Ascendancy (album)

Ascendancy is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Trivium. The album was released in 2005. It was the first album to feature guitarist Corey Beaulieu and bassist Paolo Gregoletto.

Production

The album contained 4 singles, "Like Light to the Flies", "Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr", "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation" and "Dying in Your Arms". A music video was made for each of these songs. Also, a promotional video was filmed for the song "Rain". A demo version of "The Deceived" was included in the re-release of Ember to Inferno, nearly a year before this album was released.

Sales

Ascendancy has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide, in the United States of America the album reached No. 4 on the Top Heatseekers charts, with over 140,000 units sold.

Reviews

When the album was released, it got very good reviews. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic had this to say about the album "Ascendancy aligns real-deal thrash with powerful modern influences. But at all times it's a platform for Trivium's own crazed talent." It also got 7/10 stars from PopMatters.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Matt Heafy. 

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"The End of Everything and Rain" (Instrumental)	Heafy, Jason Suecof	1:20
2.	"Rain"	Heafy, Corey Beaulieu	4:11
3.	"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr"	Heafy, Beaulieu, Travis Smith	4:51
4.	"Drowned and Torn Asunder"	Heafy, Beaulieu	4:17
5.	"Ascendancy"	Heafy	4:25
6.	"A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation"	Heafy, Beaulieu	5:55
7.	"Like Light to the Flies"	Heafy, Beaulieu	5:40
8.	"Dying in Your Arms"	Heafy	2:53
9.	"The Deceived"	Heafy, Beaulieu	5:11
10.	"Suffocating Sight"	Heafy	3:47
11.	"Departure"	Heafy	5:41
12.	"Declaration"	Heafy	7:00
Total length:			55:11

United Kingdom special edition
No.	Title	Music	Length
13.	"Washing Away Me in the Tides"	Heafy	3:46
Total length:			58:57

Worldwide re-release
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Blinding Tears Will Break the Skies"	5:10
14.	"Washing Away Me in the Tides"	3:46
15.	"Master of Puppets" (Metallica cover, lyrics by James Hetfield)	8:11
16.	"Dying in Your Arms" (video mix)	3:05
Total length:		75:23

Bonus DVD

Promotional videos:
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Like Light to the Flies"
2.	"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr"
3.	"A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation"
4.	"Dying in Your Arms"

Live at the London Astoria - 9/18/2005:
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The End of Everything (intro)"	1:23
2.	"Rain"	4:21
3.	"Dying in Your Arms"	3:22
4.	"Like Light to the Flies"	6:23
5.	"A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation"	6:45
6.	"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr"	5:45

Band members

• Matt Heafy - vocals, guitars, production, art concept
• Corey Beaulieu - lead guitar
• Paolo Gregoletto - bass guitar
• Travis Smith - drums, percussion, gang vocals (on Track 6)