Trivium – O2 Academy Leicester, 26/3/16.

As the chords of Iron Maiden’s epic ‘Run to the Hills’ play as an intro, the impending Easter bank holiday means one thing, no one’s holding back. With the O2 being located in student land and this being Trivium‘s first outing to Leicester, it all adds up to one hell of a night.
The stage backdrop depicted grotesque demon figures with fiery red eyes creating an eerie atmosphere, and this coupled with the frantic overuse of strobe lighting gave off an almost nightmarish effect.
Opening with the new album title track ‘Silence in the snow’, it’s clear the band have complete control and the message is received and understood, Trivium mean business.  Back at Bloodstock last year their headlining slot suffered at the hands of technical problems leaving mixed reviews concerning their set. There were no such problems tonight though, and the band took full advantage.  Lead singer Matt Heafy owned the stage, domineering with his stage presence.  Between tracks he chatted with the crowd about how Leicester was their best ever crowd; a clear ploy yet the fans ate it up to his delight.  ‘Pull harder on the strings of your martyr’ was performed with Jamie Graham of

support band Heart of a Coward lending his gravelly, ferocious tones which even left even the faux stone demons quaking in their boots. Newbie drummer Paul Wandtke was then put through his paces with a rapid drum solo, well and truly breaking him in.
The chilling chimes of ‘Capsizing the Sea’ signified the beginning of the end, followed quickly by the closer song, the epic ‘In Waves’, which saw moshers descend manically like insane zombies, everywhere, from all directions.
Trivium are a band which continues to shape-shift and morph their style and sound, a sort of metal chameleon, a strong force to be reckoned with and thoroughly worth an evening of anyone’s time.

Set list:
Silence in the Snow
Into the Mouth of Hell we March
Strife
Rain
The Ghost that’s Haunting you
Anthem (We are the Fire)
Built to Fall
Like Light to the Flies
Dying in your Arms
Insurrection
Dead and Gone
Throes of Perdition
Down from the Sky
Until the World goes Cold
Pull Harder on the Strings of your Martyr

Encore:
Capsizing the Sea
In Waves

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