Album Review: Trident - North
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Ten years after their debut album, ‘World Destruction’, the blackened death metal of Swedish five-piece Trident has resurfaced. In the words of the band themselves, “We envisioned ourselves to create something that was lost after the 90’s era, embracing the freedom of musical structures and boundaries to create something which speaks from within. This album is a vision of what we believe was missing from that era with a purpose to bring back the soul of the old greats”.
North is certainly a package that is ferociously old school. The dramatic intro of ‘Enter’ segues into the hammer blow of ‘Death’, a blistering seven-minute track that has more dirt under its fingernails that a country farmer. Bursting with aggressive, pulverising tremolo riffing, blast beats and howling guttural vocals, this is the sound of a cadaver being dragged across a car park.
The tracks are long, ‘Final War’ the shortest clocking in at just over five minutes whilst everything else pushes further towards seven minutes plus. This allows Trident time to expand their brutality with such vicious force that at times the speakers were rocking back and fore. The title track is a rollercoaster of slower, riff heavy slabs countered with explosive shards of blistering black metal that sear with their heat. But this is no bloated corpse, no extended corpulent self-indulgence. Even the funeral feel of Pallbearers Hymn moves apace, the pounding drums maintaining an artillery battery which drives the track, echoes of Primordial escaping mid-song.
Despite its ferocity, there is plenty to absorb on the voyage ‘North’. Recognition of the band’s multiple influences surface on ‘Possession’ whilst the epic, massively doom filled ‘Schaman’ provides a different approach, seamlessly binding the numerous elements that comprise this ferocious band.
Mixed and mastered by bass player Anders Backelin (Lord Belial, Death Tyrant) at Armageddon Recordings Studio, Trident include former Dissection guitarist Johan Norman and FEJD member Per-Owe Solvelius in their ranks. They are joined by Joakim Antonsson (Svart), Henri Heikkinen and Anders Backelin in this powerhouse outfit. With some fantastic artwork courtesy of Juanjo Castellano Rosado (Unleashed, The Black Dahlia Murder, Varathron, Vomitory), Trident have delivered a mighty statement upon their return to the metal fold.
‘North’ is released on Non Serviam Records on 2nd October
