, which contained an abundance of melodic vocals and even an '80s-style metal anthem, Shogun is direct and uncompromising, blending the guitar hooks of The Crusade with the metalcore savagery of 2005's Ascendancy. And while Trivium still draw from the lessons of Metallica, Megadeth and Pantera, songs like "Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis" and "Down From the Sky" suggest they've finally discovered their own voice -- one which will likely have its own impact on the next generation of thrash-inspired metal warriors.
In our exclusive podcast interview with Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, we discussed his Japanese ancestry, the growth the band have undergone since The Crusade, the creation of the new songs, recording in Nashville with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Death Angel, Shadows Fall) and the politics of metal. Click "more" to stream or download the podcast.
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