It seems amazing, but it’s been eighteen years since metal band Bullet for My Valentine formed in the nice-but-unspectacular Welsh town of Bridgend. Bandmembers spent the first few years finding their feet and learning their trade, but by 2005 the band had released debut album The Poison, and in Britain the boys were a well-known name in metal circles.
Over the next decade, the band built itself up into a festival headliner (in Europe, at least), and its fifth studio album, Venom, released at the end of last year, has done nothing to hurt that pull. Fans in the States, however, are taking a while to catch up. For now, BFMV is playing theaters rather than the arenas and stadiums to which it is accustomed, but singer Matt Tuck said that the guys are okay with that. The band might be destined for cult status over here forever.
“Everything we do is fun, whether it be huge arenas, festivals or club shows,” Tuck says. “We always approach it the same, and try to make it the best night possible and perform the best we can. They all have their advantages and disadvantages, regardless of where you play. They all haves their ups and downs for the artist. But we’re not really weirded out about how big or small the venues are. We just go there to do our job and hopefully everyone leaves with a big smile.”
The reaction of the crowd has never been a problem for these boys. They do pretty well in the studio, too, and Tuck is delighted with the reception that Venom has received so far.
“Overall, it was very well received across the board, from everyone we wanted it to be, especially the fans,” he says. “It’s nice to get great reviews everywhere. We had our highest chart positions we’ve ever had on release. It was a great success. For me, it’s definitely our strongest album. Everyone has their own opinions, especially the fans, but for me personally, I would put it as our best album yet.”
Denver fans of the band will have the opportunity to hear those new tracks live when they reach the Ogden Theatre on February 9. It’s a show Tuck is looking forward to, as Denver is actually close to his heart.
“Our first-ever U.S. gig back in 2004 was in Denver,” he says. “We have very fond memories, experiencing the altitude and the weather. It’s something we’d never experienced before, and we’ve had our fair share of quite extreme weather when passing through town. We like it.”
We’re glad you do, sir. As for what to expect from their Denver set, the singer said that it’ll be a mix. “Obviously a bunch of songs from the new record, and just a career-spanning journey,” he says. “We’ll be playing an hour-and-a-half set, and we’ll be bringing a fancy lighting rig with us as well, which we haven’t done in the States before; we’ve kept it quite basic with house rigs. We’re bringing a self-contained, state-of-the-art light rig, which we’re very excited about. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The band is in North America until March, then they hit Japan for a month, and they’re back in the U.S. in May for a handful of festivals. Then back to Europe for a bunch more. The year is pretty much fully booked, and the band's members are happy with that.
“We’re playing nearly thirty festivals this year, which is the most we’ve ever done in a year,” Tuck says. “It’s a good indication of where the band’s at. We’ve never been busier, so it’ll be a great year.”
Bullet For My Valentine plays with Asking Alexandria and While She Sleeps at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9 at the Ogden Theatre.
