Interview Trivium

ROAD RAGE 2005 Still Remains The Agony Scene 3 Inches of Blood TRIVIUM 3/05/05 Harpo's (Detroit, MI) Interviewer: Karma E. Omowale Photos: Kimisha L. Pierce

Lineup: Matt K. Heafy - lead guitar / vocals Paolo Gregoletto - bass Travis Smith - drums Corey Beaulieu - guitar

"Ascendancy is a personal statement about the band, having to gradually ascend in the scene, in the music scene in general, and in our lives; it became a bigger thing, a bigger entity."

Trivium, a band that started out as an ember is about to blow up like an inferno and shall continue to ascend above the smoldering ashes they leave in arrears. Rising from the ashes is what this group of young men have done with their latest Roadrunner release, Ascendancy, which hit the shelves on March 15^th; as they have already made quite an impact. I caught up with the band during their first night on the 2005 Roadrage Tour in Detroit at Harpo’s as they dined on White Castle and pizza.

This was my second crack at the band, but unlike my first and relatively innocent interview with drummer, Travis Smith and guitarist, Corey Beaulieu that was conducted during last years’ Roadrage. The boys had, well let’s just say they were raging but it sure as hell was not from the road! What started as a PG conversation quickly ended up in the gutter perhaps the not so savory neighborhood could have attributed to this downward spiral. All I know is that this band is as passionate about their music as they are the opposite sex and with this kind of fervor, I am sure they will meet their goal of becoming the biggest metal band ever. Join me as the MEN of Trivium talk about their upcoming release, Ascendancy, working with Dale Resteghini, Dimebag Darrell, what the future holds for the band, and a host of other topics...

Karma: Thanks for doing the interview [turn to look at Corey and Travis] and welcome back!

Travis: No problem.

Matt: Of course!

Corey: No problem!

Karma: Please sound off and tell our viewers who you are and what you do.

Matt: I'm Matt Heafy, I do vocals and lead guitar.

Travis: I'm Travis Smith and I play drums.

Paolo: I'm Paolo Gregoletto and I play bass.

Corey: I'm Corey Beaulieu and I play guitar.

Travis: Well you already know me & Corey’s preferences, I want Jessica Simpson and Corey wants Dave Mustaine! [We laugh as Matt and Paolo look perplexed, in reference to the 1^st interview]

Karma: Yes, I do remember! [Smiles] How do you think this RoadRage Tour will compare to last years?

Matt: Well it’s not going to be as big considering there aren’t two huge legendary bands on [the bill] this time but it’s going to be a lot cooler because it’s like all bands coming from the same spot. They are all fan bands, they’re all new bands, they’re all trying to break into the scene and be that next band like Machine Head and Chimaira. [Smiles] So it’s a lot more personal, smaller though but it’s still good.

Karma: Seems that all of your hard work and perseverance has paid off gracing the covers of some of today’s leading metal mags, appearing on Headbangers Ball & the HBB compilation CD etc., must be gratifying! Speaking of which, for “Like Light To Flies” just being a demo, that’s a hell of a recording!

Corey: Thank you!

Karma: Matt, you were born in Japan... [All of a sudden "What Drives The Weak" by Shadows Fall starts to blast through the PA] When did you move to the States?

Matt: Yes, I was born in Japan; I lived there for one year.

Karma: There is a lot of sage behind your music for you guys to be so young. How do you attribute sounding much older than your chronological ages?

Paolo: Practice, experience, and playing a lot, that's really what it is. We all play a lot…

Travis: …Ever since day one, sorry… [apologizing to Paolo for cutting him off] …all four of us have had the same dream and the same goal to become one of the best and we're just working really hard to try and do that.

Karma: You have a show that is coming on Music Choice: Declassified any comments.

Corey: I hope we don’t sound too retarded! [Laughs] That was a rough day for us!

Paolo: Yeah, we were having trouble saying all of the one-liners; we had to keep doing it. We had to do 30 each!

Karma: Okay!

Paolo: [Smiles] It took 3 hours to do everything.

Matt: Other than that, I think it's going to be really cool for our fans, our already fans and for those who want to find out more about us. I think it would be a cool way to find out about us, you know. It's coming directly from us and it was a cool, fun thing to do for us.

Corey: Plus you can hear the whole album in its entirety before it comes out so that helps too! It gets played a week before and after the album release which will help us.

Karma: Undoubtedly! The album’s slated to drop on March 15^th which is entitled, Ascendancy. Why did you choose this title?

