Album Review: Trivium — The Sin and the Sentence

Trivium has had an interesting couple of years, to say the least. After spending several years on the cusp of breaking through, Trivium released Vengeance Falls in 2013 and landed squarely on the map. The album was heavy and featured the harsh vocals, heavy drum beats, and shredding guitar lines the band had become known for. Two years later, the band released Silence in the Snow, which took off. Long time fans of the band noticed that though this album featured the heavy Trivium sound they were accustomed to, it also included virtually no screaming. Lead singer Matt Heafy poured out an amazing vocal performance and the band seemed to be headed in a different direction. Same heavy drum fills and synchronized pops, same shredding guitar lines, more singing and less screaming.

Shortly after the album was released, the band went through a lineup change, as their present drummer moved on. He was replaced for touring purposes with a friend of the band who had filled in before, who was again replaced before the recording of the album. The band had gone through a period of major stylistic changes and now were faced with lineup changes. When the band started to hint at the release of new music, fans were curious as to what was in store for the band, and what direction the new album would go.

Less than a minute into The Sin and the Sentence and you are back to the style that made Trivium what they are. Heafy is one of those rare talents that can sing as well as he can scream. The album includes a great mix of the classic heavy screams with the clean crisp vocal sound on tracks like “The Sin and the Sentence” and “The Heart from Your Hate”. But in addition, the album is full of deep, well written lyrics. The album also features captivating guitar riffs that rank with some of the best I’ve heard. And perhaps most noticeable of all are the heavy fills and commanding beats driven by new drummer, Alex Bent.

While the album has a few tracks that may allow Trivium to continue to flirt with rock radio, such as the aforementioned “The Sin and the Sentence” and “The Heart from Your Hate”, the album takes a much heavier tone with songs like The “Wretchedness Inside” and “Sever the Hand” shining in what is a well-balanced album that is easy to listen to from cover to cover. Most impressive to me is The “Ravanchist”, a track which includes stylistic and tempo changes, key changes, and lasts almost 8 minutes. The Sin and the Sentence is Trivuim’s best work yet, and it just keeps getting better for these guys!