Ascendancy (album)
Encyclopedia
Ascendancy is the second studio album
by American heavy metal
band Trivium
. Released on March 15, 2005 by Roadrunner Records
.
. The album spawned four singles in "Like Light to the Flies
", "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
", "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
" and "Dying in Your Arms
". Music video
s for each of the songs were shot; a promotional video was filmed for the song "Rain".
A demo
of the song "The Deceived" was included on the re-release of Trivium's debut album Ember to Inferno
nearly a year before Ascendancy was released. Likewise, a demo version of "Like Light to the Flies" was included on the MTV
compilation album
Headbangers Ball Volume 2
. Also, a demo of the song "Blinding Tears Will Break the Skies" was included on the Ember to Inferno
re-release and later re-recorded and included as a bonus track on the re-release of Ascendancy.
and at #4 on the Top Heatseekers
charts. In the UK, it peaked at #78, and shipped over 100,000 copies, attaining Gold status, without entering the UK top 75.
Production personnel
Additional personnel
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Trivium
Trivium (band)
Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...
. Released on March 15, 2005 by Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
.
Background and production
The album was produced by Jason Suecof and frontman, Matt HeafyMatt Heafy
Matthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy is a Japanese-American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the American Metal band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof.-Biography:Heafy is Japanese from his mother...
. The album spawned four singles in "Like Light to the Flies
Like Light to the Flies
"Like Light to the Flies" or "Like Light", as it is often referred to, is a song by heavy metal band Trivium and is the first single and music video from their 2005 album, Ascendancy...
", "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" is a song by heavy metal band Trivium. It appears on their 2005 album Ascendancy and was released as the album's second single in the same year....
", "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
"A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" is a song by Trivium's, released as the third single from their second album Ascendancy. It features mainly screamed vocals and solos by both Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu. Its main riff has been voted 63rd on Total Guitar's 100 Greatest Riffs.- Meaning :"It's...
" and "Dying in Your Arms
Dying in Your Arms
"Dying in Your Arms" is a 2005 single written by Matt Heafy. It is the eighth track on Trivium's second album Ascendancy. The Ascendancy Special Edition also includes the music video for the song, the song being performed live and the single edit of the song...
". Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for each of the songs were shot; a promotional video was filmed for the song "Rain".
A demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the song "The Deceived" was included on the re-release of Trivium's debut album Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno is the debut album from American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on October 14, 2003 on Lifeforce Records.-Background:...
nearly a year before Ascendancy was released. Likewise, a demo version of "Like Light to the Flies" was included on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Headbangers Ball Volume 2
MTV2 Headbangers Ball, Vol. 2
MTV2 Headbangers Ball Volume 2 is the second in a series of heavy metal compilation albums released in conjunction with the MTV2 program Headbangers Ball...
. Also, a demo of the song "Blinding Tears Will Break the Skies" was included on the Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno
Ember to Inferno is the debut album from American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on October 14, 2003 on Lifeforce Records.-Background:...
re-release and later re-recorded and included as a bonus track on the re-release of Ascendancy.
Sales
In the U.S., Ascendancy peaked at #151 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and at #4 on the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
charts. In the UK, it peaked at #78, and shipped over 100,000 copies, attaining Gold status, without entering the UK top 75.
Reception
Upon it's release, the album received very positive reviews from most music critics. Brandon Ratliff from 411mania, gave the album a perfect review, saying this about the band, "Watch out for this band twenty years from now. They will be as influential to so many as bands like Sabbath, Slayer, and Metallica were before them. As I said before, this album is in every way perfect, and that’s why I am proud to announce the first album to ever get a perfect score from me. Now go and buy this album. If you like metal at all you will." In another very positive review, Johnny Loftus of Allmusic had this to say about the album, "Ascendancy aligns real-deal thrash with powerful modern influences. But at all times it's a platform for Trivium's own crazed talent." Fans and critics alike consider Ascendancy to be the bands' breakthrough album.Track listing
Personnel
Trivium- Matt HeafyMatt HeafyMatthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy is a Japanese-American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the American Metal band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof.-Biography:Heafy is Japanese from his mother...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, art concept - Corey Beaulieu – lead guitar
- Paolo GregolettoPaolo GregolettoPaolo Gregoletto is an Italian-American bass player for the band Trivium. Gregoletto resides in Pompano Beach, Florida. He is Italian on his fathers side and American on his mothers side...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Travis SmithTravis Smith (musician)Travis Smith is the former drummer in the metal band Trivium. He was with Trivium since forming the band in 1999. Travis is best known for his very fast footwork, and intricate rhythms on the toms, a skill that has been noted several times by music magazines such as Revolver and Modern Drummer as...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, gang vocals on track 6
Production personnel
- Jason SuecofJason Suecof-Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer...
– production, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
on track 15 - Andy SneapAndy SneapAndy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
– mixing, masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
, gang vocals on track 6 - Jeff Weed – engineering assistance
- Aaron Caillier – engineering assistance
- Mark Lewis – co-engineer on track 15
Additional personnel
- Chad Sunderland – gang vocals on track 6
- Gizz ButtGizz ButtGizz Butt is a British musician, best known for playing the guitar during live performances by band The Prodigy in the late 1990s.-Early years:...
– gang vocals on track 6 - Paul A. Romano – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, artworkAlbum coverAn album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
, graphic designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience... - Josh Rothstein – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...