Matt: [Smiles] It was like the last album [Embers to Inferno], it's a personal statement about the band implying that the ember was attributed to our lives that it was such a small insignificant little piece of our lives and it eventually became this big fire in our live. It's totally engulfed us and everything!

Ascendancy is also a personal statement about the band, having to gradually ascend in the scene, in the music scene in general, and in our lives; it became a bigger thing, a bigger entity.  The lyrics also we felt were the best lyrics for the song titles. Like the word, ascendancy means to have higher power, domination over everything else and I figured it was just cool as an album title as it's also a personal statement.

Karma: Which song is your favorite off Ascendancy?

Matt: That's going to be different for everybody.

Travis: I'm gonna say "Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr", that's my personal favorite.

Paolo: I'm going to say "Gunshot" [To The Head of Trepidation] that song rocks!

Corey: It's either "Gunshot" or "Rain".

Matt: For me it's "Declaration" or "Dying In Your Arms".

Karma: How do you think your songwriting has changed since Ember?

Matt: This time we had Corey writing on it and Paolo wasn't quite in the band yet; he wasn't writing songs on Ascendancy yet. It wasn't just me 100% writing the guitar parts, it was back and forth between Corey & I. It wasn't really a drastic change, with Trivium we always write songs the same, we let the song write itself. I never really go into it thinking a specific way of thinking the way a song should be. It's always been a natural process and it's still in the same way. The same way we've always done it.

Travis: I think this album sounds a little more mature than the last.

Karma: How was it working with the man, Dale [Resteghini] on “Like Light To Flies”?

Travis: [Smiles] He's awesome! He pushed us to do our best, and we learned a lot from him. The things we learned from him, we carry through to the stage. Just on how to always do your best, he would always push us. Whenever we got tired, there was no tired to him! He just keeps on pushing, that was one great thing that we did learn in doing videos with him. Always just, give your best 110% no matter what!

Matt: He taught us a lot about style; a lot of bands are just jeans and t-shirts, like what we are wearing right now but we have a stage outfit. Dale taught us there's a lot to the look. It's not just about looking normal; you have to have a look to your band.

Karma: That's a helluva lesson well learned!

Matt: Yeah! [Smiles]

Karma: Do you have any plans to use him in the future?

Corey: We already did.

Matt: We just shot a video for "Pull Harder".

Karma: Awesome! I can't wait to see it! Do you know when it's going to be out?

Corey: It's already out; the video's on an e-card and you can email it around and stream the whole album and it also has the video on it. I think it will air on Headbangers Ball and Uranium a couple of days before the album comes out, probably on that Saturday's show.

Karma : What did you grow up listening to?

Corey: Lots of Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Slayer, Iron Maiden.

Travis: It's pretty much the same for all of us when we were growing up.

Karma: Whom are you listening to in the genre right now? Whom are you a fan of?

Travis: I'm listening to Iron Maiden, Rammstein, and Nine Inch Nails…

Corey: ...are we currently listening to?

Karma: Yes.

Travis: Nine Inch Nails, I still crank Metallica almost every single day. A lot more Mötley Crüe, I've been listening to a lot more Mötley Crüe lately.

Matt: I would say Danzig!

Corey: Danzig? [Rest of the band razzes him for his choice] And the Eagles!

Matt: Yeah! [Smiles]

Karma: That's a nice eclectic mix! How 'bout you Paolo?

Paolo: I listen to the same thing over and over again, just a lot of Metallica and Slayer but I like Rammstein a lot now. They are a really interesting band!

Corey: I’ve been listening to a lot of Megadeth. [Smiles]

Karma: Of course you have! [We all laugh]

Corey: I’ve been listening to Black Label Society, WASP, and…

Matt: I was also checking out Van Halen today, just their Greatest Hits…it’s just a shitty thing I like. Nobody else really likes it!

Travis: Did you ever make that trip with Dave Mustaine? [Looks at Corey] You planning on flying down?

Corey: [Laughs] No, not yet!

Matt: NO!!!! That’s horrible! What’s that all about? [Looks at Corey in complete and utter horror]

Corey: It’s from the last interview!

Travis, Corey & Karma: [Laugh hysterically]

Corey: He [points at Travis] was going on about Jessica Simpson the whole time!

Matt: Well, I’m in love with Ashlee, so…I thought we’d add that in! I try to put that into all the interviews. I want to carry on a long meaningful relationship with her.

Karma: You’ll be able to get that in a couple of times then, since your choice will be involved in one of my last questions!

