To suggest that Matt Heafy and his Trivium bandmates share a solid work ethic is a considerable understatement. The 21-year-old guitarist spent much of his youth plugged into a Peavey amplifier, working out riffs and techniques from his favorite songs, strengthening his playing skills and honing a style that millions of metal fans know today.
“I never practiced because I thought that I had to practice,” Heafy explains, “but mainly to strengthen things I felt were weaknesses. I would make excercises for myself in school, like 3-string sweeps and 5-string sweeps, sextuplets and 32nd notes. I’d grab little fragments of things from other people’s playing, or make up something of my own.”
The technique served him well and helped transform Trivium from a cover band with promise in the early ‘00s to a fully creative unit — and a globally successful one, at that — in just a few short years. The band’s 2003 debut album, Ember to Inferno, is a snapshot of four young musicians flexing their riff-writing skills; by 2005’s Ascendancy, they had developed into accomplished songwriters, and metal stars by The Crusade in the following year.
Trivium left its hometown of Orlando, Fla., in 2004 for a world tour, and barring a few breaks for recording, have rarely stopped. In those three-and-a-half years, the band has logged nearly 700 shows under its studded-leather belt. That’s the kind of determination, discipline and focus that often makes or breaks a band.
“I think that our work ethic has helped us, but the most important thing for us has always been to write music that’s cool,” he explains of the band’s creative journey. “We don’t consider ourselves to be ridiculously shredding guitar players. But being able to write something people can connect to, that’s what we strive for.”
From their first chords, Peavey has been the amp of choice. Ember to Inferno showcased Heafy’s Triple XXX® amplifier, while the two following disks and tours saw a carousel of 6505® and JSX® amps, then a revolving cast of amps that eventually led them right back home.
“When we first started touring we used Peavey amps,” he said, “back when we brought our own gear, tuned our own guitars and didn’t even have soundchecks. We never had any problems. Then we went through a phase where we were just trying out different stuff, and it all sounded terrible to us. We’ve been back to the 6505 Plus for the last several tours. Having the right tone is great; we’ve got it and we’re stoked."
The band is currently working on pre-production demos for its fourth album between tours. With 10 songs already in the can, the band’s good fortune and success have Heafy in an enthusiastic mood.
"We came out the door as this bunch of 18-year-old kids singing Metallica, and so many great things have happened since then that we can only work toward bigger and better things. If it all had to stop, I’d be completely stoked with what we’ve accomplished. But it’s not over by any means. We want to play for as many friends as we can around the world and keep writing the best music we can.” |
