This
is superlative modern metal which mixes elements of thrash, death, traditional
metal and comes up with something technical, progressive and accessible.
Album
Type: Full-Length
Date
Released: 24/07/2015
Label:
Self Release
‘This
Ruined World’ CD//DD track listing:
1). Truth Defiled
2). Don’t Believe The Word
3). Diggin My Own Grave
4).Disgraced and Erased
5).Blink of an Eye
6). Beat The System To Death
7). They Hide Behind The Law
8). Inheritance
9). This Ruined Earth
Trials
is:
Ryan Bruchert | Guitars
Adam Kopecky | Drums
Usha Rajbhandari | Bass
Mark Sugar | Guitars & Vocals
Adam Kopecky | Drums
Usha Rajbhandari | Bass
Mark Sugar | Guitars & Vocals
Review
Trials
have produced a bit of a monster with this one. It’s thrashy with death
elements (blast beats, riff pacing) but lots of twisting lead parts and riffs
mark this as more thrash to me than anything else. It is modern and expertly
played. This band are unsigned and hail from Chicago- the first time I have
heard them is on this record, but it is not their first (the internet says). It
would have been unthinkable a few years ago for a band of this quality to be
unsigned, but there we are. A sign of the times?
The
opener “Truth Defiled” sets the bands stall out in full and offers up all the
elements described in the first paragraph. The record does not really let up
from there. Yes, the band vary the pace on “Don't Believe The Word” and use
interesting riffs and rhythms on “Digging My Own Grave” but nothing can change
the fact that this is just balls to the wall metal. It's technical in places,
melodic in places and hooky too- but mostly the album just melts your face. For
reference points, think Machine Head at their heaviest and fastest, God Forbid
(ditto) and Testament form the late 90's onwards for melody and such. The
quartet whip up a veritable storm on “Disgraced and Erased” taking the better
elements of the NWOAHM movement of a decade ago and welding it to a stainless
steel sensibility for all things metal (no core!).
“Blink
Of An Eye” marries melody and brutality effectively in the riffs, sound like a
revved up Iron Maiden in the sweep of the choruses- albeit through a modern
metal filter. “Beat The System To Death” is a straight up thrasher that I like
a lot as it takes no prisoners and just lays down the riffs with power and
spite. “They Hide Behind The Law” is dramatic in its opening and allows the
band to use dynamics in the delivery for a rather catchy and varied listen
(excellent cymbal work throughout, too).
‘Inheritance’
borrows the old school thrash trick of an acoustic guitar intro which precedes
heavier sounds. The tempos are never all out, all the time on this record;
there is a lot of ebb and flow and that makes for a much more interesting
listen. The acoustic resurfaces later in the track too, which is a nice touch.
The album finishes with the close-to-epic title track. It features some truly
excellent guitar interplay and once again there are excellent shifts between
light and shade. Credit must also be given to the drum sound and playing of
Adam Kopecky- it sounds like a real kit! The bass drums are not clicky... they
are actually bassy. How unusual and, from my point of view, how welcome. A
powerful way to close a powerful record.
This
is superlative modern metal which mixes elements of thrash, death, traditional
metal and comes up with something technical, progressive and accessible. As
noted earlier, it is a tragedy that these guys aren't at international level.
Hopefully this record will change that.
‘This Ruined World’ is available here
Words
by: Richard Maw
For
more information:
Listen:
https://trials.bandcamp.com/
