Metal heavyweights Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium kickstart a co-headline world tour in the Welsh capital to a raucous reception. Titled the Poisoned Ascendancy Tour, it celebrates the 20th anniversaries of BFMV’s debut The Poison and Trivium’s second album Ascendancy, with each record due to be played in its entirety.
The opening act for the show, Swedish death metallers Orbit Culture, have a take on loud and heavy which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but their melodic instrumentation has a driving spirit that gets the fans warmed up and appreciative of the music on offer. The first of the co-headliners to take to the stage, meanwhile, were Orlando’s Trivium, whose frontman Matt Heafy expounds on the nostalgic element of playing Cardiff for them – they last played here 15 years ago.
Launching into a set which contained popular numbers like Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr and A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation, Trivium create a bouncing atmosphere that’s evident through the crowd’s fist bumps and singalongs. To an unfamiliar listener, it may be difficult to distinguish song from song, with Heafy’s vocal growls dominating any melodies present, but the crisp instrumentation is apparent.
Dying In Your Arms is a particular standout, thanks to its rhythmic backing and rich guitar work, and Trivium’s set – rounded off with bonus track and fan favourite 2011’s In Waves – is assisted by a spectacular giant inflatable of the character from their Ascendancy cover.
Taking top slot on this occasion were Bullet For My Valentine, who are after all on home turf, and who open their performance with a video montage of their success as newcomers during The Poison era. The Bridgend group rattle through its tracklisting to a tremendous response.
An acoustic rendition of mammoth hit Tears Don’t Fall, led by vocalist Matt Tuck, showcases an emotive rawness – something also present during 10 Years Today, a tribute to the loss of a friend. All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me) is played with as much vigour and passion as it would have been 20 years ago, and the light show makes for an electric, metal environment to set it all off.
The surprise inclusion of EP single Hand Of Blood is as warmly welcomed as the encore of Knives and classic hit Waking The Demon, which gives Padge’s stunning guitar sound another opportunity to impress. The sound is noticeably less crisp as for Trivium’s set, with some slight timing issues and a murkier vocal output, but despite such small gripes, BFMV remain the Welsh titans the fans all know and love. A job well done for this pair’s first joint venture: here’s to another 20 years.
Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium + Orbit Culture, Utilita Arena Cardiff, Sun 26 Jan
words SARA MURPHY photos TIM ALBAN
