Along with bands such as Papa Roach and Avenged Sevenfold, U.K. group Bullet For My Valentine is responsible for introducing teenagers in the mid-2000's to the metal scene, complete with guitar riffs and worried mothers. They opened possibilities for genre expansion.
Now, Bullet For My Valentine is just another commercial "metal" band.
Temper Temper, the band's fourth studio album, is an instruction manual for beginners in metal. The veteran rockers seldom show the talent that led to their success. Instead, they focus on a mainstream rock formula that disappoints longtime listeners.
"Breaking Point" opens the album on a misleading high note. Vocalist Matt Tuck's screams pierce through the song and visualizing a circle pit is effortless for listeners.
The album then, however, spirals downward into failure. Tuck's vocals in "Temper Temper" and "Riot," the two current singles, lack any emotional connection like those in past hits "Tears Don't Fall" from 2007's The Poison and "Scream Aim Fire" from 2008's Scream Aim Fire.
The absence of lyrical value also hinders Temper Temper. Tuck's lyrics are reminiscent of a 33-year-old male Taylor Swift counterpart. Instead of moaning about relationship issues, though, he makes an attempt to act like a tough guy and warns listeners to watch out for his temper in eight songs - a temper that relays in comedic fashion. When an album is named Temper Temper, trying to actually evoke that feeling in your fans might help.
Bullet For My Valentine's creative ability hits an all-time low with "Tears Don't Fall (Part 2)." Just when this album could not get any worse, Tuck and company did just that. Messing around with a past hit and the nostalgia that goes with it is never a smart idea.
Temper Temper redeems itself on the last track off the album, "Livin' Life (On The Edge Of A Knife)." The band returns to its signature sound; someone could guess the track is a Bullet one within the first chords.
While the opening and closing tracks were highlights, they did not make up for the lackluster album. Bullet For My Valentine was consumed by the commercial success monster and needs to climb out of its belly for the next album to preserve their reputation as the pioneers of the metalcore genre.
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