Bullet for My Valentine - The Poison

[chelseaxsmilexD]

Bullet for My Valentine - The Poison
Record Label: Trustkill (US)
Release Date: February 14, 2006

Every band has to start out somewhere. For Bullet For My Valentine, a Welsh metalcore quartet, it's a strong start, with a somewhat eighties-inspired sound that every Atreyu fan will adore. If As I Lay Dying, Metallica, and Atreyu had a baby, this album would be it. At first, this album amazed me, but musical tastes change over time. Still, it's strong enough to leave a mark in the face of metalcore. Bullet For My Valentine brings heavy riffage, great drums, fast, heart-pounding, rhythms, and amazing musicianship fit for heavy solos. They brought all they could with this album, and I'm glad that they did. They also bring catchy choruses and verses, a near-first for metalcore.

It's easy to say that, besides the "Intro," the first 5 or 6 songs were essentially the band's hitmakers, some more "hitmaking" than others. The second track, "Her Voice Resides," brings you into the song with an earth-shattering scream by Matt Tuck, the primary vocalist (he also brings down a lot of the band's potential). This song slows into a definite metalcore song that switches tempos a lot. "Four Words (To Choke Upon)" is a brilliant song with a great, memorable riff with a loud, somewhat late-'80s/early-'90s-inspired guitar intro, followed by a fast and heavy drumroll, providing intriguing moments of melodic rhythm that really get you into the song. Also, some of Tuck's best vocal work is shown on this song before he kills it on "All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)," a throw-away track, which should have been a bonus track, if anything, because the singing is just horrible.

"Tears Don't Fall" was the essential hit from this album, and it was also one of the longest songs on the album at 5:46. The guitars start out soft at first, but then crescendo to a full-on instrumental. Then Tuck starts singing lyrics that remind me of Fatal Attraction while noodly guitars go along with him for the ride. There's a pre-chorus that showcases Tuck's best ability, screaming. The chorus is catchy, with tumultuous guitar riffs that mix with a slow speed that transfers over to the verses. My favorite solo off this album comes from this song because it is very reminiscent of something Pantera, Iron Maiden, or Metallica would have done back in the '80s and '90s. And it fits with the rest of the song, unlike most of their solos, which just seem to be randomly placed.

"Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do)" is simply a great track. The intro is heavy with great guitar work, featuring some of their heaviest screaming. The chorus here is softer than the verses, and is a perfect example of how Bullet For My Valentine incorporates great musicianship. The only problem is that the screams are articulated badly, something new for BFMV. "Hit The Floor" is a catchy track to say the least, but it leaves you hanging. "The End" is a total closer -- the intro is ominous and creepy, although at first I thought it would suck because Tuck started screwing up the vocals. However, it redeemed itself with amazing screams before it got back into another verse, where an earth-shattering scream shocked the hell out of me. I thought it would become a heavy blur, but thank God it didn't. Then, it all goes original with a great outro. Overall, this album leaves a great first-impression, minus the unoriginal and lackluster vocals.

Atreyu; As I Lay Dying; metalcore

[flks511]

Not so sure if I trust the opinion of a Job for a Cowboy/Attack Attack fan.

[Piss]

terrible review

[Cøltøn]

Too much focus on the individual songs (and when you do describe the songs, there isn't enough detail) rather than the album as a whole. Just some constructive criticism.

As for the cd, I like it. The first half is a lot stronger than the second imo. Last 5 tracks kinda bore me compared to the earlier half.

Room 409 is probably the best one here, that or Hit the Floor.

This album also blows away Scream, Aim, Fire as well.

I also think that Matt's vocals are pretty sick, his screams especially.

[TheRagingJew]

horrible review...

based on the user's choice of music, why did he/she even bother to review this cd?

i feel that this was a one-sided view on the album and was going to trash it, regardless of the outcome...

[chelseaxsmilexD]

horrible review...

based on the user's choice of music, why did he/she even bother to review this cd?

i feel that this was a one-sided view on the album and was going to trash it, regardless of the outcome...
i used to be a huge bfmv fan just to let you know... i put this on everytime i do homework, read ect. so i don't believe this was a one sided view... if i had written this review eight months ago, i would have given it a 95%, okay, musical tastes change.

