Trivium Drummer Travis Smith Sounds Off
Band Photo: Trivium (?)
David Glessner of the San Antonio Express-News recently conducted an interview with TRIVIUM drummer Travis Smith. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:
On the band's influences:
"Everyone in the band is into metal, but everyone gets the melody from different influences like QUEEN, THE EAGLES and all different genres of music. I'm pretty much a fan of whatever METALLICA touches. They could touch a pile of (junk) and I'd go out and buy it. I've been a fan since I was 8 years old and I'll be a fan for life."
On the band's cover of METALLICA's "Master of Puppets" that was recorded for Kerrang! magazine's tribute to METALLICA:
"We've been jamming that song since we were a local band. METALLICA is one of the reasons this band got started. We got lucky enough to go to Europe and do eight shows with them. They invited us on stage a couple times to sing vocals on (a cover of the MISFITS') 'Die, Die, My Darling'. That was a dream come true."
On the upcoming TRIVIUM album:
"The new album is gonna be on the shelves October 10. It's gonna be called 'The Crusade'. If you think 'Ascendancy' is a kick-ass album, this one pretty much kicks it right in the teeth. People need a thrash-metal album, and we're gonna deliver. I'm still proud of ('Ascendancy'), but when people ask how we're gonna top it, I just look them right in the eye and say, 'Dude, you ain't seen nothing yet.'"
On touring the world:
"Japan was unbelievable. It's almost sickening how perfect it is. I had a day off in Japan and we were walking the streets looking for something to do. They have a lot of bicyclers over there. We're walking down the street and I'm thinking, 'Dude, this place is too (expletive) perfect. I would pay to see one of these bicycle people crash into something.' I kid you not, dude, a minute later, these two ladies plow right into each other. I just lost it. It was, like, 'Thank God there is some flaw in the system.'"
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9 Comments on "Trivium Drummer Travis Smith Sounds Off"
Member
2. writes:
I just saw Trivium a few days ago at Sounds of the Underground. I've seen them several times before at small venues, as well as Ozzfest last year, and to be totally honest I was disappointed with their set the other day. The first time I saw them was at a small club, and they exuded straight raw metal energy. When I saw them at SOTU, they sounded too polished and too affected. First off, when Heafy hit the stage, I immediately noticed that he wasn't screaming; in fact, in place of the screaming parts of their songs, he sang... at the same pitch. No tone or pitch variation, nothing. I was amazed by how much he sounds like Hetfield, but Hetfield actually sings different notes. So, strike one. Then they had the steps in front of the drum set on which all three of them would stand to play solos/duets and whatnot. Complete Iron Maiden rip-off. Strike two. Then came Master of Puppets. By this point, I was thinking, 'you've got to be f***ing kidding me.' Not only does he try to sound like Hetfield, but they actually play a f***ing Metallica cover? They can't even fill up a 25 or 30 minute sets with their own songs? Strike three. Sit the f*** down, Trivium.
Former Contributor
3. writes:
Saw them live once. Good but not great. Pretty authentic, high energy performance.
I liked Ascendency, 3 or 4 songs were especially impressive....but some of it was samey. I'm more than happy to pick this one up the week it comes out but it won't be with fan-boy fervor....
5. writes:
Good band, but personally I think Matt needs to get away from the screamo vocals. They've got a lot of potential to be one of the few newer bands with any longevity. As far as their stint in Japan, I spent 4 years there, and I agree just seeing it a couple days it seemed too perfect; but staying for as long as I did I got to see how imperfect the place is.
Supporter
6. writes:
very dissappointing live. ive seen them three times and everytime matt heafy is way too concerned with his band's sound instead of just ripping out the set. he is constantly motioning to his sound guy, his techs and that gets old. also, they seem like they are trying way to hard to show rock star moves during their set. i dont know, i was just dissappointed as i think that they are a very talented band but maybe are still trying to find thier identity on stage???
Supporter
8. writes:
Yeah, I actually noticed that when I saw them at SOTU. He sounded different from the last time that I saw them. When I saw them at the House of Blues last year his vocals sounded way different and not like he was trying to sound like Hetfield. But now he is. I thought it was weird and kinda confused me how he changed so much. But amazing musicianship for sure.
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1. rising end writes:
aww man when they played the master of the puppets cover in charlotte the whole venue exploded into a sing along and the pit went crazy. that was the best rendition of that song ever.