Bullet For My Valentine - 'Fever' Review

Welsh metallers Bullet For My Valentine will release Fever April 27. The new album is a wildly anticipated follow-up to the 2008 release Scream Aim Fire. Fever has 11 tracks:

01. Your Betrayal
02. Fever
03. The Last Fight
04. A Place Where You Belong
05. Pleasure And Pain
06. Alone
07. Breaking Out Breaking Down
08. Bittersweet Memories
09. Dignity
10. Begging For Mercy
11. Pretty On The Outside

So, what does the album sound like? In a word, "Bullet." There's a lot more aggression on Fever than Scream Aim Fire, but the album is definitely commercial enough to make a big splash. The band never strays from their signature harmonic guitars. The songs are a mix of melodic and thrash. Sure, this isn't in-your-face metal and no, it's not Glam - but that's not BFMV. The band is a sort of mix of all those things and for them, the formula works. 

I love the song "Your Betrayal." I actually think it could fit on the band's first album, The Poison. Matt Tuck doesn't seem to be having any vocal issues at all on Fever and he sounds especially good here. 

What is my favorite track? "A Place Where You Belong," natch. Awhile back, singer Matt Tuck told Metal Hammer there wouldn't be any ballads on Fever. Well, that was before he and the rest of the band created "A Place Where You Belong." Don't worry: the song isn't gooey. We're talking dark themes here. The song actually revolves around suicide, so there's a real, believable element of pain.

"Will you wait for me?/I'll see you on the other side," Tuck sings before a lengthy guitar solo.

The special thing about Bullet For My Valentine is that they are not afraid of guitar solos. The band knows an appropriately written and placed solo can really drive a song. This is never more true than on "A Place Where You Belong."

Is this metalcore? Well, I don't know. I think BFMV is metal, plain and simple. The band has been accused of trend hopping in the past, a charge I just don't get. Songs like "Begging for Mercy" certainly don't sound like something your average drive-time DJ would spin but boy, s/he should. If "A Place Where You Belong" is my favorite track on Fever, then "Begging for Mercy" is a close second. The song is fast and begins with those famous growls sprinkled all throughout The Poison and Scream Aim Fire. This is definitely the "get in the pit" song on Fever.

The first official single from Fever is "The Last Fight." Again, this is a fast one, but there's that melodic guitar overtone which always equals radio play. The drums receive some special attention here, too. Sometimes Tuck's Welsh accent seems heavy and others, non-existent. On "The Last Fight" it's pretty clear Tuck has an accent, but it doesn't detract from the song. "Can you See me through bloodshot eyes?" demands Tuck on this one. In a lot of ways, "The Last Fight" sounds the most classically metal, especially when the song reaches the apex of the breakdown. You'll like this one.

My early prediction? Fever will make my top 10 best of 2010 list for both this site and Noisecreep. Mark it.

Don Gilmore produced Fever. Bullet For My Valentine are touring this spring with support from Airbourne and Chiodos.

Catch my new interview with Matt Tuck soon on Noisecreep.

Comments

[Bryon]

The rep that BFMV has actually reminds me a bit of how Skid Row was regarded in the early 90's. Skid Row's songs were definitely harder than most of the metal that was played on radio at the time, and their attitude was not glam. Still, they got lumped in with bands like Poison and Warrant because they also wrote some softer, melodic songs, which caused 'real' metal fans to shy away from them. Not to mention, their record company marketed them like a glam band because that's what sold back then.

BFMV is similar. They write great, hard metal songs, but many 'real' metal fans trash them because of the slower, ballad-type songs that they put out.

Either way, I'm a huge fan and can't wait for the next album!

[MotleyCrue666]

You are SO lucky!!!! i cant wait for tis album and to see them in concert! This cd looks sic i cant wait to hear the whole thing.
how is the title track? BFMV stated that it was their best song ever in an interview. and allyson is it your fav. bullet album or do you like the others better? just wondering!

