The self-titled seventh album from Bullet For My Valentine shows the evolution of the band as they usher in their new, more aggressive sound.
Frontman Matt Tuck has described this album as being Bullet for My Valentine 2.0, and from the very beginning, it is easy to see why. The ten songs all have a faster, more thrash feel with a lot more screaming vocals. But you can still hear the classic sound we expect from Bullet for my Valentine. The opening track “Parasite” launches right in, showing you the evolution by beginning with clips of old popular songs spanning the catalog before it launches into this extremely fast thrash-sounding song.
All 10 songs tell a story which is something Bullet for my Valentine has always excelled at. There are songs of betrayal and perseverance, messages that are going to connect with the listener. In addition to the fast speed of the guitars delivered by Tuck and Michael “Padge” Paget, the bass line is pounding and equally fast anchored by drummer Jason Bowld and Jamie Mathias on bass.
This band has always had a blend of the melodic clean vocal along with the screaming something beautiful and dark combined like their name, but this album definitely focuses more on the heavy screaming vocal. The more melodic is there in songs like “My Reverie” and “Can’t Escape the Waves” so the listener is sure to recognize this as an evolution of the band they love just expanding their musical style. “Knives” has riffs that are very reminiscent of The Poison, blending it well with this new sound. “No Happy Ever After” also opens with a very strong riff and drum focus. As expected from a song titled “Bastards,” this song lends itself to a singalong and will surely be a hit when performed live, and its message will connect with everyone on some level.
The two songs that have been released as a preview already “Parasite” and “Paralyzed” show this new sound exceptionally well. When you first hear them you may think this entire album is a departure from the classic Bullet for my Valentine sound but when you listen to the whole album you will see it is still there simply delivered harder and faster. Bullet for my Valentine has always gravitated to the fast thrash sound and this album is a progression of that. You can clearly hear their influences from Metallica to Pantera on this album but it sounds new and exciting.
The album was released on November 5th and is definitely worth listening to. If you are looking for a “Tears Don’t Fall” or “Hearts Burst Into Fire,” you won’t find that here. What you will find is an aggressive and musical album that will make you take note. The commitment to the performance is intense and is sure to impress all who listen to it. You can’t fail to connect with the new material.
