after 3 cds and seeing a live performance I would say props to everything trivium does on the instrumental level. Their vocals and lyrics however have always left something to be desired...I mean, it is admirable to try and sound so much like Metallica....but they really seem to lose themselves in it, especially in The Crusade. I have not listened to all of Shogun enough times to judge it as harshly, but after hearing several of their tracks live from it, I would say it is more of the same. Which is awesome in its own respect, but it does make me wish they would try to grow out of their single style and not just see how fast they can go.