This is by no means the direction I would have though Trivium would have taken after the huge success with their previous album 'The Crusade'. Instead of another fine tuned layer of polished modern thrash metal they have created another masterpiece with the best from their three previous albums; the energy from their debut album 'Embers To Inferno', the melody and pure aggression from 'Ascendency' and the musical creativity and adventurism from 'The Crusade'.
Imagine a fine tuned engine that has been given an overhaul by some of the best experts in the business, where the result is beyond your imagination. The edges are sharper, the aggression is straight in your face, the brutality hits you right in the gut and everything has been fine tuned and worked out to perfection.
The combination between modern metal and classic old school thrash metal with occasionally outbursts of pure aggression and brutality has never sounded better. They have perfectly tied their albums together, pushed the boundaries and delivered their best and most mature album to date.
The risk has paid off; they have raised the bar without regard to proper procedures and possible consequences, and have set a new standard for modern thrash metal.
