By Ashley Winward
Contributing Writer
This past week, Bullet for My Valentine put out their fourth studio album Temper, Temper to the excitement of their many fans. Between side projects, festival performances and such, Temper, Temper has been on the back burner for nearly three years. It was well worth the wait, however; the band brought back their heavy riffs and Guitar Hero-worthy solos from a writing session in Thailand for a solid album overall.
For me, I think what I love so much about this album is that it’s one of those albums you can listen to straight through. There isn’t that one obvious hit or that one obvious track that you will forget easily. Each track is lyrically powerful and full of energy. It’s those kinds of albums that stick with you.
The track topics are also very diverse, which boosts the ability for fans to relate. From anxiety, to seduction, to the idea that we have to accept that we aren’t perfect, each song brings a powerful message. I really recommend going on Spotify and listening to the track by track commentary, because it gives you a peek into their song writing process and just how much fun Matthew Tuck and the guys had with the album.
One song I will admit I wasn’t too keen on was “Tears Don’t Fall (Pt. 2),” because of the name. I’ve often found that artists who write second parts to songs are setting themselves up for failure. Why? Because once you get a fan in the mind set of an old favorite (in this case, one of their biggest hits as a band), then they will have that song stuck in their head and nothing else compares. You start looking for that memorable “Your tears don’t fall, they crash around me” hook and when you don’t hear it because it’s a different song, it’s a little bit of a letdown. I am not saying that I dislike the song; I just think I would have liked this song better if it was given a different title. I might just be in the minority with this one though, because this sequel was actually written because it was voted upon by Bullet fans through Facebook and various social media sites.
If I absolutely had to pick a top three from this album, I would go with “P.O.W.” for its lyrical content, “Dead to the World” because it was co-written by Chris Jericho (of WWE/Fozzy fame), and “Breaking Point” because it is such a strong opening statement for the album. There are three bonus tracks as well on the deluxe release. The live at BBC Radio 1 version of “Scream Aim Fire” is probably my new favorite version for its sheer raw sound.
While their debut album, The Poison, will always hold a special place in my head-banging heart, I think that Temper, Temper is one of their best as a complete work. Their very lax songwriting process this time around has brought out the best of them, and some of their heaviest tracks. Take note musicians; there is some magic found when you mix good beer and the Thailand tropics.
