Another week, another successful Welsh band filling one of Cardiff’s arenas; this time it’s the turn of Bridgend’s Bullet For My Valentine, who to be fair have been arena-fillers for the best part of their career now – still, another triumphant homecoming is surely on the cards, as fans who’ve made the cold Sunday night journey to the Motorpoint Arena eagerly anticipate their arrival on stage.
In line with their newfound ‘heaviness’, Matt Tuck, Padge and the boys arrive on stage to rapturous applause before pounding through Parasite, the opening track of their new self-titled album. Suddenly it’s 1986 and we are in the Bay Area of San Francisco, with circle pits opening up all over the place, as the guys attack their instruments. Quite the opener.
BFMV have put together a set that should please the majority – even diving back into their debut album The Poison to give 4 Words (To Choke Upon) an airing, whilst always keeping the new stuff like Rainbow Veins and Knives at the forefront of people’s minds. Flanked by a massive backdrop/screen of the artwork from the new album, and strobe lights that seem to be connected to the thumping double bass pedal of Jason Bowld, frontman Matt Tuck occasionally engages the crowd, but largely prefers to let the music do the talking.
By the time Scream, Aim, Fire hits, the whole crowd finds a second wind, with the place erupting into a huge mosh pit, which makes the medics on hand a little bit extra twitchy with additional security required to deal with the scores of crowd surfing fans. An effort to give the crowd a breather is offered as the widdly guitar-heavy Take It Out On Me is rolled out, followed by You Want A Battle (Here’s A War); it’s singalong time as we’re again taken back in time for Tears Don’t Fall; but as ever, there’s always time for one last bout of violence as they pummel through fan favourite Waking The Demon.
Welsh rock and metal are in a good place in 2021 and on top of that pile of talent is Bullet For My Valentine, who’ve again shown how arena metal shows should be done.
words CHRIS ANDREWS photos JASPER WILKINS
Read our Album Review
Events are Back!
If you’re running or promoting events in Wales, list them here for FREE.
