Today, metal veterans Bullet For My Valentine announce their self-titled, seventh album, Bullet For My Valentine. The album, which will be released on 22 October 2021, via SpinefarmRecords/ Search & Destroy, sees the band open a bold new chapter and is easily their heaviest, fiercest album so far.
“This is the beginning of Bullet 2.0,” says vocalist and lead guitarist Matt Tuck. “It signifies where we are right now.The music isfresh, it’s aggressive,it’s more visceral and more passionate than it’s ever been.
”Since Bullet For My Valentine formed in 1998, the Welsh metallers have become one of the biggest bands in metal, sellingover 3 million albums worldwideand scoringthreegold albums, as well as defining British metalcore with their now classic debut, The Poison.Bullet For My Valentinefollows the success of their last album, 2018’sGravity,which saw the metal juggernautsplay their biggest shows to date, including a UK arena tour and a massive show at London’s Alexandra Palace.But this timearound,the band have takenthings back to basics. Bullet For My Valentineis stacked with squealing solosand monstrous riffsthatwill delight fans both new and old.
“I think it’s the most ferocious side of Bullet For My Valentine that I’ve ever known,” sayslead guitarist Michael “Padge” Paget. “It’s time for us to put out a really angry, heavy, aggressive record. I think this direction is where we really shine. I just can’t wait to grimace on stage!”
“I wanted to come out guns blazing, fucking middle fingers flying and just go for the throat,” agreesMatt.“I think this is afar more aggressive, intense part of Bullet For My Valentine. It’s always been there,I’ve just never opened the floodgates on it. I want to take people’s heads off, in a metaphorical way. Everyone who’s naysaidthe band for 15 years and had shit to say about us…this is for them.”From a first listen, fans will recognise this asBullet on the form of their lives. Vicious opener Parasite and the album’s furious first single,Knives, are pure metallic adrenaline:galloping drums, seething vocals and frantic solos, creatinga dark sound that reflects the challenging period in which the album was recorded. Having taken the biggest risk of their careers with Gravity’sglossy anthemia, the band are now completely in their element, able to take their music wherever they want to goand experimenting with texture and tone on the disorientating Rainbow Veinsand blackened rock’n’rollof Bastards.Elsewherethough, powerhouse tracks like My Reverie, the thrash-influenced Paralysedand groove metal stomper,Shatter,are classic Bullet For My Valentine, mergingmenacingriffery withhuge, expansive choruses that willtower over huge rooms as soon as ourpits are allowed to reopen.Fans will get the chance to hear the new musiclive for the first time whenthe bandmake history byheadliningthe Download Festival pilot at Donington Park on 18 –20 June 2021. “We can’t wait to see how people react to the new material,” says Padge. “We can’t wait to get out there, smash everything and get back to playing music again.” “I think we’re an age now where we can’t be ignored as one of the fucking big boys of metal,” saysMatt. “You don’t stick around for twenty years and seven records if you’re not classed as that.It’s exciting times ahead we feel like we’re on the cusp of somethingmega.
”Matt began writing the album in September 2019 before the Coronavirus pandemic brought things screeching to a halt in early 2020. But in June 2020, Matt and long-time producer, Carl Bown, who co-produced the band’s 2015 album, Venom, and producedand mixed Gravity,picked up the pace again. Together, they hunkereddown at Treehouse Studio in Chesterfield,where the remainder of the album was written. Recording took place during Covid-safe sessions with each member of the band laying downtheir parts separately.“The writing process wasn’t different to usual, because I write all the music anyway,” says Matt. “But the option to get togetherand recordin the same room was taken away from us.” While the recording process posed its own challenges, the band have triumphed, creating an album that will cement their place at the very top of modern British metal.
“Our journey has had ups and downsbut the four of us in the band are still as hungry and confident as ever,” declaresMatt. “This is the best album think we’ve ever made and long may that trend continue. I think this album is special. I think as soon as people hear it, we’re going to make a lot of people smile.
Bullet For My Valentine s/t release
Spinefarm
Release: 5 November 2021
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE ARE:
Matt Tuck –Vocals and rhythm guitar
Michael “Padge” Paget–Lead guitar
Jamie Mathias-Bass
Jason Bowld –Drums
