TRIVIUM's PAOLO GREGOLETTO Undergoes Emergency Hernia Surgery; Temporary Replacement Bassist Announced

TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto will miss the band's next few shows while he is recovering from emergency hernia surgery. He will be temporarily replaced by Josh Baines of the British metal band MALEVOLENCE.

The news of Gregoletto's condition was first revealed by TRIVIUM guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy, who wrote in a social media post: "Attention! Yesterday, we arrived in Germany from America. After experiencing abdominal pain, Paolo needed to be taken to the hospital for emergency hernia surgery late in the night. The operation went well and Paolo is recovering.

"Paolo will need to stay under observation for the next few days, and Josh from MALEVOLENCE will be filling in for the next few shows.

"Please send your healing energy and love over Paolo's way – you'll be seeing him back on stage in a few days.

"See ya Wacken!"

Gregoletto shared a post-surgery video message on his social media in which he said: " Hey, guys. [I'm] obviously starting this tour a lot differently than I had planned. But I'm gonna rest up here in Hamburg for a few days and I'll join back up with the tour either in Marseille or in Belgium at Alcatraz. You know, I might play in a chair, might just kind of stand there to play, but I will be joining back up and just taking it easy. But thank you guys for understanding. I really appreciate it and love you guys. Thank you."

Florida native Gregoletto joined TRIVIUM in 2004 when Matt and then-drummer Travis Smith held auditions for a new bass player. He got the gig just in time for the tour with MACHINE HEAD and replaced bassist Brent Young just after the band had finished recording "Ember To Inferno".

According to EMG, Paolo uses a variety of techniques to perform his bass-lines. He uses a two fingered plucking style to pick out the more elegant counter melodies and rapid pentatonic accompaniments necessary for some of TRIVIUM's material. He also frequently uses a modern three-fingered plucking style, as favored by Billy Sheehan, in order to achieve a gallop rhythm (two 16ths and one 8th) in the style of IRON MAIDEN's Steve Harris. His preferable way to warm up is by performing chromatic exercises up and down the whole neck of the bass, using both fingers and a pick.

TRIVIUM is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "In The Court Of The Dragon", which came out in October 2021 via TRIVIUM's longtime label Roadrunner Records. The record was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur and recorded in the fall of 2020 at Full Sail University in Orlando. The album cover is an original oil painting by French artist Mathieu Nozieres.