Bullet For My Valentine - Manchester Academy - January 4th 2008
Support: Skindred and Still Remains

Opening act Skindred are given a tough deal tonight, as their set is drawing to a close and there is still a huge queue outside the Academy, meaning that a lot of tonight's ticket-holders will only catch the last few songs of their half an hour long set. This seems to be our loss, as Skindred are an interesting prospect, being an odd combination of rock and reggae. If nothing else, this gives them a certain novelty value. Unfortunately, it's difficult for an audience to get excited over a band they've only seen a few minutes of, and Skindred's impact is ultimately diminished by the poor coordination between doors opening and stage times.

Christian metalcore band Still Remains fair much better, and it's easy to see why, with them being heavy and accessible in equal measures, much like tonight's headliners. Their occasional flirtations with electronica gives them an edge similar to Skindred's reggae vocals, and likewise ensure they stick in the mind. They certainly hold the crowd's attention throughout the course of their set, but we all know it's not them we're really here to see.

Tonight, Bullet For My Valentine prove they certainly know how to make an entrance, leaving the crowd to tear itself apart whilst flashing lights reveal the band, silhouetted behind a white curtain. When the curtain finally drops and the band explode into latest single 'Scream Aim Fire,' the roars of approval are deafening. Such is the crush of people pushing to get closer to their heroes, that the circle pits and wall of death actually feel like something of a relief. At least they give you a chance to breathe before the crowd closes around you again.

With their new album released only seven days before tonight's show, Bullet have not given themselves an easy task, and tonight could have gone terribly wrong, with unenthusiastic reactions to brand new material a very distinct possibility. However, very early on it becomes clear there's no danger of this happening, as Bullet deliver a set that's perfectly pitched between the old and the new. All the classic 'The Poison' material is here, with '4 Words to Choke Upon' and 'Tears Don't Fall' sounding particularly ferocious and sweeping the crowd into huge circle pits. Some of the newer material does receive noticeably muted reactions, but on the most part Bullet seem to be extraordinarily in-touch with which new songs their fans have taken to. 'Scream Aim Fire' and 'Waking the Demon' - set-opener and set-closer respectively - really couldn't have been better chosen, and were definite set highlights despite their newbie status. No doubt these songs will be stalwarts of Bullet setlists for some time to come, and will eventually become long-standing live favorites.

This tour may have been oddly timed, almost coinciding with their album release but, if Bullet wanted to prove they can rise to a challenge, they've certainly done it. Tonight's setlist gave the fans everything they wanted, and the majority of the new songs received as rapturous a reception as the older, tried-and-tested fan favorites. Tonight's set was delivered with all the fury, energy and enthusiasm we have come to expect from Bullet, and the fact that new songs usually receive better receptions as time goes on, bodes very well for future Bullet shows, when the fans have had time to really come to grips with the new material.


By Jessica Thornsby


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