Trivium (band)


Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. The band's creative core comprises three long-time members; vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy, guitarist Corey Beaulieu, and bassist Paolo Gregoletto. The band has changed drummers numerous times, with Alex Rüdinger becoming the most recent addition in October 2025.
The band's debut album Ember to Inferno was their only album released through Lifeforce Records in 2003. In 2004, they were signed to Roadrunner Records where they have stayed ever since. The band has released ten studio albums and over twenty singles to date. Their tenth studio album, In the Court of the Dragon, was released in 2021. The band has sold over one million albums worldwide and was nominated for a Grammy for the song "Betrayer" at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019 for Best Metal Performance.

History

Formation and ''Ember to Inferno'' (1999–2004)

The band formed in 1999, choosing the name "Trivium" from a Latin three-way intersection to describe their music as combining metalcore, melodic death metal and thrash metal. Singer Brad Lewter then saw Heafy performing a cover version of "No Leaf Clover" by Metallica at Heafy's eighth-grade talent show and later asked him to try out for his band as lead guitarist. The pair went over to drummer Travis Smith's house where they played a rendition of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Impressed with Heafy's performance, they accepted him into the band. Lewter played a number of local gigs with the band before departing about a year later. In mid-2001, Trivium parted ways with its bassist. Trivium asked Richie Brown from local black metal band Mindscar to fill in on bass duties until a full-time member could be brought in. A string of successful shows followed and then a search was conducted for a permanent bassist. In 2001, the band played at a fundraiser for Chuck Schuldiner.
In late 2002, Trivium went into the recording studio to record its first high-quality demo disc. A copy of the demo was heard by German label Lifeforce which signed Trivium, and the band entered a studio to record its debut album, Ember to Inferno. Lead guitarist Corey Beaulieu joined after the recording of the album. In 2004, Paolo Gregoletto joined as the band's bassist, replacing Brent Young before a tour with Machine Head. Ember to Inferno managed to garner the interest of Roadrunner Records representatives, who later signed Trivium to the label. The band then began writing songs for their major label debut.

''Ascendancy'' (2004–2006)

In 2004, Trivium recorded its second album, Ascendancy, in Audiohammer Studios and Morrisound Recording in Florida. Produced by Heafy and Jason Suecof, the album was released in March 2005. The album debuted at No. 151 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 4 on the Top Heatseekers chart. Allmusic reviewer Johnny Loftus praised Ascendancy, describing Trivium as a "ridiculously tight quartet, unleashing thrilling dual guitar passages and pummeling kick drum gallops as surely as they do melodic breaks and vicious throat screams." Rod Smith of Decibel magazine praised "Smith's impeccably articulated beats, bassist Paolo Gregoletto's contained thunder, and, especially, Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu's liquid twin leads." The album was also recognized as the "Album of the Year" by Kerrang! magazine. Later in 2007 the band received their first Gold Record in the UK for more than 100,000 Sales.f
In 2005, Trivium played the first Saturday set on the main stage at Download Festival in Castle Donington, England, credited by Heafy as the gig that really launched Trivium on the world stage. Singles and music videos were released for "Like Light to the Flies", "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr", "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation", and "Dying in Your Arms". The videos for these songs gained rotation on Scuzz TV and MTV2's Headbangers Ball, and "Pull Harder on The Strings of Your Martyr" has become one of the band's most well known songs and the song that they usually close their sets with. In support of the album, the band opened for Killswitch Engage, Iced Earth, Fear Factory, and Machine Head, who were one of Heafy's largest influences. Trivium also played at Road Rage 2005 and Ozzfest.
Ascendancy was re-released in 2006 with four bonus tracks and a DVD containing all of the band's music videos and live footage.

''The Crusade'' (2006–2007)

In April 2006, after a headlining tour with Mendeed and God Forbid as openers, Trivium entered the studio, with Suecof and Heafy producing again. The band played the Download Festival for a second time, again on the main stage, with Korn and Metallica. Trivium released The Crusade in October 2006. Debuting at number 25 on the Billboard 200, the album sold over 32,000 copies in its first week of sales. Heafy's vocals had changed from the metalcore scream of the previous albums to clean singing. This new singing style, along with the band's thrash metal music, were criticised as sounding too much like Metallica, who were a major influence on the band.
The band supported the album by touring with Iron Maiden and Metallica, appearing on the Black Crusade tour with Machine Head, Arch Enemy, DragonForce and Shadows Fall, as well as headlining a European tour with supporting acts Annihilator and Sanctity and acquiring an opening slot on the Family Values Tour with Korn. Trivium was named the best live band of 2006 at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.

