"Chicks dig tattoos!!"

“Like Light To Flies” song title from up coming release is the perfect analogy, it describes how easily you are drawn to this Trivum’s music. Amazingly enough, this Florida quartet’s not even legal but you could never tell it from their mature work. The band’s sound is reminiscent of the NWOSHM movement, artists such as Soilwork & In Flames, which is not hard to fathom considering In Flames is a cited influence of vocalist, Matt Heafy.

Trivium, Latin for a three-way intersection, Old English for the three ancient schools of learning: grammar, rhetoric, and logic…  The band’s name fits the members like glove, as these old souls are very talented musicians that look to have a long illustrious career ahead of them. When Roadrage came through town on August 23rd, 2004, guitarist, Corey Beaulieu and drummer, Travis Smith sat down to chat with me about the tour, their upcoming release Ascendancy, their future, etc. I wish these talented, young men the best of luck with their brightly illuminated career as they were a joy to interview. 


Karma: Please tell our viewers what you do.

Travis: I’m Travis and I play drums.

Corey: I’m Corey and I play guitar.

Karma: First off, I would like to say I love “Requiem”, I found out about you guys through Music Choice [A digital cable music channel].  What are feelings on Music Choice?

Corey: It’s been really supportive; it’s one of the first places I’ve seen one of our songs played on before and saw it all the time.  It was awesome!  [Smiles]  A lot of people at the shows are like, ‘First time I heard you I heard “Requiem” on Music Choice’ So it’s brought us a lot of new fans. 

Travis: [Smiling] I think it’s a good thing for bands; it’s a new way for people to hear new bands.

Karma: This is very true!  Did the hurricane [Charley] affect you at all?

Corey: No [smiling]

Travis: [smiles] No, no!  It didn’t, we thought we were going to be in some trouble but it just blew right over with some winds and that was about it!

Karma: That’s good to hear.  As far as your sound is concerned, you have a distinctive NWOSHM [New Wave of Swedish Heavy Metal] sound and I know you have a connection with Fredrik Kreem [SwedishMetal.net & Kreem Designs] tell us about that.

Travis: We were looking for a website designer and Matt is a huge fan of In Flames and he did In Flames’ website.  We ended up hooking up with him trying to get a website done, sent him some music of ours…that’s kinda how we met.  Then he hooked up with our first record label, Lifeforce. 

Karma: Would you say you have more European fans than American?

Corey: I’d say we have more American fans.

Travis: Yeah, more American.

Corey: We don’t really know how we’re doing in Europe.  We played 3 shows over there which we AWESOME! [Smiles as his eyes big]  That’s about all we’ve had with Europe.  We’ve been touring the States mostly the whole time.  We’ll find out when we go over there again.

Karma: How long have you been together?

Travis: 4 years.

Karma: What happened to Brent [Young, ex-bassist]?

Travis: Brent, uhh….I think it got too real for him.  He didn’t want to make this a career; he didn’t want to be on the road all the time.  He just wanted to live a normal life.  That’s the choice he made, so we supported him [in his decision].  We said, "Okay!  You gotta do what you gotta do and we gotta do what we gotta do!" Now we’ve got a replacement for the last tour we were on, [the last leg of the] Iced Earth Tour.  He did the tour with us and we wanted someone permanent.  We wanted a permanent member so now we got a new guy named Paolo who’s on this tour now.  We’re thinking he’s going to become a permanent member. 

Karma: Well that answers my next question on how Paolo was working out! [Laughs]

Travis & Corey: [Laughs]

Travis: Yeah!  He’s doing good, we’re all feeling him.  We’re happy about him.

Karma: How is your local scene?  Are they supportive of local bands because unfortunately we have found here in Chicago that national acts get the support of the masses; fans will congregate however a different fate befalls the local band, on a whole that is.  Is it the same way for you?

Corey: Actually the local scene is pretty good in Orlando; it’s getting better.  There are a lot of bands with all different styles; all the shows are like [for example] a Hardcore Metal band plays with a Death Metal band and stuff like that so the crowds will get together.  All the bands in the scene pretty much know each other personally, so they’ll all come out to the shows and we go out to their shows when we’re in town and support them.  Usually at every local show, there are a lot of people who come out in support. ‘Cos there are a lot of good bands in the scene that haven’t been noticed by record labels but everyone in the Orlando scene comes out and supports them; it definitely getting bigger.

Karma: Which bands do you feel have a shot and are destined to make it?

Corey: [looking at Travis] Hand to Hand?  I’d say they have a good chance.