[Allyson]

@motleycrue666

'Fever' is a pretty awesome song. I don't know if it is their BEST song ever - I actually think "A Place Where You Belong" is stronger...but they are different types of songs for different moods. I will say this: of all the songs on Fever, the title track definitely explores common GLAM themes the most!

I don't know if it is my fave BFMV album...that's hard to say, too...because Scream Aim Fire is the most played metal CD on my iTunes. But I really think Fever is an evolved sound and Matt really does sound great. All around, it's a strong album - I really think you'll like it. It's definitely heavier than S-A-F, but that's ok in my book.

- A

[Tim F]

Thanks for the review what are some of the more aggressive songs other than Begging For Mercy?

[MotleyCrue666]

Thank you for answering!
and alright sweet i cant wait especially for the title track now that you say it contains glam elements!

[kyle]

I heard the Album. THey just dont sound the same as they use to in the poison. They toned down on the hardcore screaming which makes this new album not as good as the poison. I think Don Gilmore screwd it up. He made linkin park go gay with minutes to midnight and he trying to make bullet gay as well

[Luke]

Overall I like the sound of Fever, couple of songs I'm liking, but this sounds nothing like The Poison. Supposedly they were going to bring back more of The Poison's style screaming, but I'm not hearing it much at all, except perhaps in "Begging for mercy". There are also a couple of ballads in here, which they also said they would not be doing. I was really hoping for something much more hardcore sounding. I'm just not hearing the Metalcore sound anymore that hooked me on BFMV back in 2006, and I bloody love my Metalcore. I'll just wait now for the new Parkway Drive album... hell yeah.

[Diehard bullet fan]

The new cd is not very good. Maybe 3 or 4 good songs. Matt apparently is having lady troubles , you'll pick that up quickly because every songs lyrics tell the same story. Music has been toned down and commercialized. Guitars are not as near as complex as past CDs except for a few songs . Little screaming. If you live for bullet you will probably not prefer this cd

[Luke]

Lol, most of bullet's songs have always revolved around similar themes Diehard. Room 409, Cries in vain, Tears don't fall... thats just a few on The Poison. This album for me is much like when I first heard Scream Aim Fire. The more I listen the more I'm liking it.

[Mari]

Hmm..
I'm actually listening to the album now, and I'm liking it. Still as many others have said, I miss some of the "harder" screaming. Anyways, I like the album, and I'm sure I'll like it better and better as I keep listening to it!

[ShotintheDark]

bullet never fails to impress me. i dont care how hard they are or whatever. bullet has some of the best vocals i have ever heard! the album gets a 9.5/10 from me. they need to involve more screaming tho

[Blechh]

The cd is not that good,
If I were you, I'd would still listen to Scream Aim Fire, but Fever is an album that I don't approve. I hope they get better than this, we love the heaviness!! Bring old BFMV back!

[phish]

The more i listen to this album the more i like it but clearly it's not as hardcore as the poison and the Scream Aim Fire impressing guitars are gone but accually i like this album as much as those others it's good to hear new shit and not only the poison stuff cuz you'll get borred as hell of bfmv if they only played "the poison'isch material peace out from sweden

[rmpunk99]

I really like Fever. I really dig Begging For Mercy and especially Alone since its a song that really stands out from others. I agree it would be cool for Matt to bring back more screaming like on The Poison and Scream Aim Fire. But we should stop complaining about that and just be happy Matt can still sing due to his laryngitus back around 06-07. So we should be glad that he screams and sings while he still has his great voice.

[Steven]

Yeah the more I listen to Fever the more I like it. I still think The Poison kicks the most ass. I miss the complexity of songs like the poison and four words to choke upon. The songs on Fever are pretty straight forward and predictable to me both musically and lyrically. I gotta admit the songs are catchy as hell, but that's what that MTV garbage is for! I don't want Bullet to sound like a dumb commercial pop or rap artist, I want real music like I know they're capable of!! But all in all, it's still BFMV and I still love em all the way through from Tears Don't Fall, to Waking the Demon, to Pretty on the Outside.

[Bullet For my valentine album]

i like this albums