Trivium Taking Europe By Storm On Silence In The Snow Tour

All Photos: David Bronstein

The lights go out the roars emerge and Iron Maiden’s seminal classic ‘Run to the Hills’ blasts out of the PA, this means only one thing- Trivium. On every night of their latest European tour supporting their 2015 album Silence in the Snow there has been this undeniable homage to arguably England’s greatest metal act. Every fan in unison including photographers located in the pit sing as one, and even if you’ve forgotten some of the lyrics you have no excuse not to get the chorus right.

It’s these moments that make watching a Trivium gig unique, the foursome from Florida wear their heroes on their sleeves. Lead singer and guitarist Matt Heafy has one of his guitars emblazoned with stickers that read as a history of rock music. From Black Sabbath to Guns N’Roses, and like who they loved growing up as fans, their music is just as diverse.

Usual opening song ‘The End of Everything’ from 2005’s Ascendency has Heafy growling into the microphone Phil Anselmo style, the song is the perfect tonic to what will be a memorable show of head banging. Trivium’s members come across as genuine fans of heavy metal, if they weren’t up here on stage they would be in the front row.

The band run through ‘Rain’, ‘Forsake Not the Dream’, ‘Down from the Sky’ and ‘Rise Above the Tides’ with an urgency but an assurance at just how tight they have become. Corey King Beaulieu has to be one of the finest metal guitar players out there right now. Always energetic and shredding his guitar, you know you’re watching a genius at work when Beaulieu makes it look so easy.

On bass Paolo Gregoletto covers every inch of the stage, ultimately recognizable as the cog in the machine that keeps the band ticking over. On drums Alex Bent who had only joined the band for this European tour played as though he had been a part of the set up for a number of years. Bent who had previously played with the likes of Testament and Battlecross was confident behind the sticks and had obviously rehearsed 24/7 in preparation of the tour.

Watching Matt Heafy is always a delight, his voice going from a thundering thrash metal scream to a guy who can sing anthemic numbers at ease. His interaction with the crowd is priceless, not only is Heafy a huge fan but you can see from the way he conducts himself around the stage that he has studied his peers.

European sets have finished off with the classic ‘In Waves’ and after 90 minutes of being gloriously assaulted, fans go home with a huge spring in their step. European audiences have always taken Trivium to their hearts and on the evidence of these blistering shows it’s easy to see why. They are like long lost friends swinging back into town once every year or so, and you kind of wish it was every other week.

Trivium: Remaining European Tour Dates:

Mar 01: Gothenburg Pustervik, Sweden
Mar 02: Malmo KB, Sweden
Mar 03: Copenhagen Vega Main Hall, Denmark
Mat 04: Aarhus Train, Denmark
Mar 06: Hannover Capitol, Germany
Mar 07: Leipzig Taubchenthal, Germany
Mar 08: Vienna Arena, Austria
Mar 10: Pratteln Z7 Konzertfabrik, Switzerland
Mar 11: Munich Theaterfabrik, Germany
Mar 12: Stuttgart LKA Longhorn, Germany
Mar 13: Milan Magazzini Generali, Italy
Mar 15: Lausanne Les Docks, Switzerland
Mar 16: Marseille Espace Julien, France
Mar 17: Barcelona Sala Apolo, Spain
Mar 18: Madrid Sala But, Spain
Mar 19: Santiago De Compostela Sala Capitol, Spain
Mar 21: Cognac West Rock, France
Mar 22: Paris Caberet-Sauvage, France

Mar 24: Cologne Live Music Hall, Germany
Mar 25: Antwerp Trix, Belgium