Almost a decade ago, The Poison has put group of trash metal boys in the center of attention. Everytime Bullet For My Valentine are about to release an album, anticipation brings the house down. Sadly, they never managed to satisfy expectations and maintain their reputation. Everything you expect will be used against you. That was especially the case with Temper Temper. They admit how they missed the anger on that album, a key ingredient for metal.
Calculated or not, Matt Tuck, the lead singer, decided to release that anger now. He says he is happy with his life (he is happily married), so it’s difficult for him to find motivation for dark lyrics. That is why he utilized retrospection and used the anger he felt when he was younger. It doesn’t seem very sincere for me but it is was obviously good enough for Bullet For My Valentine to record a great album. Maybe their best since the debut.
Title track Venom is the worst power ballade on the album but I have really liked the video. Especially the snake. Even though Matt whines how he can not stand her love venom, the rest of the album spreads the message more effectively.
Opening tracks No Way Out and Army Of Noise have brutal heavy riffs and melodic choruses, altogether respecting the formula that made them famous. Worthless is my absolute favorite, reminiscing their first record.
Broken has a boy band vibe, but double bass and the strength of picking keeps it metal enough. It is similar case with Hell Of High Water.
Closing track is a corny filler, Pariah. Too bad for those who didn’t get limited edition. Those four bonus tracks should have been put on a regular release, especially Run For Your Life that has a brutal solo over brutal drums. Raising Hell is the one they have released two years before the album came out.
If I am talking about melody and commercial potency, this is one of the metal favorites of the year. It seems like Bullet For My Valentine had to go through the turbulent period, swear their mothers and reach the bottom in order to rise again. Venom is definitely their airplane.
