Bullet For My Valentine
Forgive me if this review seems somewhat bemused; either I was distracted by the Lost message boards while scribbling my notes or Bullet for My Valentine’s newest record, Scream Aim Fire, just couldn’t keep my attention. We’ll just say it’s a combination of both.
I’m one of those people who judge bands by their names. If the name is dull, chances are I won’t check the band out, which is probably why I spent the last couple years ignoring the Welsh metal outfit, Bullet for My Valentine, due to the daft nature of their name. However, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I heard some tracks from their debut album The Poison, released early in 2006. Being a sucker for a good riff, I found The Poison to be entertaining, but not the next Ride the Lightning.
Scream Aim Fire kicks off with the title track, immediately setting the tone of the album with ripping guitar lines and accelerated drum beats. Surprisingly, Matt Tuck doesn’t distort his voice with gruff screaming until the breakdown, instead showcasing his strong vocal talent which is often compared to Metallica’s James Hetfield. “Eye of the Storm” follows along the same lines, with the typical syncopated drum/guitar opening. The guitar work is impressive, offering classic metal influence on the solos and expeditious riffs on almost every other part of the song. However, flashy guitar work is a staple of metal and isn’t anything new. If you want to make it big, you have to offer something new and exciting. “Waking the Dead,” however, offers the much needed attitude to revert my attention away from the computer screen and back to the notebook with powerful guitar riffs and authoritative drums. The band’s arena rock influences are certainly evident on “Hearts Burst Into Fire” and “Deliver Us from Evil.” Both songs (which slightly remind me of Finch, around the What It is to Burn-era) have a largely epic feel and seem to be tailored specifically for the large arenas the band will be playing on this year’s A Taste of Chaos Tour. “Take It Out of Me,” however, wins the award for the best song on the album. Opening with a hint of southern flavor, the song bears a fashionable guitar hook and skillfully transitions into a soft bridge before the intensity builds back up before the song’s denouement. The album closes with the disappointing “Forever and Always,” a song that sounds almost as cheesy as the title.
Bullet for My Valentine aren’t bad any standards. Scream Aim Fire is an album that showcases the band’s meshing of older arena rock influences and modern metal. However, the album lacks attitude. Rhythmically, the band doesn’t offer anything new and exciting; instead they seem to fall back on the same ideas and rhythms that have defined the strong genre lines that few bands are afraid to cross. If I were to give the band some advice, I would advise adding a “presence” to their music. Use some more pinch harmonics. Write drums parts that show some agility. And for Pete’s sake, show some double-kick skills.
All in all, Scream Aim Fire is a rifftacular journey into the world of arena metal. If power ballads are your thing, then you’ll love this album. As for me, however, I’m going to close my notebook and re-watch last night’s episode of Lost.
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Artist: Bullet For My Valentine
Album: Discography
Genre: Metal / Hardcore
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bulletformyvalentine
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