Bullet for My Valentine Albums- Rock and Metal in One

The Bullet for My Valentine merch and albums are always a great musical experience because you know at the back of your mind that this is a group devoted to its music. Instead of pouring hours over fixing their hair or creating a better image for better sales, they have stubbornly latched more onto just creating music. This is what makes them great.

The UK group started in 1998 but not as the group that it is now. They were first known as Jeff Killed John with Nick Crandle on bass, Michael Thomas on drums, Michael Paget on lead guitar and Matthew Tuck on vocals. They originally played nu metal and played songs by other bands. In 2002, they got a shot at creating their own brand with the release of You Play With Me. Before things could get rolling however, Crandle left and Jason James had to fill in.

Due to financial issues, the group eventually had to change their name to their current one. This also marked changes in their label and music direction. They signed up for five records for Sony BMG which gave way for the group’s first two EPs under their new name. The first official Bullet for My Valentine album however was The Poison which was released in 2005. It debuted at 128 in the Billboard 200. Despite the modest entry though, the album did reach gold status a little over a year after its release. This was a sign that the group finally had a permanent name to use for band patches.

There isn’t much to debate over when it comes to defining the group’s genre. For critics and some music fans, they fit nicely under the banner of metalcore or heavy and thrash metal. This however is not how the band perceives their music. They prefer to be categorized under rock but with metal infusions. They regard Metallica and Iron Maiden as among their major influences.

The band followed through the success of their first album with the release of Scream Aim Fire in January 2008. Although the work followed much of the same tone pattern as the first one, it is considered a bit more forceful. The band however seems to have moved back to the original musical elements of their third release, Fever. Nonetheless, the marked aggression is still present especially with the absence of slow beat songs. The group considers this piece of work to be an indication of how far the band has matured. Of all their albums, this third one is perhaps the most enduring in quality and style.

The group has not been all agog over being packaged in a more saleable manner. They have nevertheless not escaped mainstream recognition. In 2004, the Welsh Music Awards recognized them as Best Newcomer. The Metal Hammer Golden God Award went on to name them Best British Band in 2006. They also have a number of recognitions from the Kerrang! Awards. Their single Tears Don’t Fall was named Best UK Single in 2006 while the group itself was recognized as Best British Newcomer in 2005 and Best British Band in 2008 and 2009.

Hardcore fans might want to go on and argue over which genre the Bullet for My Valentine albums belong to. Obviously though, the group doesn’t care. They just want to make more music.