The four members of Florida-based metal phenomenon Trivium have shaken the world of heavy metal since their inception in 2000 - yet this group of regular kids from Orlando had to work harder than most to achieve recognition. The group formed at a high school talent contest and, after performing a number of low-key gigs at parties and small venues over two years, the quartet honed their metallic skills, playing thrash metal classics in rehearsal while gradually developing their own sound on the road. The hard hours in dank basements paid off when Heafy was awarded 'Best Metal Guitarist Award' at the Orlando Metal Awards. Soon, Trivium recorded their first demo which in turn saw their wares seized upon by the German hardcore/metalcore label Lifeforce. The four-piece dispatched their songs with such mature craft and flashy interplay that there was no chance they would remain on an independent label for long. Roadrunner records were the lucky company to receive a signed contract and they helped push Trivium beyond underground status, making their second album "Ascendancy" a worldwide bestseller.

Joe Shooman has worked as a music PR, independent record label manager, band manager, sound engineer and live performer. His writing has featured in mags including Metal Hammer, Music Mart, Record Collector, Plan B Magazine, Mixmag and The Fly, and he is also a regular contributor to national BBC radio. He holds a postgraduate degree in music, media and sound technology, and is the author of Trivium: The Mark Of Perseverance, (September 2006, Independent Music Press).