Trivium frontman rails against metal bands using recorded vocals and guitars – and boasts new drummer Augusto can play anything
Live and let live: Matt Heafy
Trivium frontman Matt Heafy is so upset about the explosion in metal bands using backing tracks on stage that he wants them made illegal.
He insists a live show should be just that, and the paying public should be able to buy a ticket in the expectation of seeing and hearing an act playing the entire show live.
Heafy tells The First 3 Songs: “Most pop stars are using backing tracks and Autotune live – but I cannot believe the amount of metal bands who are doing it. They have the actual album playing while they’re supposed to be playing live.
“There are so many bands in our genre doing it and I think,’ When did this become okay?’”
He tells BraveWords: “We’re completely against running tape, Pro Tools or Autotune. Obviously for things like string sounds or a click-track, backing tapes are fine. But when you’re talking lead vocals, or guitars that aren’t really there – that’s not cool.
“Metal bands that don’t even having singing, that are all screaming, use backing tapes live. I think that should be illegal.”
Among Heafy’s many concerns is the fact that bands going down the automation route will miss the opportunity to make mistakes. He says: “Mistakes have to happen and I wouldn’t change them, even given the opportunity. They’ve allowed us to grow and become what we are now.”
Trivium’s fifth album In Waves is their first with drummer Nick Augusto, and Heafy says their new member’s talent is a prime example of why they won’t succumb to the automation fad.
“Nick is disgustingly good at drums,” says the guitarist and singer. “He can play all the stuff I did not know drummers could do any more. Drum triggers are essential for metal bands because they keep the sound consistent when you’re playing, but Nick came from a world where he didn’t have those things. He didn’t have nice gear, just a five-piece kit, so he had to play everything with nothing.
“It’s an amazing thing because I’m an awful, awful drummer – so it’s cool to see it done right.”
Shitty bands like Trivium should be made illegal.
So how about a list of the bands using backing tracks so we know who to boycott? its easy to say so and so does it, but who are these so called bands? been playing live for 30 years and never once used even a click track, thats what we have drummers for
I would also like to know who these bands are, It can’t be made illegal, but naming and shaming should happen.
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