GRAMMY-nominated heavyweights TRIVIUM – vocalist/guitarist MATTHEW K. HEAFY; guitarist COREY BEAULIEU; bassist PAOLO GREGOLETTO; and drummer ALEX RÜDINGER – are thrilled to announce their new album CROWN IN THE GRAVE. It arrives November 20 through Roadrunner Records.
Pre-order it here.
Trivium today share the title track, which builds from a gradual progression of layered riffs into an explosive wall of metal, pairing crushing heaviness with the precision, melody, and technical firepower that have defined the band for more than two decades. The song is vintage Trivium – galloping riffs, robust solos, and battering ram percussion, seamlessly sewn together with three-tiered vocals. But like the rest of the album, it stays true to the band’s signature sound, all the while pushing it further into new sonic terrain.
The accompanying, Japanese Noh theatre-inspired, post-apocalyptic music video brings the album’s artwork and themes into a smoke-filled dojo, where the main characters prepare for an impending showdown through a series of tense, atmospheric sequences. Drawing on the band’s long-time passion for classic Japanese theatre and martial arts, the visual captures the discipline, drama, and focused physicality at the heart of the song’s storytelling.
Watch the video, directed by Pavel Trebukhin here.
Stream the track here.
Crown In The Grave is our eleventh record, and when you get this far into a career, it’s easy to rest on what you’ve already done – or to reinvent yourself just for the sake of it,” says Gregoletto. “With this record, we wanted to find the space between those two things: Take everything we’ve learned and everything that makes Trivium what it is, but present it in ways we hadn’t before.”
He continues, “We also wanted the record to exist within its own world. That began with the title track, inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, and led us deeper into Japanese horror and cinema from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. That influence grew into this darker, ghostly atmosphere that became a set of guardrails for the music, lyrics, artwork, and overall identity of the record.”
The bassist finishes, “We built our studio so we could give ourselves the time and space to figure out exactly what an eleventh Trivium record should be, and Crown In The Grave is the answer we arrived at. It honors where we’ve been without living in the past, and pushes into new territory without abandoning what makes us Trivium. I think when you hear it, it’ll somehow feel both new and like a return.”
After over two decades in the spotlight, Trivium have realised their collective potential like never before. They have absorbed the wisdom gained through writing hundreds of songs, the experience derived from playing thousands of shows, and the fire maintained by never giving up and perfected their signature sound at the highest level. The riffs crunch and crack bones, solos burst into flames upon impact, screams bleed truth without filter, and towering hooks break through the clouds. This is Trivium confidently reborn as the beast they were meant to be.
“Facing yourself is the final quest,” Heafy observes. “We had to do it as a band, and I had to do it in my personal life. I freed my mind from the constraints of being worried. I made a decision to just sing.”
A perfect storm of mental health struggles, physical injuries, and intense anxiety brought him to a crossroads. Bravely, he chose to embrace therapy, found an appropriate medication regimen, and reframed his mindset. “I cleared the plate,” the frontman admits. “I stopped trying to be safe and perfect at every show. Instead, I was actually enjoying the experience and living. If I messed up, it was okay because I’m human. With all of the changes Trivium went through, it’s like a brand new band.”
For the first time, the group crafted Crown In The Grave in their own creative hub and de facto clubhouse – The Hangar – in Orlando. Plus, they officially welcomed drummer Alex Rüdinger (Rüdi) in the studio. During 2015, the drummer nearly joined Trivium, but opted to focus on other endeavours. A decade later, he heeded the call. “It happened when it was meant to,” Heafy declares. “Rüdi didn’t just kill it on the drums; his contributions as a writer made a huge difference.”
Reteaming with longtime producer Josh Wilbur [Korn, Lamb of God] and working with mixer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amon Amarth) for the first time, the musicians rallied around a shared vision. “We took all of the elements of Trivium, honed in on them, and focused on writing songs with big riffs and big hooks,” notes Beaulieu. “We made the record we’d been dying to make. The late great Shaun Glass [Soil] was a big Trivium fan. He’d always say, “You guys don’t cook the same meal.’ Even though we use the same ingredients, we always make a new dish.”
“Any band who has been around this long starts to ask: Where do we go from here?” says Gregoletto. “We decided to challenge ourselves to top everything we’ve done. We referenced a lot of ’90s albums. If you look at The Black Album by Metallica, Countdown To Extinction by Megadeth, or Superunknown by Soundgarden, the choruses are so important, and the songs are relatable. That’s what we strived for.”
