With hundreds of shows already under its belt, the relatively young band Trivium has become one of the biggest upcoming acts to hit the metal scene. Their brutal sound and destructive shows have earned the group ample publicity, even performing on the Mecca of heavy metal tours, Ozzfest. According to Trivium drummer Travis Smith, the band’s success is well deserved.
“We have been out here busting our [butts], playing hundreds and hundreds of shows,” Smith said. “So it’s like we expect to be rewarded for working hard.”
The band has had some great accomplishments, including its performance on the summer of 2005 Ozzfest tour. It was an experience that even a regular college weekend can’t compete with, Smith said.
“Basically it was like ‘boozefest’,” Smith said. “I mean we work for an hour a day and then you have 23 hours to do nothing but drink and party.”
An unfortunate event in San Bernadino, Calif. during the tour caused some drama for Trivium. While on stage, the band Iron Maiden was pelted with eggs and their equipment failed several times, leading to accusations that Trivium was behind the melee.
“It was just child’s play,” Smith said. “It was something that should never have been done. No one just goes and tries to sabotage someone’s set or anything. But whatever it’s in the past … life goes on.”
It has been a long and strenuous year of touring for Trivium, but once its over the group plans to begin work on a new record.
“After this tour we’re doing a U.K. tour, and then after that we are going to hit it hard and get the album done,” Smith said. “We got April and May to do the album. So we’re going to get it done and get it out and get back on the road.”
“[The new record] is going to be brutal man, its going to be some really, really heavy stuff. Like some of the heaviest stuff we’ve done. It’s something we’re just going to be really confident to put out, and we’re just going to have fun with it and just let the music flow.”
Trivium is becoming a household name in the metal community, and while many good things have happened since the band exploded on the scene, Smith said he will always remember the people he met along the way.
“I got to meet Rita who was [Dimebag Darrell’s] longtime girlfriend. She has really opened a lot of doors in my world that I never thought would have been opened,”
he said. “I got to meet Jerry Cantrell (Guitarist/Alice in Chains). I am like this huge Alice in Chains fan. And hanging out with Vinnie Paul (Dimebag’s brother and former Pantera drummer), I was like, ‘Holy [crap] this is for real, I am really here.'”
Trivium’s main goal from day one: to be the best band in the history of heavy metal, a feat Smith believes Trivium can accomplish.
“It’s what we wanted to do since I can remember,” Smith said. “We’re not going to stop and we’re going to fight to get where we want to be. It’s not about the fame, or fortune, it’s for ourselves. It is our goal in life.
“Why would you settle for mediocre, why not settle to be the best? We’re going to try everything we can to get where we want to be.”
Trivium is set to play at the Theater of Living Arts Feb. 17. Smith advises fans to come prepared for a true metal experience.
“We’re going to come out with 110 percent, with nothing but energy lasting all the way through,” he said. “Just come expecting to get your [butt] kicked or to kick someone else’s.”
Dan Cappello can be reached at dancaps@temple.edu.
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