No matter the medium, every artist reaches a point of imminent self-realization. It’s the moment when the vision finally comes into focus and the pieces fit perfectly. The identity becomes grasped tighter than ever, while boldly forging ahead into the future. Exterior circumstances fall into place, and everything coalesces into a perfect storm of blood, sweat, and tears. For Trivium, Vengeance Falls rises from that crossroads.

The band’s sixth full-length album fuses their patented tough and technical metallic prowess with courageous and charismatic melody, ultimately yielding their heaviest and most hypnotic work thus far. Everything happened at the right time, as if it were meant to be all along.

The first single “Strife” tempers bludgeoning six-string complexity with an unshakable hook, fret-burning lead, and arena-size chant. “It’s like that internal anger everyone faces within him or herself,” says Paolo. “Those lyrics came after we were done touring, and it was part of the catharsis. We’ve never made a record that was this direct.” The title track builds into a maelstrom of distortion and anthemic power and everything comes to a head on “Wake (The End Is Nigh)” where a clean classically-inspired guitar wraps around Matt’s soulful delivery before exploding for one final call-to-arms.

Trivium have been working towards this kind of proclamation since they first burst onto the scene with 2005’s Ascendancy. That album would go on to sell over half-a-million copies worldwide and send the band on the fast track to joining metal’s finest.