Rock and metal are known for pushing boundaries, often embracing the outrageous and experimental. From the teased-out hair of glam rock to Jimmy Page 's iconic double-neck guitar with Led Zeppelin , rockstars are no strangers to going over the top. And according to Guitar , Matt Heafy , Trivium 's guitarist, is right in line with that tradition.

In a conversation with Metal Hammer alongside Bullet For My Valentine 's Matt Tuck , Heafy reflected on his love for extended-range guitars—specifically, the nine-string guitar. While Tuck mentioned he'd been learning the seven-string, Heafy encouraged him to take it even further, declaring, "You've gotta try the nine-string now!" He acknowledges the extra strings can feel a bit excessive, calling the guitar "silly," yet Heafy finds it undeniably fun, "I don't think it'd fit Trivium or Bullet but it's so much fun to play."

This isn't the first time Heafy 's enthusiasm for the nine-string has made waves. Back in 2021, Amsterdam's custom shop, Red Layer Guitars , crafted a nine-string specifically for his Ibaraki project. The build came with a twist: tuned as low as B-flat, Heafy described it on the Drinks With Johnny podcast as "freaking insane." The tuning allows it to drop into bass-like depths, making it perfect for experimenting with "weird music."

"This guy builds two guitars a year," Heafy said of the luthier behind the instrument. "He built a guitar for me and a guitar for Fredrik Thorendal from Meshuggah . I love it. I've just been screwing around making weird music with it."

When he first received the guitar, Heafy recorded a nine-string version of Trivium 's "Down From The Sky." With the tuning so low, the song took on a heavier, bass-like sound—an unexpected twist that Heafy seemed to relish.

Beyond Heafy 's nine-string escapades, Metal Hammer captured an exciting revelation from Matt Tuck : Bullet For My Valentine will be dropping new music in sync with their upcoming co-headline tour with Trivium , and we recently knew they are once again working with producer Carl Bown ( Bring Me the Horizon , Sleep Token ), who produced Venom , Gravity , and Bullet For My Valentine .

The first single, expected early next year, will feature Tuck 's seven-string guitar, hinting at an even heavier direction for Bullet 's sound: "The first single for our next campaign, which may or may not be in January, will have the seven-string on."

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine will be out on the road in 2025 celebrating the 20 ^th anniversary of their albums Ascendancy and The Poison . There are quite a few dates, all of which you can get below. Tickets are available here .