Looking at the cover and reading the biography I wasn’t really sure what to expect. This could either be pompous technical sympho metal or a cool mix of different styles of metal and hardcore. The intro isn’t very promising but when “Pillars Of Serpents” kicks in, it’s clear that Trivium are a force to reckon with. Indeed there are different styles of metal, death, thrash, Machine Head/Pantera influences, there’s hardcore and lots more.

It can get pretty technical but Trivium keep it hard and heavy all the way. There are screams, grunts and clean vocals, early Metallica styled solos and breaks that remind me of Testament and Exodus. Actually there’s a lot going on, on this album. Not too much though. The thing is that no matter what they do it always sounds like Trivium; it all fits together very well. A very impressive debut!