Travis: Yeah!  They have a good chance.  Hand To Hand, they’re a really good band.  What would you call them?  [Turning to Corey]

Corey: [softly] I don’t know?!  They’re a roll & rolly, maybe a little metal.  They’ve got a groove and…[laughs]

Travis: It’s kinda like that Sevendust kind of feel, like that!  I think they’ve really got a good chance.  And then there’s…

Corey: 5 Billion Dead.

Travis: Yeah, 5 Billion Dead.  They’re like…

Corey: [completing Travis’s sentence] …one of the bigger bands on the scene.

Travis: [Never skipping a beat] They’re a metal band, straight up metal.  They’ve got a good chance I think as well.

Corey: It’s been a while since we’ve got to check out the local bands since we’ve been gone so long but the ones we’ve seen before have a good shot.

Travis: Even when we were home for the last month, we didn’t get the chance to go out because we were writing the record the whole time and then getting ready for this tour so it’s been busy, busy!

Corey: We did go check out one show, didn’t we?

Travis: 5 Billion Dead!

Karma: Speaking of YOUR record, I hear that it’s going to be deeper/darker...

Corey: YES!

Travis: Yup!

Corey: It’s definitely going to be fast, heavy…definitely more intense than Ember To Inferno was.  Still has all of the melodic, big choruses, guitar solos and stuff but it’s going to be more thrash metal.

Karma: Any instrumentals?

Corey: No, I don’t think so [says in an apologetic tone as his voice trails off] It’s just going to be all in your face.

Karma: That’s too bad! [Laughs]

Travis: Well you never know!  We could pull something up, like those instrumentals we did on Ember, we didn’t actually plan for that.  We were in the studio, started messing around with some things, and out came those instrumentals.  So you never know!  [Smiles]  Something could be thrown on there!

Karma: Well I will keep my fingers crossed!

Travis: Yeah!  [Both he & Corey smile]

Corey: As of now we don’t have anything plan but we didn’t have anything planned before…

Karma: Are you the kind of band that is able to go in the studio, lay down tracks, record them then they would not be featured on your album?  So then you’ll have a couple of B-sides lying around…

Corey: We’re doing that for this one.

Travis: Yeah, I think we’re gonna have a couple of B-Sides laying around for this one.  We’ve got…what?  [Looks at Corey]

Corey: What Roadrunner told us a certain amount of songs that they wanted on the album, they told us to write as many as we can.  Like 15 songs but we could only put 10 on the album, and pick the best 10.  Then we’d have others for bonus tracks for Japan, Europe and then B-Sides for whatever.

Travis: I think we’re going to do a couple of covers for B-Sides as well.

Corey: I think we have like 13-14 songs, roughly.  And 2 covers we’re gonna throw in, so there will be a lot of neat little things probably filtering out once the album is done.

Karma: Do you prefer the studio to touring or is it the opposite?

Corey: Day to day!  [Laughs]

Travis: I think it goes day to day on that! [Laughs]

Corey: Sometimes when you are in the studio you wish you were on tour you’re like, ‘I wish I was in the studio’.  Like right now, the tour is awesome!  We don’t have our Roadrunner album done so everyone [in the band is] like, ‘Tour rules, we love it but…’ We just need to get that album done.  We’ve been waiting so long to get that album so…

Karma: Just how long have you been waiting?

Corey: We started writing new songs back in October/November.  And we recorded a demo back in November; we actually started writing for this album almost a year ago and just on and off, when we’re not touring, we’ll just go and write songs and just waiting to record them.  We finally got our recording schedule down so we have something to look forward to once the Tour is done.

Karma: That’s excellent!  So is the album still untitled?

Travis: No the name of it is Ascendancy.

Karma: A Tendency?

Travis:  [laughs] Ascendancy

Karma: Ohhh!!!  [Laughing]

Travis: I know!  I have a little cold right now. [All laughs]

Karma: Has then been a lot of pressure for the making of Ascendancy?

Travis: No!

Corey: No.

Travis: No.

Corey: We wrote a big chunk of the record before we even signed to Roadrunner.  The only time I think we had any pressure was when we had to write 3 songs in like 3 days before we had to go into the studio to do pre-production.

Travis: Yeah, that was a little pressure but…

Corey: But Roadrunner never put pressure on us, they just told us to do what we do best and write a Trivium album.  [Smiles]  So we just went in there and did what we wanted to do and it came out really good as far as we’re concerned. [Laughing]

Travis: Pre-pro!  [Laughs] Pre-pro!!

Karma: Where do you see Trivium 5 years from now?

Corey: Selling out Madison Square Garden!

Travis: That sounds good!  I’m down with that!

Corey: Yeah!  And have a bunch of Platinum albums on the wall!

Karma: That’s a good one!

Travis: Maybe touring with [in unison with Corey]

Travis & Corey: Metallica!

Corey: [flashes a smile] Well…  [Almost in unison] Them opening up for us!