[chelseaxsmilexD]

Too much focus on the individual songs (and when you do describe the songs, there isn't enough detail) rather than the album as a whole. Just some constructive criticism.

As for the cd, I like it. The first half is a lot stronger than the second imo. Last 5 tracks kinda bore me compared to the earlier half.

Room 409 is probably the best one here, that or Hit the Floor.

This album also blows away Scream, Aim, Fire as well.

I also think that Matt's vocals are pretty sick, his screams especially.
hells yes it does.... it kills scream aim fire... and thnx for not being so "terrible review..." blah... those comments inspired to make me write three more... ty.... yw...

[I Enjoy Cake]

lol awful review.

[chelseaxsmilexD]

lol awful review.
y just becaus eyou ahte it? i can't please everyone can i?

[I Enjoy Cake]

you described it as "emocore".

[HometownHero]

Yeah this review is terrible. And I don't even like this band

[chelseaxsmilexD]

Yeah this review is terrible. And I don't even like this band
i enjoyed cake... its supposed to be an amalgam of emo and metalcore stupid... it's supposed to be humrous

and kidchino08 why even check the review if you hate the band... you're wasting your time.

[HometownHero]

i enjoyed cake... its supposed to be an amalgam of emo and metalcore stupid... it's supposed to be humrous

and kidchino08 why even check the review if you hate the band... you're wasting your time.
I get bored at night. Especially when no new news is posted. So I read random blogs, reviews, etc

[chelseaxsmilexD]

I get bored at night. Especially when no new news is posted. So I read random blogs, reviews, etc
k then... mind telling me whyyy this review is so terrible then.... u did say you were broed right?

[NateFoundGlory]

I predict a riot...

I enjoy this cd, but I have a weak spot for this kind of music. Scream, Aim, Fire fuckin blows though.

[Co and Ca]

Emocore is not amalgam of 'emo' and 'metalcore'. Emocore is what emo was called back in the early 90's, maybe even in the late 80's. To call this 'emocore' is an insult to the genre.

[Sikbeat37]

Constructive criticism:

Content aside, you need to edit your reviews if you want to avoid getting torn apart by readers in the future (There's a handful of run on sentences, some commas that should be semicolons, etc.). I also respect that you write informally, as if you're simply writing as you're speaking, but I think that doing so causes you to muddle your ideas. I think if you took the time to break apart what you want to say, rather than typing in a constant stream, you'll create more fluid ideas.

As far as the content of the review, you should try to focus less on opinions and more on actual descriptions. Saying a song is "good" or "catchy" doesn't give the reader any sense of what's happening in the song. Try to touch upon the lyrical content, the tone of the music, the tempo, or anything that portrays the "feeling" of the song.

Hey, keep writing and you'll get better with each new review.

[Yellowcard2006]

I get bored at night. Especially when no new news is posted. So I read random blogs, reviews, etc
You could just: :lurking:

[chelseaxsmilexD]

You could just: :lurking:
that's fucking hilarious!

[chelseaxsmilexD]

Constructive criticism:

Content aside, you need to edit your reviews if you want to avoid getting torn apart by readers in the future (There's a handful of run on sentences, some commas that should be semicolons, etc.). I also respect that you write informally, as if you're simply writing as you're speaking, but I think that doing so causes you to muddle your ideas. I think if you took the time to break apart what you want to say, rather than typing in a constant stream, you'll create more fluid ideas.

As far as the content of the review, you should try to focus less on opinions and more on actual descriptions. Saying a song is "good" or "catchy" doesn't give the reader any sense of what's happening in the song. Try to touch upon the lyrical content, the tone of the music, the tempo, or anything that portrays the "feeling" of the song.

Hey, keep writing and you'll get better with each new review.
thanks for the advice, i'm editing it now, so when I'm done you can "revisit" if you wish.

[Yellowcard2006]

that's fucking hilarious!
Haha thanks for noticing! feel free to use that you just type : lurking : (no spaces)

[chelseaxsmilexD]

Haha thanks for noticing! feel free to use that you just type : lurking : (no spaces)
k thnx :lurking:

[tipoftheiceberg]

eh, not a good review.
too much emphasis on the word great

[letitenfoldyou]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZy7vhkOfcM if you want to know where Matt Tuck learnt how to sing.

