What the Dead Men Say

『What the Dead Men Say』は、高い評価を得た前作『The Sin and the Sentence』の勢いをそのまま受け継いだTRIVIUMの第9作だ。ドラムのアレックス・ベントを含む充実の布陣が、スラッシュ、メタルコア、プログレッシヴ性を緊密に結び付け、往年の攻撃性と現代的な洗練を高い次元で両立させている。表題はSF作家フィリップ・K・ディックの中編小説に着想を得たもので、現代社会を映す鋭い歌詞と重厚なサウンドが分かちがたく結び付いた、充実の一枚である。 先行シングル“Catastrophist”は、緊張感ある展開とキャッチーなサビを備えた代表曲として強い印象を残す。疾走する表題曲“What the Dead Men Say”、戦争の惨禍を歌う“Amongst the Shadows & the Stones”まで、緩急に富んだ楽曲が隙なく並ぶ。ヒーフィーのスクリームとクリーンを織り交ぜた歌唱、ボーリューとの切れ味鋭いツイン・リード、そしてベントの精緻なドラムが一体となり、批評家からも絶賛を浴びた。前作から続く快進撃を確固たるものにした、円熟期TRIVIUMの力作である。

What the Dead Men Say is Trivium's ninth album, carrying the momentum of the acclaimed The Sin and the Sentence straight through. The strong lineup, including drummer Alex Bent, tightly ties together thrash, metalcore and progressive elements, balancing old aggression with modern refinement at a high level. Its title takes inspiration from a novella by science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick, and it is an accomplished record where sharp lyrics mirroring modern society are inseparable from a weighty sound. The lead single "Catastrophist" leaves a strong impression as a signature song with tense development and a catchy chorus. From the racing title track "What the Dead Men Say" to "Amongst the Shadows & the Stones," which sings of the horrors of war, songs full of shifting dynamics line up without a gap. Heafy's singing, interweaving screams and clean vocals, his incisive twin leads with Beaulieu, and Bent's precise drums act as one, winning acclaim from critics. Cementing the surge continuing from the previous album, it is a powerful work from a matured Trivium.