Karma: Them opening up for you!!  [Everybody laughs]

Travis: I’ll say that! [Laughing]

Karma: Do you guys have a video out now?

Corey: Yeah, we have the video for the song “Like Light To Flies”.

Karma: Oh, okay!

Corey: I don’t know if you heard it…

Karma: Yes, I have [I downloaded the song off their website prior to the interview]

Travis: That’s actually the demo recording of that song from back in November and then back in January, went up to New York and shot the video with Dale Resteghini.  Basically we’ve just been sitting on that and I guess within the last week Roadrunner has been editing the video and they want to put it out within the next week or two.  So hopefully that works out. 

Corey: We haven’t actually seen what it’s gonna look like yet but…

Karma: As I am sure it will help you guys out A LOT!!  Okay, here’s a quickie Speed Round of Questions!

Corey: All RIGHT!

Karma: Ready?

Travis: Yeah [as Corey is smiling in anticipation]

Karma: What’s your favorite period of art history?

Travis: Art music or paintings?

Corey: Like paintings and stuff?

Karma: Yes, stuff like that.

Corey: I have NO idea.

Corey: I don’t know anything about paintings!  [Laughs]

Travis: I’m clueless, I’d have to call my girlfriend, I’m sure she’ll know! [Everyone laughs]

Corey: 18th Century, I’ll throw out a guess!

Karma: [Laughing] Okay then!!  What’s the last/best live show you’ve seen?

Corey: Megadeth!

Karma: When?

Corey: ‘99.

Travis: Really?  I saw them in ’98!  You saw them in ’98!

Corey: No, I saw them in ’99, ‘cos they came to me later.

Travis: I’d have to say Lynard Skynard or AC/DC.  AC/DC was AMAZING!!  The whole theatrics of the show, it was just really cool.

Karma: How recent was that?

Travis: I think that was in ’99!

Karma: It was a good year for the two of you, if that’s the case! [Laughs]

Travis & Corey: Yeah!  Yeah!!

Karma: So what would be your desert island track?

Corey: Desert Island tracks!

Karma: Yeah, and you can only take FIVE of them!

Corey & Travis: OUHHHH!  [Everybody laughs]

Corey: That’s a hard one!

Travis: 5 songs?!?! Hmmm!!

Corey: Megadeth “In My Darkest Hour”, “Tornado of Souls”, “Master of Puppets” [laughs] I don’t know...[laughing]

Travis: [laughing] I’ll just jump in with you, “She Wolf” Megadeth, “Battery” Metallica, “Walk” Pantera, and then you gotta have “Freebird” [Lynard Skynard]…they’re so many! [Smiles]

Corey: I’d take any 5 songs from Megadeth & I’d be cool with that!

Karma: [Recapping] So you wouldn’t mind getting stuck with Megadeth?

Corey: Nope! [Laughing] That’s all I listen to right now so if I got stuck on a desert island…

Erika: Cool! [Everybody laughs]

Karma: Well the next question’s almost a no brainer…Megadeth or Metallica?  And I know you will pick Megadeth!

Corey: [Smiles] Megadeth!  [Hysterical laughter from all]

Travis: Metallica.

Karma: What’s your favorite color?

Corey: Red & Black.

Travis: Black & grey.

Karma: So what’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

Travis: Boy, am I tired!  [Everyone cackles]  Usually it’s uh…

Corey: How long is our drive today?!?

Travis: Yeah, how long is the drive or are you out of the bathroom yet? [Hysterical laughter from all]

Karma: First album ever purchased?

Corey: Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction

Travis: What’s the Queensryche album?

Corey: Operation: Mindcrime

Travis: Operation: Mindcrime!

Group: OHH!!  Yeah!

Travis: [Smiling] that album and Ride the Lightning Metallica and my mom was SO upset when she heard it… [Laughter from all]  I did not make her happy!

Corey: And look where we are now! [Laugher ensues from all]

Karma: You’re making her happy now, see!!

Travis: Yeah, yeah!!

Karma: Favorite country or city that you’ve toured in so far?

Corey: Schoenfeld, Germany was a good one so far!

Travis: Amsterdam.

Corey: Oh yeah, we didn’t play there, but we went there!!

Travis: That was fun!

Corey: Then random places like Norfolk, VA has always been a hell of a place to go; we've been there twice and both times have been amazing.  Worcester, MA was awesome.

Travis: Las Vegas!

Corey: [eyes widen] VEGAS!!  Vegas kicked ass!

Travis: Vegas was awesome!

Corey: We're looking forward to our California dates, none of us have ever been out thee before so we're looking to hit up San Francisco and Los Angeles and all that stuff…that's gonna be awesome.

