BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
FEVER

Fans of BFMV may be divided by this one. It’s not ‘Scream Aim Fire’ Part 2 (which went Top 5 on both sides of the Atlantic) and has to be the most commercial stab so far by the band from Wales. Bringing in Linkin Park/Avril Lavigne producer Don Gilmore for this release is either a stroke of genius or a little sad. You judge.

To be honest I’m a little divided, I like it sure, there are some great melodies in here, wonderful guitars, pounding drums and screaming harmonies, but it’s all kind of restrained. And that I guess is the point, this is BFMV’s Black Album where they reap the glory and cross solidly into the REALLY Big League?

Well maybe…

To me it’s a solid album and one which I am sure will translate live but it’s still not quite there for me. One of my favourite Metal releases of the last couple of years was the first Black Tide album and this reminds me a lot of that but for me at least doesn’t quite reach that height.

If you like you metal clean with token growls and infected by a strain of the American Hi-Fi virus in the melody section then this is for you. That might sound like I’m condemning it, but I’m not at all it’s just I have that uneasy feel of creeping commercialisation.

Personally I’m just not convinced that this is a fully-formed BFMV sound, but it’s pretty close. I just hope the next step isn’t a duet with Avril…

Tracks like ‘Alone’ really shine and the opening three tracks pretty much will seal the deal for most fans I guess. But there are songs on here that just seem to threaten without going for the kill. Worst of all is the solitary ballad ‘Bittersweet Melodies’ which hopefully explains my American Hi-Fi reference when you hear it.  Tuck’s lyrics were never really that great and there’s no progression here.

On balance I like it, not as good as Scream Aim Fire for me but not that bad at all, just not killer!

Mark