Thematically, Akira Kurosawa‘s Throne of Blood served as a north star. Gregoletto brought the film to the group’s attention. “Kurosawa took Macbeth and set it in a feudal Japan,” the bassist elaborates. “There’s minimal dialogue, yet the storyline is powerful. There are these haunting elements of being tempted by fate and this man’s downfall.”
CROWN IN THE GRAVE TRACK LISTING:
“Jorōgumo”
“The Terror”
“The Haunting Never Ends”
“Lie Of It All”
“Blackout The Dawn”
“Paradise Of Sinners”
“Death Throes”
“The Agony”
“Devour Your Dreams”
“Serpent In The Flame”
Formats available in the UK include:
- CD (including limited signed editions)
- CD + bonus track – HMV exclusive
- Goldenrod vinyl
- Red vinyl – Roadrunner exclusive
- Tangerine vinyl – HMV & independent retailers
- Signed Blue & Pink Agony vinyl – Trivium webstore exclusive
- Samurai Blade Splatter vinyl – Trivium webstore exclusive
Trivium and Swedish melodeath pioneers In Flames will be hitting the road for a full-scale conquest of Europe including the UK/Ireland in spring 2027, with support from Paleface Swiss and VOLA on every date. The trek marks one of the heaviest packages the continent will see next year, pairing a band that helped define 21st-century metal with the group widely credited as the architects of the melodic death metal sound, alongside two of the hottest up and coming acts.
The tour will see the two bands trade top billing depending on the territory. In the UK and Ireland, Trivium will headline with In Flames as special guests. Once the tour reaches Scandinavia, the roles flip, with In Flames topping the bill and Trivium as special guests. Everywhere else across mainland Europe, the two bands will share the stage as true co-headliners, with Paleface Swiss and VOLA opening throughout.
TRIVIUM + IN FLAMES TOUR – EUROPE 2027
Mon 29th Mar – IE – DUBLIN 3Arena *
Wed 31st Mar – UK – GLASGOW The OVO Hydro *
Fri 2nd Apr – UK – MANCHESTER Co-op Live *
Sat 3rd Apr – UK – LONDON Alexandra Palace *
Sun 4th Apr – UK – CARDIFF Utilita Arena Cardiff *
Tue 6th Apr – BE – BRUSSELS Lotto Arena
Wed 7th Apr – FR – PARIS Zénith
Fri 9th Apr – DE – HAMBURG Sporthalle
Sat 10th Apr – DE – DRESDEN Messe Dresden
Sun 11th Apr – DE – BERLIN Velodrom
Tue 13th Apr – LU – ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE Rockhal
Wed 14th Apr – CH – BERN Festhalle
Fri 16th Apr – DE – FRANKFURT Festhalle
Sat 17th Apr – DE – DÜSSELDORF PSD Bank Dome
Sun 18th Apr – NL – AMSTERDAM AFAS Live
Tue 20th Apr – CZ – PRAGUE O2 Universum
Wed 21st Apr – AT – VIENNA Stadthalle
Fri 23rd Apr – DE – STUTTGART Schleyer-Halle
Sat 24th Apr – DE – MUNICH Zenith
Sun 25th Apr – DE – BAMBERG Brose Arena
Tue 27th Apr – DK – COPENHAGEN K.B. Hallen ~
Thu 29th Apr – NO – OSLO Spektrum ~
Sat 1st May – SE – STOCKHOLM Avicii Arena ~
Mon 3rd May – FI – TAMPERE Nokia Arena ~
Wed 5th May – LV – RIGA Xiaomi Arena
Fri 7th May – PL – KATOWICE Spodek
* Trivium headline, In Flames special guests.
~ In Flames headline, Trivium special guests.
All other dates: Trivium and In Flames co-headline.
Paleface Swiss and Vola support on every date.
Keeping warm this winter and celebrating the album’s release, Trivium first embark on a headline tour of North America, hitting the road on November 5 in St. Petersburg, Florida and continuing through December 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina, with In Flames, Orbit Culture, Fit For An Autopsy, and Frozen Soul in tow.
Tickets are on-sale for all dates now – snap them up at: https://www.trivium.org/tour.