''Shogun'' and departure of Travis Smith (2008–2009)

Trivium started working on a new album with producer Nick Raskulinecz in October 2007. Heafy stated he wanted to bring back the screaming that was found on Ascendancy, and the band said they chose not to work with Suecof again because they already recorded three albums with him and wanted to explore new ideas. Recording ended June 2008.
In an interview with the UK's Metal Hammer magazine in May 2008, Heafy said that their new album was to have "more thrash influences, more screaming." He told Revolver magazine, "For the first time, we can't look at our songs and say who the riffs sound like. We're really making our own stuff and our own kind of music and art form, and that's exciting." In September 2008, Trivium released their fourth full-length album, Shogun. The album sold 24,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, debuting at number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart as well as number 1 in the UK Rock Album Charts.
Trivium toured extensively throughout 2009 in support of Shogun, with two headline legs of the US, a headline slot on the Mayhem Festival second stage, an Australia/Japan leg, as well as a conclusive UK run in March 2010. Throughout their headline runs, they were supported by Chimaira, Darkest Hour, Dirge Within, Whitechapel, Rise to Remain and Black Tide. They were also booked as a co-headliner for Australia's Soundwave Festival in February 2010.
Travis Smith unofficially left the band on the second leg of the "Into the Mouth of Hell We Tour" tour. On February 4, 2010, the band announced that Travis had indeed officially left the band and fill-in drummer, ex-drum tech, Nick Augusto, was replacing him. Augusto is a former member of Maruta and Metal Militia, in which he played with Gregoletto. While Trivium's relationship with Smith had deteriorated over the years, the band had no immediate plans to replace him when he announced in late October 2009 that he would be sitting out the tour to take care of "some personal business." However, Augusto's skill while filling in for the tour convinced the band that he could improve their creativity and live performances.
Trivium contributed to the God of War III soundtrack by recording the song, "Shattering the Skies Above". It is exclusively included on God of War: Blood & Metal, a digital EP that comes with the Ultimate Edition of the game and is available from the iTunes Store. The band has also recorded a cover of the song "Slave New World" by Sepultura. "Shattering the Skies Above" was also released exclusively to their fanclub on February 12, 2010, and was released widely on February 15. The next day their Sepultura cover "Slave New World" was released as a free download for members of the UK via Metal Hammer UK. Both of aforementioned songs re-issued on their deluxe version of the album "In Waves".

''In Waves'' (2010–2012)

In an interview with Guitar World, it was stated that for their next studio album, Trivium would "forgo the complex epic compositions, tricked-out leads and seven-string guitars that characterized its past two albums" and instead take an approach similar to that of Ascendancy by using uncluttered riffs, Drop C# tuning, and more straightforward solos. Heafy stated "When we did Ascendancy, we were writing specifically for the songs, not to show how well we could play. That wasn't exactly the case with our next two records." In the bonus content for the November 2011 issue of Guitar World, Heafy said the lower tuning was to make his vocals easier due to the number of concerts the band plays.
On June 6, Metal Hammer revealed that the album would be titled In Waves and that it would be released on August 9, 2011. On June 19, Trivium debuted two new songs live in Birmingham entitled "Dusk Dismantled" and "Black". On the June 28, "Dusk Dismantled" was released to TriviumWorld users only; it was released to general public on the 29th. On July 13, the premiere of "Inception of the End" was released to the general public on the website Hot Topic.
In Waves was released in August 2011 worldwide and received generally positive reviews. Kerrang! described the album as "draws from the band's entire repertoire and shapes what it finds into a defining and definitive set". A special edition was released featuring bonus tracks "Ensnare the Sun", "A Grey So Dark", "Drowning in Slow Motion", the "Slave New World" cover, and the single from the God of War III soundtrack "Shattering the Skies Above".
Trivium participated in a co-headlining trek with Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames in both Europe and North America. European support came from Ghost, Rise to Remain and Insense. North American support came from Veil of Maya and Kyng. Additionally, Miss May I and The Ghost Inside joined Trivium during the In Waves 2011 European tour. They also performed at the Metaltown Festival and Download Festival in June 2012. From July 13 to August 28, 2012, Trivium took part in Metal Hammer's "Trespass America Festival" headlined by Five Finger Death Punch with additional support from Battlecross, God Forbid, Pop Evil, Emmure and Killswitch Engage. On October 15, 2012, Trivium commenced a European headlining tour, supported by Caliban, As I Lay Dying and Upon A Burning Body.