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Matt Heafy

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Matt Heafy

Matthew Kiichi Heafy (born January 26, 1986 in Iwakuni, Japan[1]), also known by his stage name Matt Heafy, is the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's old producer Jason Suecof.

Mini biography

Heafy's influences include bands such as Metallica, Pantera, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament, Iron Maiden and Queen.[citation needed] Heafy stated on his Trivium website biography that he was greatly influenced by The Beatles and that they are one of his favorite bands. He considers the album Abbey Road one of his favorite progressive sounding rock albums.[citation needed]

He attended Lake Brantley High School. He completed his senior year while touring at the same time in Europe, and graduated class 2004. Matt currently plays a 7-string guitar Custom Gibson Model. He used 6-string guitars for Trivium's first two albums, Standard and Drop D tuning on Ember to Inferno and solely Drop D tuning on Ascendancy. On their Third record, The Crusade, he returns to standard tuning on his 6 and 7 string guitars. On Trivium's fourth album, Shogun, Heafy moved to using 7 string guitars in B standard with only two songs in a standard 6 string tuning.

On January 10, 2010, Heafy got married to Ashley Howard[2] in Orlando, Florida. The wedding was attended by close friends and family.

Trivium

The previous vocalist of Trivium quit the band shortly after Heafy's joining and Matt assumed responsibility for vocals and the majority of the song writing. Matt's debut with Trivium included his compositions of "Fugue", "Demon", "Requiem", "Sworn" and "The Storm". He has also composed the songs and lyrics for their Ember to Inferno album and the Ascendancy album. [citation needed]

With the release of Trivium's 4th album, Shogun, Matt greatly expanded his vocal range; from very melodic singing to hardcore screams similar to those found on the first two albums. In Trivium, Matt also shares lead guitar duties with Corey Beaulieu.

Tomorrow is Monday

After Ember to Inferno, Matt decided to experiment with post-hardcore music, and made a joke band called "Tomorrow Is Monday".[3] They have released 1 song, called "Head on Collision with a Rosebush Catching Fire". As revealed in a recent interview in Rock Sound,[citation needed] they wrote, recorded and edited the song in one hour.

Roadrunner United

In 2005, Roadrunner Records released Roadrunner United: The All-Star Sessions to celebrate the label's 25th birthday. Four "team captains" were chosen: Joey Jordison (Slipknot), Robert Flynn (Machine Head), and Dino CazaresFear Factory) as well as Heafy.[4] Heafy also wrote the lyrics and sang the lead vocals to "The End", captained by Dino Cazares. He and fellow band mate / guitarist Corey Beaulieu recorded the song "In The Fire" as well, featuring singer King Diamond, bassist Mike D'Antonio and drummer Dave Chavarri. He also wrote and played guitar on the tracks "Dawn Of A Golden Age", "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)" and "Blood And Flames", also contributing vocals to the latter.

Heafy won the "Golden God Award" at the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards 2006.[5]

Also in 2006, he handled vocals for the band Korn at the 'Download Festival', when their own lead vocalist fell ill. [6]

Equipment

Guitars

Heafy is well known for using a black Gibson Les Paul Custom, fitted with EMG pickups and gold hardware, as seen in the video for Pull harder on the Strings of Your Matyr in 2005, and the video for Like Light to the Flies in 2004. He was also known to use a white Gibson Les Paul Supreme, also with EMG pickups during this period, as seen on the video for Gunshot To The Head of Trepidation in 2005. Heafy used Gibson guitars until Rita Haney, partner of 20 years to Dimebag Darrell, gave him and Corey Beaulieu each one of Dimebag's signature Washburn guitars in the same year, later spawning a three year long endorsment with Dean Guitars (as Dime was working on a new signature model with Dean prior to his death in December 2004). NAMM 2008 saw Matt Heafy's first signature guitar with Dean, which featured a Japanese rising sun graphic across a classic Dean ML body. The guitar also featured a Floyd Rose locking tremolo system, a carved neck heel (USA model only) and a 24 fret neck, Trivium logos on the 12th fret and at the headstock, Matt's signature on the truss rod cover and Matt's MKH86 signature bridge pickup, controlled by one volume knob only.[7] As of January 2009, Matt and Corey's contract with Dean had expired and returned to using Gibson and Jackson respectively, first seen in the music video for Throes of Perdition. Matt is now officially signing with Gibson guitars.[8] Matt's custom 7 string Explorer can be seen in photos from Trivium's performances at Mayhem Festival 2009.

Summary

Gibson Guitars

  • Gibson Custom shop 7 string Explorer
  • Gibson Explorer White
  • Gibson Explorer Ebony
  • Gibson SJ-300 Rosewood Acoustic
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst)
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom (Black)
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom (White)
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom '68 (Black)
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom (Black) [2002]
  • Gibson Voodoo Explorer

Dean Guitars

  • Dean Matt Heafy Signature 7 string MKH Rising Sun ML
  • Dean Matt Heafy Signature 7 String Prototype MKH ML (White)
  • Dean Matt Heafy Signature MKH Rising Sun ML (discontinued)
  • Dean Matt Heafy 7 String prototype MKH (Black)
  • Dean Razorback (White and Gold)
  • Dean Dimebag Tribute Razorback (Rust)(sold through triviumworld)
  • Dean Timecapsule
  • Dean ML (Trans Black)(sold through triviumworld)
  • Dean Razorback V (sold through triviumworld)
  • Dean Hardtail (sold through triviumworld)

Other:

Amplifiers

Summary

Current Equipment-

According to Trivium's official website, Matt is currently using Marshall JVM2 Series heads with JCM900BV Cabinets and no longer a Peavey 6505+.

Past Equipment-

Effects & Misc.

  • Dunlop MXR GT-OD Overdrive Pedal
  • Dunlop MXR Smart Gate Noisegate Pedal
  • Dunlop Tortex Jazz III (purple with custom graphic)
  • Dunlop Jazz 3 Picks
  • InTuneGP GrippX Picks
  • Dunlop Grommet Straps
  • Dunlop Strap Locks
  • Dunlop .09 - .50 Strings (DR .09 - .50 with an extra .62 DR string for the 7th string)
  • Dunlop Cry Baby Original

Matt's guitar goes straight to the OD pedal, noisegate and then to the amp.

Pickups

Discography

Trivium

Capharnaum

MindScar

  • Mindscar EP, (2001)

Tomorrow is Monday

  • Lush Like an Antpile (2004)
  1. Head on Collision with a Rosebush Catching Fire

Other

Notes

Matt is a fan of the Final Fantasy series of Video Games, stating in Interview's that his favourite Video Games Include Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VI. During a Japanese tour in 2008, he visited the offices of Square-Enix (the creators of the Final Fantasy series). Trivium have also opened numerous gig's with music from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, including Divinity II and Advent: One Winged Angel.

References

  1. ^ Matt Heafy biography @Trivium.org
  2. ^ Matt Heafy Gets Married
  3. ^ Trivium Official MySpace blog [1]
  4. ^ Roadrunner United Mini-site
  5. ^ Golden God Award citation
  6. ^ [2]
  7. ^ "Matt Heafy Signature Dean MKH Guitar". guitarpatrol.com. November 4, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
  8. ^ "MATT Schedules MUSIKMESSE (Frankfurt Germany) Signing Session". Trivium.com. April 2, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
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