Matt: Hhhmmm! [Smiles ever so devilishly]

Karma: I know you were deeply affected by Dime’s murder as well as it having an emotional impact on the entire community. I loved your quote, [“Dimebag was one of the most influential musicians in our time. Dime was a legend who really made the world seem that much better. He was a man who helped inspire countless numbers of players, fans, and people in general, including me. It's a terrifying feeling that now at concerts, at the place that we seek our release from the everyday world we want to escape from, our heroes are being murdered. My heart goes out to the Abbott family: Dimebag Darrell Abbott was a man of legendary and heroic status, but before all that, Darrell was and always will be a brother and a son we all mourn today.”]

Matt: Thank you very much!

Karma: Do you still have concerns in regards to security?

Matt: I saw it get better the week of and week after but recently I haven’t seen that being enforced. I haven’t seen that many metal detectors, they may have them but I haven’t seen them.

Corey: I always notice people walking in the door and some places have metal detectors other places have wands or they’ll be pat down…

Travis: …or it’s really that’s more on the high profile tours.

Karma: Or depending on the venue…

Travis: [Nods head] I mean I don’t know what they were going to do tonight but…

Corey: I know they have a big thing about security here.

Paolo: Yeah, they’re not letting anybody backstage if they don’t have a pass and stuff. Even the VIP part of tonight’s show after, no one’s allowed in the real backstage, just for the security of everyone.

Karma: That’s very good to hear! Switching gears a bit, on the lessons you’ve learned from the Industry, what do you think you can from your end?

Paolo: There a lot scumbags…

Matt: Shadiness, backstabbers, two-faced people and that’s just in the Industry.

Paolo: Yeah!

Corey: There also a lot of mediocre crappy bands that just kind of takes up space… [Laughter ensues]

Matt: …and there’s a lot of shit on the radio and on MTV like [pauses] I can’t remember that kids’ name… It’s not Jason Mraz…

Corey: Are thinking of Ashlee Simpson’s boyfriend?

Matt: Ryan Cabrera? Oh yeah, that fucking loser! I hope that hears me calling him a fucking loser! [We all laugh] That dude has NO talent. I’ll break his leg if I ever see him!

Corey: Gee, he’s getting violent.

Matt: Dude, he hurt Ashlee!

Karma: What I think is most humbling about this band is your constant contact with your fans, via email, My Space, etc. It’s an essential key in how a you get your band out there today. What impression or mark would you like to leave Trivium fans?

Matt: We’re not stopping until we become the biggest metal band; we’re not stopping until we’re there! We’re dedicated!

Karma: Here’s a quick Speed Round of Questions.

Travis & Corey: [Eyes brighten with anticipation]

Karma: What’s your mantra?

Matt: What’s that?

Karma: It’s like a phrase or statement that sums up how you lead your life, a creed.

Matt: [Nods] Anything you want, you can achieve.

Travis: Alcohol… I don’t know! [Laughs] Drinks lots of it. I’ll come back to this one!

Paolo: I’m going to second that and say drink a lot!

Corey: I don’t know, I just kind of do things…

Travis: …do stuff!

Corey: …hang out…[Smiles]

Travis: Can I answer for him?

Karma: Sure!

Travis & Paolo: [Simultaneously] Alcohol!

Corey: That’s a good one!

Karma: Spiritual or religious?

Matt: What does that mean?

Karma: Are you spiritual or religious?

Matt: Do we have to pick one?

Karma: Or neither.

Matt: Neither.

Travis: Uhhh, what’s the difference?

Paolo: You don’t necessarily believe in God…

Karma: Or organized religion...

Travis: …what would that be?

Paolo & Karma: Religious! [We all laugh]

Matt: DUHHH!

Travis: Spiritual would be the same thing?

Karma: you can have spirituality and not be religious.

Travis: I would say spirituality.

Paolo: I say the same thing for me.

Corey: I’m gonna go along with Matt on this one and say neither!

Matt: We have 2 men and 2 girls! [Uproarious laughter ensues]

Travis: I pick alcohol!

Paolo: It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to believe in God or anything, you can believe in fucking trees or whatever… [Music starts to blare again; this selection is Killswitch Engage’s “The End of Heartache”]

Karma: Guilty pleasure song/CD/artist?

Matt: Eminem & Ashlee Simpson.

Corey: Mine is Alter Bridge!

Matt: That’s pretty bad!

Corey: No actually, they’re pretty good!

Travis: Nickelback & Jessica Simpson.

