If there were one band that I felt characterized both the sound and ideals of hardcore in the 1990's, it would be Trial. The Northwest hardcore outfit delivered a focused and aggressive mixture of hardcore, punk, and metal influences to crowds of all sizes during their original tenure. They partnered this brute, metallic music written by co-founder and guitarist Timm McIntosh with an emotional release through the lyrical writings of vocalist Greg Bennick that covered everything from political, social, and even philosophical issues to topics that affected the D.I.Y. communities that hardcore and punk followers operated out of. This DVD effort serves as documentation of the band's reunion shows that took place in 2005 as well as a history of the band from their beginnings up to this very day.
Reunion / Retrospective is comprised of two discs, one with the three reunion shows the band performed and the other a documentary of the band's existence. Let's start with the first. The highlight of the reunion coverage is going to be the band's performance in their hometown of Seattle, WA. The set, which is shot from at least four different angels, consists for material from the band's catalog including the Foundation and Through the Darkest Days EP's and the hardcore gem Are These Our Lives. From the stringed-intro and mayhem of "Reflections" through crowd favorites "Scars" and "For the Kids" and ending with the massive pile-ons of "This is Not a Trend," this is truly an unforgettable show for the band and all those in the crowd. The reunion DVD also includes footage from the band's performance in London; the quality is rather sub par here but if you're a fan of Trial you'll sit through it. Finally is the band's full set in Budapest, Hungary; I never would have imagined people in Hungary of all places to go ballistic for Trial, but they sure did.
The second disc of the DVD release is the retrospective feature. The disc contains interview footage with Bennick and McIntosh talking about the band's formation, involvement in the hardcore community, shows, and stories from throughout their lifespan. The footage here is quite informative about what really drove Trial as a band; you can really tell they were sincere about every lyric that was ever written to their music. Plus there are some funny stories included, which relay that even though a band concentrates on serious subject matter they can still have a good laugh.
Reunion / Retrospective definitely rates as one of the best DVD releases that I have in my collection, and is one of the essential DVD's for those into hardcore and punk music. I'd equate it to the Strife documentary, One Truth Live. If you are like me and grew up on the hardcore of the 90's, this is a must have release. If you're new to the world of hardcore but are seeking to understand why so many older hardcore fans are passionate about its music and message, then this DVD will answer your question.
