Overview
Today I am reviewing Trivium’s new album “In the Court of the Dragon” released, October 8th, 2021 from Roadrunner Records. This album features their singles “In the Court of the Dragon”, “Feast of Fire”, and also “The Phalanx”. This album is amazing and can absolutely show that even when you think they could not possibly get any better, Trivium manages to get better and better!
Song Analysis
To start off the album, “X” begins very cinematic, with intense buildup, and faint singing. This track has a roaring transition into “In The Court Of The Dragon”, which begins intensely. I love the lyrics of the chorus:
In spite of all the hate behind these eye
I’ve seen that only one of us survives
I’m here to destroy you
I’m here to avenge
In the court of the dragon I descend”
Around half way through the song, there are a lot of shifts in composition and intense solos that keep getting more and more crazy. The lead guitar and rhythm guitar work so well together, and the layers the drummer adds to it are insane.
Starting with distant sounding guitars, “Feast Of Fire” becomes very catchy. The chorus is definitely something that can replay in your head over and over again!
I’m crawling
Crawling through the feast or fire
Burning
Sinking down, keep sinking down
I’m crawling
Crawling through the feast of fire
Burning
Sinking down until these feelings begin to blur “
I also really enjoyed the lyrics “Compulsiveness for self destruction / Impulse led by entropy”, I can see compulsive decisions made in my life have cause at least minor problems for me. There are very nice guitars, drums, and bass leading us out of this song.
With a cool thrashy beat, “A Crisis Of Revelation” begins with speeding drums and guitar riffs. The chorus is sung so nicely and followed by a rad guitar solo before the vocals pick up again. Between the words “Waiting for all of it to fall / Waiting for all of it to fall” there is yet another gnarly guitar solo, and after those words, there are yet more solos where the bass, unique drums, and guitars sound so crazy. After that insane passage, there is this massive shift in the composition where it becomes super thrashy again and the vocals pick up. I never hear anything this crazy, wow!!!
“The Shadow Of The Abattoir” opens with a strong bass and dark but gentle guitar, this transitions to some pretty and deep singing, which sounds beautiful. This song has a lot of nice layering. Half way through there is a lot of intense buildup, the drums really pick up and then transition into a mosh inducing groove, followed by sick guitar solos. The vocals join in between solos, they sound so amazing, that it is really difficult to write about them…insane!
I am blown away by how insane the drums are in “Fall Into Your Hands”, I am immediately put into a trance trying to mentally dissect them. The intro feels so peaceful, and that transitions into speedy riffs. It is really interesting hearing the backing orchestral instruments! What is this madness! The singing through the chorus is so beautiful and strong. There are so many changes in the composition, I love it. Around half way through we hit a speedy moshing moment, the drums and guitars sound sick. Then there is a strong bass solo half way through, leading into palm muting, and singing with a calmer and quieter voice. This leads up to a solo over heavy chugging riffs, another solo that has a very melodic guitar over cool drums, and then a drum solo. We end with strings at the end that follow the orchestral themes of the opening track. It sounds absolutely epic.
“The Phalanx” starts slowly with pounding guitars, this buildups and transitions into riffs that have strong attitude. This song is lyrically very strong and tells a story. The first solo has very strong guitars. About half way through we are hit with a really rad drum and guitar solo, then it transitions to nice heavy chugging guitars and angry drums. Again we are hit with another another solo with some insane drums, then some more chugging guitar. Man this is a mental workout keeping up with it!! Toward the end, the song starts gaining the orchestral themes again, layered with the variety of subgenres within metal. My favorite words from this track are definitely exactly the words the album ends with:
Don’t let this take me
Split me wide open
Rip me from the stars
If they should take me
Then may they break me
Kill me, burn me
But I’ll stay torched into the heart”
These lyrics are so beautiful and motivating. I feel like they are about fighting through anything and never giving up. It sounds insane and it’s really an amazing way to end an album!
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love this album and am blown away by it. They can play so many different genres of music all in one, and everything fits perfectly. It is a masterpiece and it is difficult to analyze a work of art like this. I would happily listen to this album on repeat over, and over, and over again!!