Ember to Inferno is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band, Trivium. The album lasts a duration of 48:58. It was released on October 14, 2003 by Lifeforce Records.
Lineup:
Matt Heafy – vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar
Brent Young – bass
Travis Smith – drums
Production:
Jason Suecof – producer, mixing, engineer
Matt Heafy – producer
Travis Smith – producer
Brent Young – producer
Tom Morris – mastering
Background:
Ember to Inferno is Trivium's most raw album that is rooted in a metalcore sound that the band would later move away from with every release. This would be the only album to feature Brent Young on bass. Long time band members Pauolo Gregoletto and Corey Beaulieu would not join the band until the 2005 album, Ascendancy.
Matt Heafy was not near as well developed vocally at this point in his career. His clean vocals are decent, but his scream vocals were not near as powerful and felt very forced. The rhythm guitar work is a bit repetitive and not nearly as innovative as it would become on later releases. This album really shines with the lead guitar work. Matt Heafy's solos are marvelous and a real joy to listen to on this release.
Track Listing:
1. "Inception: the Bleeding Skies" (instrumental) 0:35
A short intro that sounds a bit low in quality, but does its job in keeping the listener guessing in regard to what this album is going to actually sound like.
2. "Pillars of Serpents" 4:35
This track begins with a crushing guitar riff that gets this song off to a roaring start. Heafy's vocals are very raw as he screams like a banshee and definitely is at his lowest point as far as his vocal performance is concerned on this album. The guitar and bass work in this song is very nice though. Overall, this is a solid start to the album.
3. "If I Could Collapse the Masses" 4:42
I really enjoy the intro that gets this track started. The best thing about this track though is definitely Heafy's clean vocals that are among his best on this album. The drumming is very upbeat and is probably my favorite part during the verse sections of the song. There are definitely some memorable guitar riffs and lead guitar work that is stellar throughout this track. This is definitely a song that I recommend for any metal fan.
4. "Fugue (A Revelation)" 4:21
This song gets off to an absolute roaring start with fast paced guitar riffs that throw the listener right into the heaviness of this track. When the first verse kicks in, Heafy utilizes a simple crushing riff that is heavy, but not as innovative as others on this album. I do enjoy Heafy's clean vocals a lot in both their execution and placement on this track. The lead guitar work is where the track shines though.
5. "Requiem" 4:53
Trivium really seems to have a theme musically that is built on crushing guitar riffs on this record. Heafy's cleans are well placed and his guitar work is really good throughout this track's entirety. I really enjoy the fast paced drumming that flows perfectly with the other instruments during the song. The bass is audible and adds to an already powerful track.
6. "Ember to Inferno" 4:11
Now comes the best track on the album. The song begins with a really heavy opening that is fast and brutal. The song excels in its catchy chorus that has some of the best vocals and the most memorable guitar riff on the entire record. The lead guitar work is fantastic and the rhythm guitar work is also very impressive. This is one of my favorite early Trivium tracks.
7. "Ashes" (instrumental) 0:53
A nice short interlude that changes the pace and gives the listener a nice break from the heaviness.
8. "To Burn the Eye" 7:01
I really love this track. It's definitely the most progressive track from the entire album. Its opening sounds great and many of the riffs sound different from the rest of the album. The chorus is really melodic and is a nice break from the heaviness of the rest of the track. The guitar riffs interchange between faster and slower riffs that keep me interested throughout the entire track. Trivium's first progressive track is definitely raw and a bit unrefined, but it is very powerful and a sign of things to come for the band.
9. "Falling to Grey" 5:37
This is another track that continues the trend of good tracks on this record. I love the intro and it is probably my favorite start to any song on this entire album. The drumming is really fast and heavy during this song. Heafy's vocals are actually really nice all around during this track. The chorus actually soars and feels more epic than others on the album. I really enjoy this song throughout its entirety, which is more than I can say for many songs on this album.
10. "My Hatred" 4:34
Another track opening that has crushing guitar riffs and melodic lead work. I am still not tired of it though. The opening to this song is really nice because it builds of the song's atmosphere pretty well. Heafy sounds very aggressive and angry when he screams on this track, but again he demonstrates nice melodic vocals for the chorus. The guitar solo is my favorite part of the entire song though.
11. "When All Light Dies" 6:23
Just from the title, I could tell that Trivium was going to try for a very heafy and fast finish to this album. Trivium goes for pace changing melodic choruses to contrast their heavy and fast riffing during the verses. I think Heafy's cleans are pleasant, but they definitely do not blow me away. The breakdown is really nice though because of the strong bass sound that is presented. I really enjoy the song a lot more after this breakdown, because the riffs are more heavy and innovative. Also the guitar solos that occur are really fast and melodic. This is a fitting song to finish the album as far as full length tracks go.
12. "A View of Burning Empires" (instrumental) 1:48
I like this song as the closer because it ends the album in a unique way that is soft and melodic.
My Verdict:
Production:
This is probably the worst production of any Trivium album. With that being said, it still sounds mostly good. The drums and bass both sound great and the crushing guitar riffs are raw and powerful. The album does not have weak production, but it does not stand out like so many other Trivium releases.
Score: 12 / 20
Album Flow:
This is album is a very heavy one that does not let up through its entirety. The guitar riffs are loud and really powerful. Many of the songs on this release are good songs, but only the title track and a couple others really stand out from the rest because of their more innovative rhythm guitar work. I think that this album is a really good length and none of the songs disappoint, but only a couple are really strong.
Score: 13 / 20
Song Writing:
Just like so many bands, the song writing on this debut release is not among the band's finest. The guitar riffs are sometimes a little bit repetitive, but they are very powerful. Still, this album has some excellent lead guitar work and drumming. The choruses have a nicely written melody to them as well. This is a pretty well written album overall because it has innovative song writing laden throughout its entirety.
Score: 39 / 60
Overall Scoring Scale:
0-19: Garbage
20-29: Very Poor
30-39: Poor
40-49: Below Average
50-59: Average
60-69: Above Average
70-79: Good
80-89: Awesome
90-100: Must Own
