Poison [Enhanced]

Bullet for My Valentine | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 14, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Red Int / Red Ink
• ASIN: B000E0WJIC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,142 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #65 in Music > Alternative Rock > Hardcore & Punk > Hardcore

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

2005 has been the year of Bullet For My Valentine. In the past twelve months, the Welsh four piece have exploded into worldwide prominence. Combining darkly crooned rock with earth shattering metal execution, the arena sized sound has taken over, radio, TV and live performances. Releasing their debut full-length "The Poison" in the UK, the album immediately shot to number one at rock radio. Known for their live vigor the group sold out a headlining tour through the UK, as well as high profile tours through Japan and a recent U.S. debut opening for Trustkill Records label-mates, It Dies Today.

Speaking on their recent streak of success, Matt Tuck, lithe and intense eyed vocalist and guitarist, is more matter of fact than arrogant when he says: "What separates us from most other bands is keeping our metal roots; keeping all of the aggressiveness and brutality that we’ve grown up on, but at the same time writing good songs." Then his tongue slips firmly into his cheek as he adds: And when you put it all together in one good looking, young, 21st Century rock band, you can’t fail!"

To give you an idea of the band’s standing in their homeland, the group is currently gearing up for a headlining spot on an upcoming Kerrang Magazine sponsored tour with Hawthorne Heights supporting them! Of couse all of this momentum is not gathered without hard work and working so hard comes with a price. 24 hours before turning in a foundation rattling gig at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods, Tuck had been hospitalized for exhaustion.

"We’d just been doing too much", says Matt. "My body just said ‘No more’ and packed in." But the same protestant work ethic has taken its toll on the rest of the band as well. During a hectic and insanely well received tour of Japan, affable drummer, Michael ‘Moose’ Thomas contracted a potentially fatal strain of flu! "It was horrible", says Moose "I was on a drip for a fortnight. I reckon I picked it up in those caves."

"Those caves" were the Postojna Caves in Slovenia where they filmed the epic video to their last top 40 single "Suffocating Under The Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do)." "It was the most heavy metal place you can imagine, underground with all these stalactites. But I thought they were going to snap off and spear me while I was playing", adds the drummer. "It had Enter Traveller In To This Immensity carved in big letters in Latin over the entrance, it was mad", adds laidback guitar man Michael ‘Padge’ Padget. While in the U.S. in November the band found time to film a video for the song "All These Things" from the Poison album. Look for the video on these shores in early 06.

The band composed of Tuck, Michael 'Padge' Padget (guitar), Michael 'Moose' Thomas (drums) or Jason 'Jay' James (bass) are childhood mates from the area of Bridgeend. This group was signed at their second gig and quickly steam-rolled through the musical landscape.

Recently scoring covers for Metal Hammer and Kerrang in their homeland and upcoming profiles in Revolver, Penthouse Magazine and beyond. The band recently released their self-titled EP in the U.S. on Trustkill Records (it has sold over 20,000 copies so far!). The video for "Hand Of Blood" has just been added to MTV2. The band are prepping the U.S. release of The Poison for Valentine’s Day 2006. Let the massacre begin.

Product Description

The Poison’ is an album rooted in classic British metal, with brutal riffs and colossal, pounding drums all lovingly and respectfully thrown into the mix along with the band’s own blend of powerhouse aggression and youthful anarchy and energy. With ‘The Poison’, Bullet for my Valentine are set to firmly establish themselves as the front runners of UK Metal, and give all the US bands a run for their money.

From the stunning opening introduction track, guest staring classical metal titans Apocalyptica, the million miles an hour heavy as hell ‘Her Voice Resides’, the acoustic metal classic in the making ‘All these things I hate (revolve around me)’, through to the top anthem ‘4 Words (To choke upon)’, this is a debut album to savour in all its epic, metal glory. Working once again with uber producer Colin Richardson (Machine Head, Cradle of Filth), the album successfully manages to capture the blinding raw energy and power of a band with the world at its feet, a band about to explode!

