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Trivium are set to release their brand new opus ‘What The Dead Men Say’. Bassist Paolo Gregoletto took some time out from lockdown to answer some questions fired at him through the old interweb.
New album ‘What The Dead Men Say’ has been universally acclaimed by all those lucky enough to have heard it in advance. Reviews have been incredible, with most calling it one of the strongest Trivium albums to date. Do you take reviews with a pinch of salt, or do you allow yourself a silent “yes!”?
We appreciate all the feedback from fans and press alike. It’s always tough to predict how an album will be received once you finish it up, and have to wait for a few months to release it. I always breathe a sigh of relief when it turns out to be mostly positive.
Likewise, the comments from fans on YouTube are in line with the reviews, and most seem to really dig the new stuff. The official video for the title track has some great comments attached, the best one being: “This song makes me want to break in someone’s house and toast all their bread and put it back in the bag”! Do you ever drop into YouTube incognito and read what fans are saying, or would that do more harm than good?
I will usually browse the comments a little bit on the first day, but I try not to go over them obsessively. I think you can usually get a good sense of how things will be when you get those first day reactions. One of the reasons we don’t tell people we are recording, or post pictures from the studio, is so there isn’t any internet speculation or feedback before we have something for people to hear.
The first single released from the album was ‘Catastrophist’, then the title track. Why did you choose these ones in particular as singles?
We felt like it was a great way to give people a sense of what’s to come from the album. I feel like we made each track unique enough to stand alone, so it can be hard to pick the ones to represent the entire album. ‘Catastrophist’ and ‘What The Dead Men Say’ had enough riffs and twists and turns that we felt strongly about those coming out first. ‘Amongst The Shadows & The Stones’ was like the bonus song to really get people stoked.
These two tracks also open the album, although in reverse order from the single releases. It’s an intense way to open the album, isn’t it! The title track in particular is killer, but there is also a lot of balance on it, and it marries together a lot of the different styles that Trivium are famous for. How quickly did the track come together in the studio?
That one definitely took a bit of time because it comprises two separate demos that we had to bring together. The song was wide open for me to write lyrics to. I had that title from a Philip K. Dick short story, and we fit the chorus around that phrase. Matt and I just took turns kind of singing it as we were playing chords and figuring out the beat that fit it. By the time we got to the studio, every song had been rehearsed well enough to play live, if we had to, and that made tracking a breeze.
‘What The Dead Men Say’ is quite a strong and evocative album title. Is there a particular meaning behind it?
I didn’t use the story by Philip K. Dick itself for the lyrics, but I definitely was trying to channel themes that I’d consider similar to ones you’d find in one of his books.
What was the gestation period of the album?
We began demo-ing together about a year ago, and the personal demos started about a few months before that. We like to take our time, and spread the writing out into multiple sessions, so we can focus in on all the detail and live with the ideas. Josh usually enters the picture right at the end of all that and as we head in to record for real.
With ‘The Sin And The Sentence’ and now ‘What The Dead Men Say’, a lot of people are calling this the “golden period” of Trivium. Would you agree?
I definitely feel like this is a new era for our band. We can definitely sense the shift in opinion about what we do. There have been many peaks and valleys in our career, but I think we are in a better place to handle it now. We are first and foremost enjoying the music we make together, and are having a lot of fun making it.
How does the songwriting aspect work between you and Matt in the studio?
Matt, Corey and I will bring in the riffs and skeletal ideas of a song to the rehearsal room. We usually write more than we ever jam together, and try to whittle it down to our personal best tracks. Then we learn the parts and start to play it, figure out what works and doesn’t, rewrite riffs and parts, write lyrics, and then finally demo the ideas. We are a hive mind when it comes to writing.
What does Alex bring to the band?
Alex is not only a phenomenal drummer but also a very experienced studio musician. He has had the chance to write drum stuff for Battlecross and Testament, amongst other bands. From day one with us, we wanted to highlight his skill and show off what he can do with Trivium music. I can only see him contributing more and more great stuff as we progress.
What do you feel, apart from not being able to play live at the minute, is the most frustrating part about the music business?
I think a lot of bands do have a great understanding of how the business actually works. I see a lot of misinformation regurgitated by people that either haven’t asked their managers how something works (streaming, record deals, show pay, etc.), or just don’t want to look into it themselves. I think you have to keep a level head with things, and always remember that it is a business. Anytime we’ve hit a rough patch in our career, we always evaluate what we did wrong before casting the blame on those around us first.
How often do you practice, and how do you look after yourself both on and off the road?
I try to pick up my bass or guitar as often as I can when I am at home to just jam songs that we will put into the live set or to write new music. I think we have an above average rehearsal rate compared to a lot of bands in our peer group, even though we don’t all live near each other. We come together in Orlando and make sure we are always tight. The virus has put a damper on that lately, but we will start up again in the next month or two, I hope.
Lamb Of God guitarist Mark Morton took a lot of people by surprise with his toned-down solo album ‘Anesthetic’, which you appeared on. What would your solo album sound like, and who would be on your ‘special guest’ wish-list?
I don’t think I’ll ever do a solo album. I find Trivium to be the only creative outlet I need for my musical ideas, and I want to put everything into that. Getting to play on other people’s projects, like Mark Morton’s album, would always be something I’d be down for, if I have the time. I’d also consider writing for other people, if the opportunity was right.
When you are chilling at home, what’s your go-to album?
I can listen to Metallica pretty much all the time. ‘Master Of Puppets’ is my favourite album ever, and I don’t think I’d ever get bored of it. I’m always on the hunt for new stuff, too. Spotify has been a blessing for me.
Is there a particular band that you have tried to get out on the road to open for you, but been unable to get – so far?
We’ve been successful at taking out bands we like such as Fit For An Autopsy and Power Trip. There are tons of bands I’d love to bring out, if the timing works out for everyone involved. Maybe we can do a festival like Slipknot one day. I’d love to curate a bill.
The division in America is incredibly strong at the minute, and especially bitter. Where do you stand in the argument that musicians shouldn’t offer up their own opinions and instead “just play music”? Is there a fear that if you do voice an opinion that you alienate half of your fanbase?
I try not to go crazy online with rants, because it’s a bad place to voice opinions, but I don’t mind sharing them if asked, or if I feel strongly about something. Being able to communicate ideas and thoughts is part of what we do, and if we limit it because we are afraid to challenge someone else’s beliefs, then we are not living up to what music and art is meant to be about. Music has the ability to cross all borders and boundaries, especially metal music, and create bonds between people who might not see eye to eye.
Finally, Judas Priest are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. What’s your favourite Priest song, and why that choice?
I think ‘Screaming For Vengeance’ is my favourite song by them. The riffs, the vocals, and just how they can still inject that rock n’ roll vibe to a very metal song.
Pre-order ‘What The Dead Men Say’ here: https://trivium.lnk.to/WTDMS
