Trivium – O2 Academy – Edinburgh – Scotland 2nd September 2023

I was asked if I’d like to review Trivium, and of course, I said yes. So once again into the breach, dear friends. Back to the good old Scottish capital of Edinburgh. 

As it turns out, this is the first time Trivium has EVER played Edinburgh. They’ve been to Aberdeen, Inverness, and Glasgow, but never the capital.  This is also the first time I have seen Trivium live. I’ve heard a couple of albums and enjoyed them and to be honest I haven’t heard a bad word about their live performance. 

And there’s not going to be a bad word said here about them either. They certainly surpassed my expectations. 

Trivium took to the stage just after 9 pm and the steam was already rising from the crowd due to there being many a circle pit and walls of death courtesy of the opening acts Orbit Culture and the Scottish Bleed From Within who both had this audience whipped into a frenzy.

As soon as the first track, Down From The Sky hit, the whole place was jumping, moshing, and just generally being a crazy Scottish audience. Although this is the Goblins And Wizards Tour, Trivium is currently also celebrating 15 years of the album Shogun. Tonight, Trivium treated the audience to the tracks Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis, Down From the Sky, The Calamity, and Of Prometheus and the Crucifix from that album.  At times it was hard to hear Matt as the crowd drowned him out with their dulcet tones. Jeez, that audience was loud.

Trivium was fabulous. Matt Heafy is a very fine vocalist who can mix it up with the best grunt, scream and clean vocalists going, and as a shred guitarist, he’s impeccable. His fellow guitarist and backing growlist,  Corey Beaulieu, is a formidable guitarist in his own right. Bassist Paolo Gregoletto was stuck in one place all night as his instrument was mounted on a stand, but then, the drummer was stuck behind his drums so you could say that the rhythm sections were firmly locked down with each other. The bass lines were meaty, and technical, coupled with the drumming of Alex Bent, together they provided a groove that was as infectious as herpes. 

Heafy also knows how to work with a crowd, make them feel safe, and that he genuinely cares.  Asking the front few rabbles (You can’t really call them rows) if they needed water, or if they were feeling ill, etc (it was chuffing hot down there as you really could see the sweat and steam from the pits) to let the security guys know. 

Speaking of security, there were times when the crowd surfers outnumbered them but they were great. I think Showsec must give their employees gym memberships judging by the ease they were lifting people over the barrier.

Trivium WAS a band I wasn’t familiar with, but the deep dive has started. I’m definitely freshly indoctrinated into the ways of Ascendancy. Catastrophist is my takeaway earworm from tonight’s show. 

Whether or not you’ve been a fan of the band for 20 years or 20 minutes, go and see them live. I will certainly do so again if I’m asked. 

It was an evening of Metalcore at its absolute finest performed by 3 incredible bands. 

Set list

In the Court of the Dragon
Down From the Sky
Becoming the Dragon
Strife
Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
Kirisute Gomen
Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis
Catastrophist
Of Prometheus and the Crucifix
The Sin and the Sentence
The Calamity
The Heart From Your Hate
A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
Capsizing the Sea
In Waves