Shogun (Trivium album)
Occupation
- Vocal / Guitar: Matthew Heafy
- Guitar: Corey Beaulieu
- Bass: Paolo Gregoletto
- Drums: Travis Smith
Shogun is the fourth studio album by the American thrash metal band Trivium. It was released on September 26, 2008 via Roadrunner Records. The album title is derived from the ancient Japanese military title Shogun, which was a leader of the warrior caste of samurai.
Formation
With interruptions Trivium wrote about a year to the tracks on their fourth album. It followed the band, unlike the previous album, The Crusade, no particular destination. The band wrote about 40 songs during the concert tours. Under these songs is a cover version of the song " Iron Maiden" from the eponymous British heavy metal band. This cover is used for the compilation " Maiden Heaven" by the British magazine Kerrang.
For the first time the band used when composing seven- electric guitars and acoustic guitars. Of the 40 written songs were eventually completed 27. The opinion of the band 's best songs were 20 recorded as a demo. With the help of Machine Head vocalist Robert Flynn Trivium finally chose 14 songs that were recorded on a second demo. Then the band went into the studio.
For Shogun, the band wanted to break new ground and has therefore decided to work in another studio with another producer. Shogun was recorded between March 31 and May 19, 2008 in Nashville. Originally the bulk of the shooting was to take place in a studio in New York and stopped in Nashville. Since the studio was closed but these plans were discarded.
The album was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who has worked for bands like the Foo Fighters, Stone Sour, Marilyn Manson and Rush. According Heafy Raskulinecz has a wide musical spectrum and brought a lot of new ideas. During the recordings was dispensed with modern techniques such as Pro Tools. The eleven songs that have finally made it on the album were played completely live up to forty times.
" Here, not individual parts were pushed or duplicated on a computer and back. Nick made us stand so long before the microphones until he and we felt that we caught the perfect moment. "
"The Calamity " (English for the disaster ) was loud Heafy the easiest -to-play song on the album. Nevertheless, the band took me forever to finish the song was recorded. The title song is the first song the band's history, which takes longer than ten minutes. Mixed Shogun was invented by British music producer Colin Richardson in London.
The idea for the album title came Heafy during a trip to his native Japan. The tour guide mentioned several times the word " Shogun" and Heafy noticed here is that this word radiates strength. According Heafy the word " Shogun" fits perfectly with the music of the album.
Background
For the song titles and lyrics, the band took inspiration from Greek and Japanese mythology. Scylla and Charybdis were sea monster who lived in the Strait of Messina. The Furies were goddesses of revenge. Prometheus applies in Greek mythology as the creator of humans and animals, while Callisto was one of the lovers of Zeus. Great influence in this case had the odyssey of the Greek poet Homer.
" Kirisute Gomen " refers to a Japanese law, which allowed a samurai, to strike down a lower social person with his sword, it should hurt his honor.
Reception
In the German magazine Metal Hammer Shogun reached the second place in the sound check. According to Frank Thiessies Trivium had " never been so far from trivial as thrashy on this triumphant album without a trailer ." Thiessies missed six of seven points. During sound check of the German Rock Hard magazine Shogun occupied the fourth place. Reviewer Thomas Copper wrote that " this sovereign and never patch stylistic diversity Shogun makes it the best ever album of the band's history and gives an idea of the almost unlimited musical possibilities of the band members ." Copper awarded nine out of ten.