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Bullet For My Valentine
Having recorded half-dozen tracks, the band Jeff Killed John figured that neither their name nor their sound was working. So the Welsh (Bridgend) group became Bullet For My Valentine and switched musical styles - moving away from Nu Metal. "We're a Hard Rock band with Metal influences, and I've said that from Day One," vocalist Matt Tuck commented a few years later.
The change proved beneficial with the band signing a five album major label (Sony BMG) deal. Two EPs, a self-titled effort and "Hand Of Blood" preceded the group's '05 full-length debut, "The Poison" (released in the U.S. on Valentine's Day, '06). On the strength of "The Poison," Bullet For My Valentine secured opening tour slots only to have it interrupted when Tuck suffered laryngitis and had to have an emergency tonsillectomy. Prior to Tuck's throat ailment, "The Poison: Live At Brixton," the group's first DVD, was filmed during a London concert.
Bullet For My Valentine's sophomore album, '07's "Scream Aim Fire," yielded three singles, the title track, "Hearts Burst Into Fire" and "Waking The Demon." The album debuted at #4 on Billboard 200 which was a career high for the group. In addition, Kerrang! Magazine named them the Best British Band in both '08 and '09. The set also went Top 5 in Europe and #1 in Japan.
While the group was recording their third album, "Fever," Tuck said the set will "stand the test of time [more] than both the previous things we've done. It's a lot more classic." Produced by Don Gilmore (Linkin Park, Good Charlotte), the eleven track set included "Your Betrayal" and "The Last Fight."
In late-April, '10, "Fever" arrived in the U.S. Back in the U.K., Bullet For My Valentine won awards for Best Live Band and Best British Band at the 17th annual (2010) Kerrang! Awards in London.
Michael Paget uses every incendiary guitar technique available - machine gun riffs, searing licks and seismic power chords. Tuck has pyrotechnics of his own. And let's not forget Jason James and Michael Thomas who are unrelenting.
Though critics didn't think much of it initially, "The Poison" is a promising start. The title track, "Room 409" and "10 Years Today" show Bullet For My Valentine at the top of their game. The unexpected tempo change on "All Those Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)" takes the song past the numbers.
"Scream Aim Fire" opens with the frantic title track and amps up "Eye Of The Storm." "Heart Burst Into Fire" and "Waking The Demon" are powered by Thomas' intense and agitated drumming. "Say Goodnight," a ballad offers Paget a chance to show his melodic side to good advantage. Like "Spit It Out" on their debut set, "End Of Days" and "Last To Know" amply illustrate Bullet For My Valentine's Nu Metal roots.
Your Betrayal," the title track and "The Last Fight," high energy Metal blasts, get "Fever" off to an impressive start. The mid-tempo ballad "A Place Where You Belong" has the lyric "can I die with you so we can never grow old," one of several darkly romantic lines that appear throughout.
The track "Pain And Pleasure" is mostly about pain and "Bittersweet Memories" is just bitter but both songs are high torque shots. The former proffers a hard-edged Thrash Metal while the latter is a power-ballad with some real clout.