TRIAL (SWEDEN)

TRIAL (SWE) “Feed The Fire”

By Dr. Abner Mality

It took a while but Sweden’s true metallers TRIAL have started to realize their potential. Their previous albums didn’t make that much of an impact on me, but with a new singer and a newfound energy, they have really got a new lease on life here. At the same time, they will not lose any of their previous fans.

It is said that new singer Arthur Andersson has brought a new urgency to TRIAL’s sound and you can sure hear it. The tunes are faster and more muscular, more to the point, and really let the metal flow. The beguiling twin guitar harmonies remain...it is one of their defining characteristics...and the songwriting is quite intricate at times. Tracks like “Sulphery”, “In The Highest” and the title number can be called melodic speed metal for sure. Andersson’s voice is high, clear and sweet, complimenting the song’s tremendously. They slow down quite a bit on “The Faustus Hood” and with final track “The Crystal Sea”, they try for a nine-minute plus epic, which I think maybe was a bit too much to chew. It’s a nice try, though, and if you get the CD, you get a cover of SABBATH’s “Die Young” and another strong song “Sisters of the Moon”.

Lots of true/trad metal out there these days, particularly in Europe, but with “Feed The Fire”, TRIAL have done exactly what they needed to to turn things up a notch. Their best record so far!

METAL BLADE

TRIAL (SWE)