TRIVIUM – Struck Dead: A Brutal, Cathartic Blast of Reinvention

By Ian Walker

Thirty years into their career, TRIVIUM continue to prove that evolution doesn’t always come in album-length statements. Sometimes, it takes just three songs to shake the foundations — and their new EP, Struck Dead, out October 31st via Roadrunner Records, does exactly that. It’s something different — raw, personal, and absolutely pulverising.

While compact, Struck Dead encapsulates everything that has kept the Florida heavyweights at the forefront of modern metal since Ascendancy redefined the genre back in 2005. The trio of tracks — “Bury Me With My Screams”, “Struck Dead (Pain Is Easier to Remember)”, and “Six Walls Surround Me” — distil TRIVIUM’s essence into a concentrated dose of fury and catharsis. It’s proof that the band still write and play like their lives depend on it.

Produced by the band themselves and recorded with Mark Lewis at their newly built Hangar Studios in Orlando, Struck Dead feels like a statement of rebirth. As Paolo Gregoletto explains, the EP was born during the band’s yearlong studio construction project — a period spent balancing physical labour with rehearsals for the Poisoned Ascendancy 20th Anniversary Tour. What began as a single release idea evolved into a full-blown creative purge, fuelled by the emotional and nostalgic energy of revisiting their early days.

That energy courses through the record. The riffs are fierce and focused, the dual vocals of Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu hitting harder than ever. There’s a palpable hunger here — not to recapture old glory, but to reignite it through reflection and pain. As Heafy himself poured his personal struggles from the past year into the lyrics, the songs became a release — brutal, cleansing, and deeply human.

Three Songs, Infinite Power

Opener “Bury Me With My Screams” bursts to life with thunderous intent — the kind of riff that reminds you why TRIVIUM are modern metal royalty. Debuted live at Bloodstock Open Air 2025, it’s a track that embodies everything fans love about the band: machine-gun precision, layered harmonies, and a balance between aggression and melody that few can replicate.

The title track, “Struck Dead (Pain Is Easier to Remember),” is where the emotional core of the EP lies. It’s a haunting reflection on pain, loss, and memory, driven by churning guitars and an almost cinematic sense of tension. It feels deeply personal — a glimpse into Heafy’s psyche, framed by the band’s signature blend of technical mastery and raw emotion.

Closing cut “Six Walls Surround Me” is a powerhouse finale, building from eerie atmospherics into full-throttle devastation. Alex Bent’s drumming is explosive, yet precise — a perfect counterpoint to Gregoletto’s bass grooves and the razor-sharp twin guitar attack. The song captures the claustrophobia of internal struggle yet ends on a note of defiant release — the sound of a band embracing their scars and turning them into strength.

Mixed and mastered by Josh Wilbur, whose fingerprints are on many of TRIVIUM’s modern-era classics, the EP sounds enormous. Every detail feels deliberate — the clarity of the mix allows each instrument to breathe, even amidst the chaos. The production bridges the band’s old-school ferocity with a contemporary polish that highlights just how far they’ve come since the days of Ascendancy.

There’s something poetic about Struck Dead being born out of construction — both literally and emotionally. As their new home studio took shape, so did a collection of songs that reflect resilience and renewal. It’s as if TRIVIUM built not just walls and soundproofing but a creative sanctuary to face their demons and rediscover their purpose. Following the acclaim of 2021’s In the Court of the Dragon, TRIVIUM could have easily rested on their laurels. Instead, Struck Dead is proof they’re still pushing forward, refusing to fade into nostalgia. It’s a bridge between past and future — the fire of Ascendancy reignited through the wisdom and precision of a band at the height of their craft.

As they gear up for their massive “Ascend Above the Ashes” US tour with Jinjer and Heriot, TRIVIUM show no signs of slowing down. Whether it’s the ferocious spirit of The Sin and The Sentence or the reflective intensity of Struck Dead, this is a band that continues to challenge what heavy music can be — and who they can be within it.