Bullet for My Valentine Albums- Defining a New Approach

In Children Toys of Advisor (July 28, 2010 5:40 am)

The Bullet for My Valentine merch and albums are always a great musical experience because you know at the back of your mind that this is a group devoted to its music. Instead of pouring hours over fixing their hair or creating a better image for better sales, they have stubbornly latched more onto just creating music. This is what makes them great.

The founding band members hail from the UK but were originally known under the moniker Jeff Killed John. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew Tuck; lead guitarist Michael Paget; drummer Michael Thomas and bassist Nick Crandle came together in 1998 and, at the outset, began playing nu metal music. In 2002, the group released the EP You Play With Me. Before the release Crandle left and Jason James took over bass and backup vocals.

Due to financial issues, the group eventually had to change their name to their current one. This also marked changes in their label and music direction. They signed up for five records for Sony BMG which gave way for the group’s first two EPs under their new name. The first official Bullet for My Valentine album however was The Poison which was released in 2005. It debuted at 128 in the Billboard 200. Despite the modest entry though, the album did reach gold status a little over a year after its release. This was a sign that the group finally had a permanent name to use for band patches.

There isn’t much to debate over when it comes to defining the group’s genre. For critics and some music fans, they fit nicely under the banner of metalcore or heavy and thrash metal. This however is not how the band perceives their music. They prefer to be categorized under rock but with metal infusions. They regard Metallica and Iron Maiden as among their major influences.

In January 2008, the band went on to release their second album, Scream Aim Fire. The album is still within the same category as its predecessor but band members consider it more belligerent in tone. A brief relapse into the style and tone of the first album cam about with the release of Fever, the group’s third album. But of course, there were no gradual beats to replace the aggressive stance. Fever is most likely a sign of musical maturity because, of the three albums, this one has more in store when it comes to the question of musical legacy.

The group has not actively attempted to look better for the limelight. Even so, they have had a good share of it, being named the Best Newcomer in the 2004 Welsh Music Awards. Two years later in 2006, they were given the Metal Hammer Golden God Award for Best British Band. The Kerrang! Awards also took notice, naming the group Best British Newcomer in 2005 and Best British Band in 2008 and 2009. Their song Tears Don’t Fall was named Best UK Single in 2006 by Kerrang!

Hardcore fans might want to go on and argue over which genre the Bullet for My Valentine albums belong to. Obviously though, the group doesn’t care. They just want to make more music.

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