Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Trivium - Ember to Inferno (2003)

OK, so this is my first real review for a metal album. I just came to this website to help it grow by adding suggestions in the forums, but when I was asked if I was planning on adding some ratings and reviews, I thought "Eh, why not?" So here I am, all prepared for a journey through writing metal reviews!

Anyway, Trivium is one of my favorite bands, and the first band I started listening to in my new modern heavy metal taste. I would consider them one of the most amazing modern melodic metalcore bands out there! Their first album Ember to Inferno does not totally meet the higher standards of their later albums, but it is still made really well with their usual heavy metalcore, intense melodies, and a bit of their mainstream sound that would propel the band into fame with their next album.

The intro "Inception: the Bleeding Skies" begins the album on a hauntingly melodic note that is actually the outro "A View of Burning Empires" partly played backwards. Then it transits to “Pillars of Serpents”, a chugging churning example of heavy metalcore, still audible enough for the ears. In fact you can hear a bit of the bass clearly in the mix. I personally like the original better than the 2017/2019 re-recorded version, not sure why, maybe I just wasn't into the scream and the F-word at the end of the re-recording.

Trivium’s originally drummer is more intense than his later work. His intensely fast drumming doesn’t break through any walls, but still adds a lot of sound. However, there's a lack of bass in the mix, and the drums are pushed back to make way for the electric and bass guitars, but songs “If I Could Collapse the Masses” and “Fugue” still unleash a good amount of drumming wrath.

Speaking of "Fugue", the interesting lyrics about the apocalypse and metaphysical negation are well written in this song along with “Requiem” and “Ember to Inferno". Those songs sound very upbeat for lyrics of pain, suffering, and disappointment. Listen to the chorus of “Fugue”: “As this dream comes to its grim end, Blind pray to god to make them men, As all hopes crumble truths unveiled, The world we know now abysmal hell” See? Sounds beautiful at the same time obviously not so hopeful. Now about the vocalist, he really bolted through the album with his great mix of growls and clean vocals. And he was only 17! Man, I need to improve my own vocals.

Once again talking about the title track, during the song they unleash their upbeat yet heavy metalcore guitar riffs, similar to Shadows Fall, that not only sound good but keep the listener going through the music, not just the lyrics, including its incredible lightning-fast solo. You can expect more guitar soloing chaos in “To Burn the Eye”, once again demonstrating the abilities of the guitarists without the solo being too lengthy. Before "To Burn the Eye" is the under one-minute intro “Ashes”, which has an audible but creepy guitar sound to it that sounds like a macabre horror circus. "Falling To Grey" opens with a nice neo-classical solo. The song seems to offer more emotion and dexterity, but it is still not exactly a classic. In “My Hatred” and “When All Light Dies”, the guitars are a neat backup for the intensity of the lyrics and vocals. The guitars range from the higher notes in the solos to the lower sinister death metal-like riffs, still melodic sounding but really matches the heavy direction.

Still discussing “When All Light Dies”, the song has one of very few metalcore breakdowns in the album, whereas the solo is as sparse as the other songs in the album, with a good amount of intense technicality. And finally, the aforementioned outro of the album, "A View of Burning Empires", seguing from the fascinating outro of "When All Light Dies", is a peaceful uplifting way to end the album with classical guitars, keyboards, and acoustic guitars coming into play here.

All in all, Trivium did really well and had a lot of passion and strength in their first attempt to create their own album. This is a good album but not reaching their heights as high as the rest of the band's discography, except for the thrashy but less aggressive-sounding The Crusade and the classic heavy metal album Silence in the Snow, but those are another story....

Favorites: Pillars of Serpents, Fugue, Requiem, Ember to Inferno, To Burn the Eye, Falling to Grey, When All Light Dies