Indonesian metal heads are getting another chance to thrash out with a high-quality act, as Trivium comes to town.

Already, Indonesia has racked up a long list of front grid metal bands, and the local crowd is building an international reputation for putting on grand concerts.

Bands that play on our home soil often express adoration for Indonesian fans and say performing here is an unforgettable experience - which helps encourage other great bands to come and play here too.

After welcoming Metallica, Sepultura (although more than a decade ago), Megadeth, Kreator, Napalm Death, Suffocation, and recently Lamb of God, Jakarta metal heads can now see Trivium.

This American thrasher squad will kick off their 2010 world tour with a gig in Jakarta on Feb. 11, at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan.

The band is making the short stop in Southeast Asia on their way down to Australia, where they are headlining the Soundwave Festival later this month.

The only Southeast Asian cities on their tour are Jakarta and Manila. This makes it quite special, since nowadays foreign bands tend to perform in Singapore or Malaysia on their Southeast Asia leg and skip Jakarta.

So thanks to Java Musikindo, who managed to get them here.

In the metal music scene, Trivium is a breakthrough act and is super interesting. The band's music is described as brutal with intelligent lyrics and a good point of view in the premise chosen for each album.

In short, what you know you can expect from Trivium's music is a mixture of intelligence, anger and a typical straightforward in-your-face mood.

The band originally formed in Florida back in 1999. But it took them four years to finish their debut album Ember to Inferno, which they released in 2004 on an independent label.

The 2005 sophomore album Ascendancy sent Trivium's career in a new direction. The album sold well, drawing positive responses from metal heads around the globe.

It also marked their debut with a major label, Roadrunner Records. Roadrunner is legendary on the metal scene, having become home to such acts as Sepultura, Cradle of Filth, Dragon Force, Megadeth, Rob Zombie and Slipknot.

And Trivium both looks and sounds good. Behind the handsome face attached to each member is the wonderful ability to produce brutal, energetic and all-out awesome thrash metal music.

That combination is kind of rare these days in the international metal scene, in which new acts are popping up every day, not all of which can manage to gain - let alone keep - a solid fanbase.

Since signing with Roadrunner Records, Trivium has gone from strength to strength, making good albums (four in total), collecting huge numbers of fans and touring the world.

During 2009, they traveled across the USA with label mates Slipknot and Coheed Cambria, performing one of the most talked about metal tours of the year, the All Hope is Gone Tour. They also featured at the Rockstar Mayhem Festival with Slayer, Behemoth, Marilyn Manson and Cannibal Corpse.

So of course Indonesian metal heads are looking forward to the gig.

Junas Miradiarsyah, bassist for Jakartan metal bands Stepforward and Friends of Mine, is one very keen and excited Trivium fan.

"They are a big band now in America. I need to check them out. There's no way I would miss this concert," says the flamboyant bass player.

In terms of music, he reckons that Trivium music is something sexy and is definitely worth checking out.

"Their music reminds me of the glory days of thrash metal," he says. "They also have a unique sound of mixing old school metal and modern metal. Videos I've watched on YouTube show they seem to put on an interactive show for fans."

According to an official release by Java Musikindo, the promoter, the band will play around 25 songs during the gig.

The set most likely will include such favorites as "Like Light to the Flies", "To the Rats" and "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr".

For more info on Trivium, visit www.trivium.org . To buy tickets online, go to www.javamusikindo.com.

Trivium

Feb. 11, 2010, 8 p.m.
Tennis Indoor Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta
Tribune: Rp 200,000; Festival: Rp 250,000

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