Matt Tuck says he worked hard to make Bullet For My Valentine’s fifth album Venom an angry-spirited work – because that’s what their fans wanted.
The follow-up to 2013’s Temper Temper is released on August 14, and it’s their first to feature bassist Jamie Mathias, who replaced Jay James earlier this year. The record sees BFMV delving into their pre-record deal days for inspiration.
Tuck tells Billboard: “People were wanting a pissed-off band, and it’s hard to write stuff like that when I don’t feel it on a personal level.
“So it was more writing this style of song that I did before the band got signed – making a conscious effort to do something that wasn’t very nice.”
He reflects that “some of the most horrible, nasty lyrics are some of our most popular songs” and adds: “It’s weird how people have such a strong, positive reaction to lyrics which aren’t very nice at all. But I guess that’s why people love our band in the first place.”
At the other end of the spectrum, Tuck confirms that BFMV will take the ashes of two late fans on tour with them.
Corran Powell, 21, and James Simmons, 18, died in a car crash last December. After their families made contact, guitarist Michael ‘Padge’ Paget has taken delivery of two custom-made necklaces containing some ashes.
Tuck says: “It’ll make the family a little bit happy in a shitty situation. Anything we can do to help, it’s not even a question.”
BFMV tour North America with Slipknot, Lamb Of God and Motionless In White, then return to the UK:
Jul 24: West Palm Beach Cruzan Amphitheater, FL
Jul 25: Tampa Florida Ampitheater, FL
Jul 26: Atlanta Aaron’s Amphitheater, GA
Jul 28: Detroit DTE Energy, MI
Jul 29: Darien Lake PAC, NY
Jul 31: Saratoga SpringsSPAC, NY
Aug 01: Wantagh Nikon at Jones Beach, NY
Aug 02: Hartford Xfinity Theatre, CT
Aug 04: Boston Xfinity Center, MA
Aug 05: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts, NJ
Aug 06: Pittsburgh First Naigara Pavlion, PA
Aug 08: Toronto Molson Ampitheater, ON
Aug 11: Washington Jiffy Lube Live, DC
Aug 12: Virginia Beach Farm Bureau Live, VA
Aug 14: Indianapolis Klipsch Music Center, IN
Aug 15: Chicago First Midwest Bank Ampitheater, IL
Aug 16: St Louis Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, MO
Aug 19: Denver Red Rocks Ampitheater, CO
Aug 21: Salt Lake City USANA Ampitheater, UT
Aug 23: Seattle White River Ampitheater, WA
Aug 23: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC
Aug 26: Concord Pavilion, CA
Aug 28: Las Vegas MGM Resort Festival Lot, NV
Aug 29: Phoenix Ak-Chin Pavilion, AZ
Aug 30: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheater, NM
Sep 01: Austin360 Amphitheater, TX
Sep 02: Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Sep 28: Belfast Ulster Hall, NI
Sep 29: Dublin Olympia, Ireland
Oct 01: Bournemouth O2 Academy, UK
Oct 02: Reading Hexagon, UK
Oct 03: Guildford G Live, UK
Oct 05: Aylesbury Theatre, UK
Oct 06: Stoke Victoria Hall, UK
Oct 07: Lincoln Engine Shed, UK
Oct 09: York Barbican, UK
Oct 10: Aberdeen Music Hall, UK
Oct 11: Dunfermline Alhambra, UK
Oct 13: Middlebrough Empire, UK
Oct 14: Carlisle Sands, UK
Oct 16: Leicester O2 Academy, UK
Oct 17: Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion, UK
Oct 18: Folkestone Leas Cliff, UK
Oct 20: Swansea Brangwyn Hall, UK
Oct 21: Southampton O2 Guildhall, UK
Oct 22: Ipswich Regent Corn Exchange, UK
