Home > Music > CD Review > Bullet for My Valentine, 'Scream Aim Fire'

Bullet for My Valentine, 'Scream Aim Fire'

Welsh headbangers sound stuck in the '80s

By Kirk Miller, Metromix

January 28, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Backstory: Although the U.K. has been lacking in quality hard rock bands of late, Wales’ Bullet for My Valentine seem(ed) on the verge of becoming something big, thanks to a couple of fairly recent MTV/radio hits, “4 Words (To Choke Upon)” and “Tears Don’t Fall.” Touring with Guns ‘N Roses only increased the band’s buzz.
 
Why you should care: Despite the group’s publicly stated determination to make this album “heavier,” there’s a melodic temperament here that keeps any screamo/deathcore urges at bay. So, be thankful for tracks like “Hearts Burst Into Fire,” which is pure pop dressed up with a Priest/Maiden guitar assault. Throw it on a hair metal comp from the ‘80s and see if anyone notices. And yes, that’s a compliment.
 
Verdict: A little metal nostalgia is nice, but with the exception of the clap-along epic “Forever and Always,” which deserves its inevitable Bic lighter (or cell phone) salute, “Scream” is a collection of warmed over metal clichés, most dating to when Dokken wasn’t an immediate punchline.  And the lyrics…wow. If you think tracks like “Waking the Demon” and “Eye of the Storm” possess any hidden context beyond their titles, you are sadly mistaken—and probably in possession of at least one W.A.S.P. album.
 
X-Factor: Want to hear an awesome Welsh hard rock band? Check out Skindred, the reggae-tinged punk/metal vets who guest on this record on “Take It Out on Me.”

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