BFMV's self-titled EP is what to listen to. Just another star is a tuuuuuuuune.

[John is a cult]

:lurking:

[chelseaxsmilexD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZy7vhkOfcM if you want to know where Matt Tuck learnt how to sing.

BFMV's self-titled EP is what to listen to. Just another star is a tuuuuuuuune.
i'll check that out... i bet its some prepubescent teen screaming like a choking cat right? i'm a screamer too, and i know how esy it can be to screw up but damn....

anyway.,.. i luv the name... one of my favorite albums by senses fail!

[chelseaxsmilexD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZy7vhkOfcM if you want to know where Matt Tuck learnt how to sing.

BFMV's self-titled EP is what to listen to. Just another star is a tuuuuuuuune.
by the way... the ep i think is called hand of blood not bfmv... are there two?

[NateFoundGlory]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZy7vhkOfcM if you want to know where Matt Tuck learnt how to sing.

BFMV's self-titled EP is what to listen to. Just another star is a tuuuuuuuune.

Oh that is too funny hahahaha.

[letitenfoldyou]

by the way... the ep i think is called hand of blood not bfmv... are there two?

I didn't actually know about the 'Hand of blood' EP, however have just looked it up on wikipedia. I got the self-titled EP years ago at FFAF gig where Bullet were supporting. They've gone downhill since then, although they're really nice guys, Scream Aim Fire was just total gash in my opinion!

[chelseaxsmilexD]

FFAF? and were they still jeff killed john back then? because as far as i know it was jkj untli bfmv rolled around in 2004.

[chelseaxsmilexD]

I didn't actually know about the 'Hand of blood' EP, however have just looked it up on wikipedia. I got the self-titled EP years ago at FFAF gig where Bullet were supporting. They've gone downhill since then, although they're really nice guys, Scream Aim Fire was just total gash in my opinion!
oh, i found out about BFMV EP from music choice... don't laff... okay. And who's FFAF? And scream aim fire is horrendous shit that sounds like a lovechild between dragonforce and metallica. The only song that was good off that album was Waking the Demon, imo.

[letitenfoldyou]

FFAF? and were they still jeff killed john back then? because as far as i know it was jkj untli bfmv rolled around in 2004.
Nope they were BFMV, the gig was in May 2005. FFAF = Funeral for a Friend. Apologies for the mention of 2 welsh bands in the same sentence, that is fairly blasphemous. Bleddy Welsh. Also just realised that the reason that I didn't know about the Hand of Blood EP is because it was only released in the states.

[chelseaxsmilexD]

Nope they were BFMV, the gig was in May 2005. FFAF = Funeral for a Friend. Apologies for the mention of 2 welsh bands in the same sentence, that is fairly blasphemous. Bleddy Welsh. Also just realised that the reason that I didn't know about the Hand of Blood EP is because it was only released in the states.
oh, i'm from the us, so i guess it can get confusing

[Aksenhavoc]

Room 409 is probably the best one here I completely agree with this.

In terms of actual CD value, I think that out of everything done by Bullet for my Valentine, the first Hand of Blood EP was the best. This CD and Scream Aim Fire kinda blew Bullet into generic metal, except not as good, so I don't like these CDs as much. They still have good songs, but they stay at average in my opinion.

[chelseaxsmilexD]

I completely agree with this.

In terms of actual CD value, I think that out of everything done by Bullet for my Valentine, the first Hand of Blood EP was the best. This CD and Scream Aim Fire kinda blew Bullet into generic metal, except not as good, so I don't like these CDs as much. They still have good songs, but they stay at average in my opinion.
i realize how late this is to quote you, but i completely agree....

[StayBrutal19]

Best bullet album out there, althought bullet is becoming more main stream, ive lost most of my respect

[RobertClose]

I used to LOVE this album, but it's become old, and I've realised there are bands that do this sort of music better.

[Niko John]

LOVEEE THIS CD!! HOLY SHIT. Still my favorite bullet for my valentine album, hate fever so much.