A Welsh quartet that blends dark hard rock with the intensity of metal, Bullet For My Valentine are making a splash on both sides of the Atlantic. Originally known as Jeff Killed John, the band formed in 1999 while studying music at Bridgend College. Starting out as a
Nirvana and
Metallica covers band, in 2002 they released a two-track CD (You/Play With Me) through the Pynci scheme for new Welsh musicians. Changing their name to Bullet For My Valentine and adding a new bassist, BFMV retooled with Matthew Tuck (vocals/guitar), Michael Padget (guitar/vocals), Jason J
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ames (bass/vocals), and Michael Thomas (drums). After making a name for themselves locally, the band played a London showcase in February 2004, which piqued the interest of a few major labels. They were offered a deal by Roadrunner, but turned it down. Which was just as well, as in October 2004 the band put their mark on a five album deal with Sony. Bullet for My Valentine's debut album, The Poison, was released in October 2005 in the United Kingdom and February 2006 in the United States. It was dedicated to long time friend
Simon Roy Denning. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number 128, and the Top Heatseekers chart at number 1, establishing BFMV as a top metalcore band.
Bullet for My Valentine's second studio album, Scream Aim Fire was released in January 2008 in both the UK and the United States. Comparing their sophomore effort to their debut album, vocalist Matt Tuck commented; "The biggest difference is probably the tempo and the aggression. It's a lot more up-tempo, a lot more aggressive". The album went on to enter the Billboard 200 at number 4. Soon after, the band went on a North American Taste of Chaos tour with other headliners including
Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu. They are reportedly back in the studio crafting their third release, ever mindful of what sets them apart in the ultra competitive metal genre. Says Tuck: “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.” It would be hard for fans to disagree.
