Trivax are an Iranian/UK black metal band and this is their third album.
Trivax made a good start with 2017’s SIN, but then totally ascended a level with its 2023 follow up Eloah Burns Out – a record that has only grown in power over time. Relatively quickly though we now have the 43-minute The Great Satan, and it’s time to see if a speedy turnaround has been good to Trivax or not.
Trivax have crafted a compelling collection of tracks songs on The Great Satan. Fusing together black and death metal, (with a jagged thrash edge), and incorporating Middle Eastern sounds and instruments, Trivax’s latest record is well-rounded and accomplished.
The songs mix instant appeal and richer depth, making for an album of substance. There are riffs and hooks, but there’s also a large amount of atmospheric worldbuilding. Vicious extremity is merged well with mood-focused qualities, allowing the band the space to work their magic. The band’s thrash claws and death metal muscles are underpinned always by the guiding darkness of malevolent black metal; The Great Satan is a monster of blackened aggression, but this is tempered by emotive depth, absorbing atmosphere, and an unexpected amount of expressive instrumentals.
The record is detailed and varied, and each song has its own character. Every one has a reason for existing, not only in its own right, but also in its position in relation to the other songs. Although there are nine tracks, only four of them are songs with vocals – the others are a mix of instrumentals and atmospheric works. Normally I wouldn’t care for this, but here they are developed into actual worthwhile listening experiences, and are fully-fledged works of their own – these are mostly not the usual crappy, pointless interludes that most bands stick on their albums, (the only track that qualifies as the latter is the one-minute Ya Saheb az Zaman, but then few albums truly escape the curse of the interlude, sadly). In this way, The Great Satan delivers a very holistic listening experience, with a range of soundscapes for the listener to wander through.
The Great Satan succeeds in offering the listener a journey into Trivax’s world, one that’s full of sights and sounds worth spending the time to explore. Trivax have ascended a level once more, so make sure you dive deep into this one.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 