In the last year, Bullet for my Valentine have toured with Atreyu, It Dies Today, Funeral For A Friend, and just finished their headlining "Kerrang Tour" with special guests Hawthorne Heights.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not great, but well above average, February 27, 2006

By 

A. Stutheit "Teyad" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Poison (Audio CD)

When referring to this British four piece, the phrase "the next big thing" has been tossed around more than a hot potato. Of course, Bullet For My Valentine wouldn't have so much potential if metalcore weren't the fad right now. But there is a disadvantage to metalcore being so popular: there is a lot of competition. Because there are so many other metalcore bands, nothing on "The Poison" is 100% new or innovative (even the singing-screaming choruses grow old after a while.) Fortunately, BFMV have a few characteristics (like guitar solos) that help them stand out from other bands, like Killswitch Engage.

After the first track (a brief, soft instrumental which is appropriately titled "Intro" and features Apocalyptica's cellos), "Her Voice Resides" blows the gates wide open, with super heavy yelling and fiery, chugging riffs. "4 Words (To Choke Upon)" is backed by a pounding rhythm with fast double bass drumming, and some cleanly sung vocals. "Tears Don't Fall" is partially melodic and restrained (it begins with soft strumming), but it also has a couple of breakneck tempo changes (where the song catapults into machine gun riffing). The last two tracks worth mentioning are "Hit The Floor" and "Room 409." The former track has scorching guitar work and an almost thunderous beat, and the latter has big, chunky riffs. But both of these songs are still somewhat melodic, because they both have a catchy "Woah-oh-oh" sing along.

Metalcore has kind of been run into the ground, so it can be hard, sometimes, to discern which bands are for real and which bands are just imitators. It's definitely nothing we haven't heard before, but "The Poison" is still an above average metalcore record. It's not great, but it's even further from being bad.

I can't recommend it to everybody, because it depends on how much you like metalcore, but if you like metal (smokin' riffs and pounding drums) streaked with melody (clean singing and occasional acoustic guitars), this is for you. And metalcore diehards will definitely want to check this out, and probably own it. Casual fans, however, should probably skip it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad., September 24, 2006

By 

The Wickerman (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Poison (Audio CD)

Bullet for my Valentine basically take emo/hardcore elements, and serve them up with a healthy dose of thrash and melodic death metal, to create a sound that is definitely a cut above the rest. Sure, frontman Matt Tuck can get a little emo-ish at times, but he's also a good screamer, and the band is always quick with a blazing riff, a scorching solo, an Iron Maiden-ish melody, or a blistering double bass attack. I'd say this album is really more metal than anything, so if you've always wanted a bit more metal in this type of music, then you're likely to find plenty of enjoyment here. These guys are great musicians, who really know how to rock hard. Best song is "The End", a 7-minute epic that alternates between dark, haunting melodies, and powerful climactic riffs. The rest are in the 3-4 minute range, and a bit more straight-forward, but still full of interesting dynamics. It never gets boring for a second.

Overall, this album really took me by surprise. Not quite amazing, but when you consider how awful a lot of these kinds of bands are, these guys are really something special. Recommended to fans of Thrice and Alexisonfire, as well as fans of Shadows Fall and In Flames, or just to anyone who enjoys well-played heavy music with plentiful melody.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a band that does new metal the right way., September 7, 2006

By 

Jerry Lynn Veillon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Poison (Audio CD)

First off, I'm an 80's metal guy. I love bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Dio, Megadeth. And for years, it's been difficult for me to get into any new metal bands...until now! What an amazing band. Finally, you have a band that has the makings of a great modern day metal band, yet their music still firmly reflects their 80's roots. I love this album. If you love your metal with pounding riffs, killer solos, and a whole lot of attitude, buy this cd. This is the best British rock band to come onto the scene in years.