Karma: What's on your mouse pad?

Corey: I don't have a mouse pad; I have a little thing on my laptop

Travis: Yeah, I don't have one either.

Karma: Croutons or bacon bits?

Corey: [smiling] Bacon Bits!

Travis: Bacon bits.

Karma: What would you say is your best feature and you two could answer for one another.  [Again, thanks to Mr. Chris Spicuzza!]

Travis & Corey: [Priceless look crosses their face]

Travis: You want us to answer for one another?

Karma: Yeah, you can answer for Corey. 

[Everyone laughs as their expressions grow wilder]

Travis: Your best feature…

Corey: Go head!

Travis: I think you have really nice teeth; it's your teeth man!

Karma: [chuckles]

Corey: [laughs]  You?  [Everyone laughing]

Travis: Don't beat me up here, man!

Corey: No, I'm not!  I never really looked at you before… in that way! [Laughing]

Travis: Ahh, hey!!  [Hysterical laughter ensues from all]  Just say my teeth!  [Laughing continues]

Corey: Tattoos?

Travis: Thank you!

Corey: They're really bad ass!

Travis: Okay!  [Laughing]

Corey: Chicks dig tattoos!  And your eyes!!  [Hysterical laughter from all]  Your eyes and tattoos go good together!

Travis: That works for me!  [Laughter continues]

Karma: What's the one song or album you have that no one would ever believe you have in your collection?

Corey: That's a good one for Matt because he listens to so much gay music.

Travis: [Laughs]

Corey: I listen to pretty much strictly metal but probably the one album that people would be surprised that I own would either be Story of the Year or Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet.  [Everybody laughs]  But actually, the Story of the Year CD I'm selling to Matt! 

Travis: I think the oddest one for me would probably have to be Weezer…but I don't think that's odd because they're a good band!

Corey: Bon Jovi's a good a too but…that's just retarded!

Travis: I don't think it is!  They're a good band, Bon Jovi's good.

Corey: Other than that, we just listen to heavy…other than Nickelback; people would probably think that was weird.  

Travis: Yeah!  I like Nickelback a lot!

Karma: So what do you guys listen to primarily?

Corey: Pretty much for the whole tour I've been listening to Megadeth.  I just bought all of the remastered, remixed CD's so that's all I brought with me.

Travis: I'm a big 90's grunge fan.  Like Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and all that stuff.  I'm a big fan of all that but I also listen to a lot of the same stuff he listens to Megadeth, Pantera, Metallica.  Those are my top 3 favorite bands.  So I listen to them a lot.

Karma: What color are your kitchen plates?

Corey: I don't have a kitchen and I don't have plates because I don't have a house.

Group:  OHHH!!!

Travis: Mine are white…he stays with me!

Corey: Yeah!  So his plates I guess answer my question.

Travis: Their white.

Karma: Favorite Ice Cream?

Corey: Either Moose Tracks, I'm from Maine and it's an ice cream that came from there.  Or some kind of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. 

Travis: The Reese's?

Corey: Chubby Hubby!  That's what it's called!

Travis: [laughs] Chubby Hubby?

Corey: That's good stuff, you should try it!

Travis: You couldn't find anything on me that looked cool but you'll eat Chubby Hubby?  [Everyone laughs…room fills with guffaws]

Corey: I remember it because I used to eat it everyday with my old girlfriend.

Karma: If you were stuck on a desert island, who would you take with you?

Corey: Travis!  [Looks at Travis and bats his eyes]  [Laughter fills the room again]

Travis: I'd have to take my beautiful, loving girlfriend Tracy.

Karma: And you Corey?

Corey: I would take…

Travis: Dave Mustaine?

Corey: NO!  [Everyone laughs] Cristina Aguilera.

Karma: If you could ask these questions of anyone, who would you like to see answer them?

Travis: Oh you mean if we would be in your shoes asking these questions?

Karma: Yes.

Travis: I would like to do Jessica Simpson…[Corey snickers & everyone laughs] Not only would I like to do her but I'd like to ask her these questions.  That would be cool!

Corey: I can't pick a dude on this one, it would just be stupid!

Karma: You could pick a guy if you want

Travis: Then people would think you were weird.

Corey: [thinking]

Travis: Just say Dave Mustaine!  [Chuckles]

Corey: Dave Mustaine! [Everyone laughs]  He's just too cool!

Karma: Well thank you guys for doing the interview!  I appreciate it!!

Travis & Corey: Thank you!

Corey: This was fun!

Karma: Thanks!  Glad you enjoyed it!!

Corey: [smiles]
 

I'd like to thank Dan Foreman at Roadrunner Records for the opportunity for interviewing the band

Check out the latest interview with the entire band from Roadrage 2005.