Paolo: I'm going to have to say…

Matt: I did just listen to the new Talib Kweli and Mos Def’s CD’s.

Paolo: Well, I guess I’m going to have to say Wesley Willis!

Karma: Oh wow!

Paolo: That’s not really a guilty pleasure…

Matt: That’s just awful!

Paolo: I’ve seen him live too! I saw him before he died too.

Karma: Live or dead, if you could host a dinner party of five, whom would you invite?

Matt: Hitler, so I could slap him in the face, who else?

Paolo: Jenna Jameson!

Travis: Oh this is live or dead...Chris Farley! Dimebag Darrell, I’d like to hang out with him!

Corey: Randy Rhoads…

Matt: Paris Hilton!

Corey: Yeah! She knows how to liven up a party!

Matt: She’s a skank! She’ll do whatever!

Corey: She’ll do anything.

Matt: Ashlee.

Travis: Jessica! We still haven’t met yet! I tried on the last Roadrage Tour but I didn’t succeed.

Karma: Better luck next time! [Turns to Corey] So have you met Dave?

Corey: Yeah, we’re really slacking on that! They need to take us on tour! That would rock.

Matt: You’d slip him a little something in his bunk! [Hysterical laughter ensues]

Paolo: Oochie coola! [The rest of band continues to razz on Corey]

Corey: [Takes the chiding like a man]

Karma: Favorite color, but I will not ask this of Corey and Travis again.

Corey: What were our answers?

Matt: On me or on someone else?

Karma: Blue and black for Corey and Travis you’re Red? Wait, I think I just got those switched around; I think it’s the other way around.

Corey: [Smiles] I’m black & red.

Karma: Obviously you’re black and blue. [Laughs] And to answer your question Matt, your favorite colors.

Travis: [Smiles] Right!

Matt: that’s too typical to pick black & red, that’s what I would pick. I’ll say pink and black!

Corey: How did I know you were going to say pink and black?

Matt: It’s not that I would wear it, it’s just something I’d like to see on someone else. Pink & black!

Paolo: I like red a lot, blood red!

Corey: Okay my new favorite colors are blue and purple.

Paolo: And black?

Corey: Oh yeah, and black! My amp’s blue and my guitar’s got purple on it. I guess I’ll have to say those are my new colors.

Karma: If you could be a cartoon character, which one would you be?

Paolo: I’d be Stewie from Family Guy.

Corey: Who was that rabbit with the hot chick, Roger Rabbit!

Matt: What was the question again?

Karma: If you could be a cartoon character, which one would you be?

Paolo: I picked Stewie!

Matt: Johnny Bravo! Oh YEAH!

Paolo: I take mine back, I’ll be Brock Sampson.

Matt: That’s such an asshole thing! [Laughter ensues]

Karma: How many candles did you blow out on your last birthday and on which day?

Matt: 19 on January 26^th

Karma: Happy Belated Birthday!

Matt: Thank you!

Travis: 22, April 29^th

Paolo: You want the day too?

Karma: Well of course!

Paolo: 19, September 14^th .

Corey: It probably would have been on my 21^st birthday, because I had no one to…give me candles… [Laughs]

Paolo: We went to a strip club for his birthday!

Corey: I didn’t blow out candles but I saw a lot of...

Matt: Nipples!

Corey: I got one candle, I think they brought me a cupcake or something! Maybe not! For my birthday as opposed to candles, I had 5 strippers dancing for me at one time! So that’s better than candles!

Matt: Did my dad buy you that?

Corey: [Shakes head up & down and bites his lower lip]

Matt: [Laughs] That’s so disgusting!

Corey: You’re dad treated us dude!

Matt: Uhh, don’t ever say that again!

Corey: Your dad was trying to introduce me to my new girlfriend but that didn’t work out. [By the way, Corey’s birthday is the 22^nd of November]

Karma: First job?

Matt: Never had one, this!

Karma: That’s awesome!

Travis: First job, I worked in a retirement home as a waiter.

Matt: That’s terrible!

Travis: I’ve lived a hard life man!

Paolo: I flipped burgers for a year and a half.

Corey: I was a sandwich artist at Subway.

Travis: Sandwich artist?

Corey: Oh yeah man, I got my badge and everything! And I looked HOT with my apron and my hat that I wore backwards so I could look cool! It was awesome!

Karma: If you could travel the spans of time which era would you visit?

Travis: The 80’s.

Matt: Yeah!

Corey: Totally!

Paolo: The late 80’s when metal ruled…

Travis: …the planet!

