Album Review: Triskelyon – Shattered Elysium
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Triskelyon are another thrash metal act who have crept out of the woodwork lately and are already releasing records year on year. Founded only in 2021 out of Newfoundland, Canada, Triskelyon is first and foremost a one-man project headed by Geoff Waye however, instead of employing select musicians for this record, Waye has roped in numerous guests to come in and out of the record on vocals, bass and guitar respectively. Releasing their first self-titled EP and full length record, Downfall, a year later, Triskelyon decided not to rest on their laurels and were soon at work writing and recording their follow up record titled Artificial Insanity, releasing a year later and is where my knowledge of the band first began. Now, another year on and Triskelyon are primed to unleash their third full length work, Shattered Elysium, for a September 27th release date and via Moribund Records. It’s nice sometimes to give smaller thrash outfits a listen and here’s one such example.
It must be said that Triskelyon hardly hold back their thrash attack as they opt for a far more chaotic approach to songwriting. Things hardly feel bolted down as the band unleash one barrage after another our way, yet I couldn’t help but feel like the mix is a little uneven in places as there were one or tracks where I couldn’t place myself amongst the music, and constantly felt like my feet were being lifted against my wishes. There were times when I couldn’t make heads or tails of where the songwriting was going since no direction is being given over to me. It’s one thing to question where you’re being taken owing to wonder and curiosity, it’s quite another when you don’t where you’re going because the songwriting doesn’t quite know where it’s going. On the other hand most of the record grounds itself pretty well, squashing almost gears away that you won’t know where to find yourself throughout Shattered Elysium. While the album still hits its mark, I believe the mixing process could have tweaked this record somewhat more.
The riffs and track progression are rather interesting for a thrash metal album as Triskelyon don’t appear concerned with harder-hitting, concrete style impacts and seem more intent upon providing an overall experience that’s very easy to digest, the kind you can drop in and out of without losing an iota of interest in. The guitar tone is one such example as it exhibits a pretty electric vibe, bound up in the raw tone that’s played with. As a result of this naked guitar tone applied to the riffs, the guitar work possesses a raw potency you won’t find in bigger names thrash acts; if anything, Triskelyon adopt one or two power metal ideas into their songwriting as they certainly aren’t afraid to harness the strength and power required for their songwriting to continuously project itself forth. Whereas most thrash is content in merely delivering brute power, Triskelyon are reserved and happy with rising to loftier domains.
Such is the case when experiencing the vocals. This delivery is a far cry from most contemporary vocal performances as instead of bellowing right in our faces, the vocals are Triskelyon are on form the most when propped upon a stage, with all the effects bursting around them and the audience going wild with them. There are multiple sequences of lyrics which I could easily see repeated word-for-word by an audience should this material be played live. The vocal timbre is also a little higher than most thrash frontmen which conveniently plays into Triskelyon’s choice of riffs and songwriting nature too, since the band are thoroughly content with offering a unique thrash atmosphere that many wouldn’t choose to adhere to. This is an instance of a band taking a rare and bold step in a direction few wouldn’t opt for, owing to how many wouldn’t deem it “a real thrash way”. But the vocals shine through, even as the loose mix sends forth all its instrumentation at you with just a semblance of order.
I have to say as well that Shattered Elysium has a brilliant sense of momentum, for while Triskelyon never reaches into tempo that’s exceedingly fast by any measure, it always manages to feel like it’s on a runaway trajectory yet not so quick that we are at risk of losing sense of where they’re at. I think it also aids the band in that the instrumentation and vocals equally never truly stop for a moment and are always underway in, or about to undergo, a piece of songwriting that’s engaging or sets up for the next sequence to follow. The fact that the guitar tone is slightly lighter also benefits Triskelyon since we won’t feel so subdued by an otherwise hard-hitting impact at all times, which thus lends us the space needed to enjoy the band’s performance to the maximum.
In conclusion, Shattered Elysium is a thrash record that had a peculiarly unique twist to its sound; one that will no doubt draw many to its following. But I will say the opening to the record is very blunt, and will take you one or two tracks in to fully get the idea of their atmosphere and mix style. It’s worth remembering that Triskelyon is of course a one-man band but rather than have a selection of particular musicians to fill the other roles needed, a plethora of guest musicians were brought in for various tracks across the record. Such a display of talent is great for a burgeoning band, but part of me feels like this could have caused some imbalance in the mix due to how many musicians you have with different gear or different ideas across each ensuing track. For the most part the album is engaging and gets your blood moving, but as aforementioned I feel like the record needed a little more bolting down just so we get a clearer idea of what’s occurring. All in all though, this is a fun and exhilarating work of thrash that’s worth checking out.
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