Trial "Reunion - Retrospective"

Outspoken and overflowing with conviction, emotion and intellect, Trial is a categorically inspirational metallic hardcore band, fueled more by real issues and achieving tangible change than hollow anger. It's easy for hardcore and metal bands to sound pissed and be genuinely pissed, but it's not easy for them to make people want to act and work for something better. Trial did that.

And thanks to their recorded music and this massive DVD, they'll continue to do that.

There's so much to say about Trial and their recent posthumous Panic Records release, the Reunion - Retrospective DVD, as the two-disc set is packed with material. The "Reunion" disc features gritty live footage from London, as well as two full reunion shows -- one from Budapest and one from the band's homeland, Seattle -- from the fall of 2005. Each one has its own, distinct atmosphere and production values so, while the set lists are similar, each has its own merits and character.

The Seattle show goes down as the centerpiece, though; the capacity crowd of 800 goes nuts, bodies endlessly launch off the stage and the band seemingly sweats off every bit of moisture it’s got for a solid hour. The production qualities for this show are also the strongest, with a bunch of in-the-action camera angles and full, balanced sound. The entire package is the rare type of recording that manages to capture some of the feeling of a live hardcore show and, in the end, I probably had goose bumps through 25 percent (that's a lot) of it. The way Greg Bennick eloquently introduces songs is touching and real and, at one point, he even gets choked up about the sacrifices the crowd made to see the band one more time. Then I got a little choked up. There's just nothing else like this, and the lack of fighting and closing sing-along cement that idea.

Of course, the band visits much of Are These Our Lives? and some rarer and older songs. They sound tight and energetic, not to mention raw; there's no behind-the-scenes overdubbing or anything. And while I love the music, the most moving parts of the live shows are the way the band communicates their messages and the way the crowds respond.

The "Retrospective" disc primarily consists of interview footage that's interspersed with live recordings that span Trial's career. As Bennick and guitarist Timm McIntosh (both founding members) discuss the band's early beginnings, motivations for Trial, song meanings and, most interestingly, memorable shows and moments, listeners will see the band's development through fuzzy VHS video footage dating back to 1995. The two members both elaborate on the between-song explanations from their live sets, hammering home their drive to connect with listeners and inspire change, no matter how small. Unlike the first disc, the "Retrospective" isn't the kind of thing you'll want to show your friends or repeatedly watch, but it's a calm, interesting and introspective history of sorts. It rounds out the package and wraps up the band in about an hour.

Featuring two discs, hours of footage, some extras and functional menus, Reunion - Retrospective is a solid value and, more importantly, a deep look into a powerful metallic hardcore band. You really can't go wrong, here; pick up Are These Our Lives? first, but don't hesitate to spring for this DVD.

What kind of sample can I offer? Well, not much. But you can peep the DVD trailer here.