Trivium - Struck Dead (EP Review)

Trivium - Struck Dead
‍Released: October 31, 2025

Lineup

Matthew K Heafy // Vocals & Guitar
Corey Beaulieu // Vocals & Guitar
Paolo Gregoletto // Bass & Vocals
Alex Bent // Drums

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Sometimes the best laid plans come undone. We had thought we’d get Trivium touring Australia with Bullet For My Valentine on The Poisoned Ascendency Tour. When that fell apart, we got the BFMV tour a few weeks ago and now we’ve got brand new Trivium music. Struck Dead might only be three tracks but each is a worthy addition to the band’s sizable discography. Their last three full lengths all got 10/10 from Wall of Sound, so anticipation has been pretty high. 

Touring Ascendancy in full has rubbed off on these new compositions, with each of them reflecting that album’s melodic metalcore vibes. Opener ‘Bury Me With My Screams’ is a full artillery blast of all the band’s weapons. Matthew K Heafy and Corey Beaulieu trade melodic leads that throw you back 20 years. In his final release with the band, drummer Alex Bent goes hell for leather, a whirlwind of kicks and strikes. It’s got a huge chorus but otherwise just rips hard. 

‘Struck Dead’ doesn’t mess around, bursting with aggression from the start before the staccato riffing. Again, the chorus is a gem that recalls their earlier material with Heafy’s clean vocals intertwined with growls. There’s a killer middle section for hand claps that invokes ‘Gunshot To The Head of Trepidation’. The EP’s sole point of variation is the acoustic intro to final song, ‘Six Walls’, which in the Metallica tradition is a false start. ‘Six Walls’ is seven minutes long and revisits their early career obsession with Bay Area thrash. At the time they were accused of all kinds of mimicry, but with years of experience they now sound confident and in control. 

Struck Dead kicks all sorts of ass. With only three tracks it’s all killer with no filler. It’s a great send off for Bent, whose style has melded well with the bass and guitars. The EP indicates though that Trivium’s future might be combining past glories with everything that made their last three LPs so magnificent. 

Rating: 8.5/10
‍Struck Dead is out now on Roadrunner Records. Stream here
Words by KJ Draven @kjdraven