Paolo: Right when Metallica blew up…the biggest rock band in the world!

Matt: I’d be a greaser!

Corey: You’re full of shit!

Karma: First CD you ever purchased?

Matt: Prince’s self titled.

Paolo: I think that was the same for me that or No Doubt, I can’t remember.

Travis: My first time buying albums I bought two Ride the Lightning and I thought I was buying Cowboys from Hell but instead I bought the single…so those were my two.

Corey: My first album was Appetite For Destruction

Karma: What’s pisses you off?

Corey: Emo.

Paolo: Assholes [We all laugh] Literally and figuratively! [Laughs]

Karma: Okay!

Matt: Maybe you just don’t know how to put it in there. [Laughter ensues]

Travis: Assholes and Michael Rafferty…

Karma: [Look of confusion crosses my countenance]

Matt: Our drum tech!

Travis: I don’t know what do you hate?

Corey: People who think Black Sabbath’s a necessity…

Travis & Matt: Whoa! Wait a minute…No...

Paolo: [Turns to Corey] You are starting shit with the wrong people! Well you started some shit right now! That’s Corey’s answer and not any of ours! I like Black Sabbath.

Karma: What fuels your passion? [At this time music starts to blare from the first local band as they take the stage  thus it being mighty loud at the merch booth]

Matt: Whoa, whoa, what does my what? [A look of horror crosses his countenance and he starts to laugh]

Karma: What FUUELS YOUR PASSSION?!

Matt: Oh dude! I thought you said what fills my pants! [Hysterical laughter ensues]

Karma: Uh no, I definitely did not ask you that Matt! [Laughs]

Paolo: Playing every night!

Matt: Big loads of pussy! [Voice drops] Big loads of pussy man!! [Devilishly laughs]

Karma: Oh my God! [Laughs]

Corey: Playing, booze and chicks! [Paolo and Travis have a side conversation amongst themselves]

Karma: Comfort food?

Matt: White Castles.

Karma: Of which you just had!

Matt: [Smiles]

Travis: It’s a thing called Chicken Adobe which is white rice, chicken, and soy sauce.

Paolo: Chocolate, chocolate covered…

Karma: Okay!! If you could take a bath with anyone who would be your perfect bath mate?

Matt: Corey! I’m just kidding!! If I could take a bath with anyone… [Laughs hysterically] You already know my answer, George W.!  No, I’m just kidding!!

Karma: Ashlee Simpson?

Matt: Yeah her, Jenna Haze, or Taylor Rain, two really gorgeous porn stars that I really, really like! Yeah, both of them!

Travis: You already know who I want!

Karma: Jessica Simpson!!

Corey: Jenna Jameson and Brianna Banks, so I could play hide the duckie!

Paolo: [Talking to the merch guy]

Travis: Paolo! If you could take a bath with anybody…

Paolo: Sorry!

Karma: Who would be you choice?

Paolo: A nap?

Karma: No a bath.

Corey: Howard Jones…so he could play with his water snake!

Paolo: [Laughs] I didn’t say that!

Corey: I answered for you!

Paolo: Oh shit!

Matt: Come on, if you could take a bath with anybody, who would it be?

Paolo: [Laughing hysterically] Water snake?!

Travis: A water snake?

Corey: I told him he could take a bath with Howard Jones so he could play with his water snake.

Matt: [Laughs]

Travis: [Shakes head]

Paolo: [Shakes head] I’d take a bath with Marcus, our merch guy because he’s big and hairy!! [Laughter ensues]

Karma: 5 CD’s to comprise your Bubble Bath Soundtrack.

Paolo: Kill ‘Em All to the Black Album.

Matt: I’ll go with whatever they say!

Travis: The Black Album and …And Justice For All [Metallica], Divine Intervention [Slayer], Dirt [Alice In Chains]

Corey: It would have to be one continuous track the whole time MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” but I wouldn’t let them touch it.

Karma: Oh my!

Corey: They can touch each other, anything can be touched it would just be ironic because it’s the opposite. Make them feel dirty because it’s doing the opposite of what the song’s telling them to do!

Karma: Okay, there you go!! Well thanks ever so much guys!!

Group: Thank you!

I'd like to thank Miranda at Roadrunner and the band for this interview.

Other Links of Interest

• Click for photos of the band from tonight's show

• Here for photos of the band from Ozzfest 2005

• Here for previous Interview with Travis & Corey

• Here for photos of the band with Children of Bodom Tour

• Here for photos of the band on the In Flames Tour