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Bullet For My Valentine - Fever review



Reviewer:
5.9

289 users:
6.8
Band: Bullet For My Valentine
Album: Fever
Style: Melodic metalcore
Release date: April 2010


01. Your Betrayal
02. Fever
03. The Last Fight
04. A Place Where You Belong
05. Pleasure And Pain
06. Alone
07. Breaking Out Breaking Down
08. Bittersweet Memories
09. Dignity
10. Begging For Mercy
11. Pretty On The Outside
12. The Last Fight [acoustic version] [iTunes and Japanese bonus]
13. Road To Nowhere [Japanese bonus]
14. Watching Us Die Tonight [Japanese bonus]
15. One Good Reason Why [Japanese bonus]

Metalcore of this variety is something that sounds pretty decent in theory, but seems to only produce crap. Let's be honest with ourselves - bands like Trivium and Avenged Sevenfold are to metal what McDonalds is to food; cheap, easily marketed, somewhat digestible, but completely flavourless and flat. Sadly, we can add Bullet For My Valentine to this list.

Why is it a disappointment that BFMV can and should now be discarded? Well, let's take a look at Scream Aim Fire; a number of quality rip-roaring modern metal tracks on there worth listening to, far from perfect, but promising. This made Fever the album where it was time to step up and prove themselves as being a worthy metal act. What did they do instead? Made an entire album of metalcore cliches no fully developed human being can stomach. Teen angst? Check. Unnecessary amounts of whining? Check. Butchering of a few Thin Lizzy or Iron Maiden riffs? Check. Not only is Fever completely wussified, ball-less, cliche teeny-bopper "nobody understands my pain" fluff, but it's unconvincing and shallow.

Ok, ok, taking pot-shots at Bullet For My Valentine is quite easy, granted; but they have only themselves to blame. There are actually a number of extremely promising moments on the album though. The title track has some pretty ballsy riffing and lyrical content about killing prostitutes, which I suppose is pretty bad ass. Aside from 'Fever' and maybe another track or two, they seem to destroy even their coolest riffs by turning every song into some pseudo-power ballad. One moment it's "Oh nice! Thrashy Iron Maiden!" then the next moment it's "Why am I reviewing a Fallout Boy album for MetalStorm?" In fact, I can almost picture the song writing process now:
"Hey guys, I've got a really good idea!"
"Awesome! I know just how we can fuck it up!"
"High five!"

Despite listening to Fever a number of times repeatedly (in order to write this review, you see), I still can't remember a good portion of the album. Either my brain is putting up some sort of immunity to this crap, or it just flat out sucks.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 5
Originality: 6
Production: 8





Written on 06.10.2010 by Former EIC. Now just a reviewer guy.


Comments

Comments: 50   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 493 users
06.10.2010 - 03:57
elseif

Pew pew!
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06.10.2010 - 04:47
felinenine
Account deleted
Nice review! Many lols to be had. I'm sorry you had to listen to it so many times though...
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06.10.2010 - 04:54
Dream Taster
The Enemy Within
Well, at least you made a very entertaining review out of it. I hate that "style" myself.
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06.10.2010 - 05:57
Thanntos

Haven't had the balls to listen to this yet, but your review reads much much lower than a 5.9.
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I will kill you so hard you will die to death.
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06.10.2010 - 06:09
Yojimbo

You should wash your ears out with Marduk (it's what I've been listening to today, anyway).
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06.10.2010 - 06:53
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
Hey Doc, do you think the rating could been pushed to a 6 or 6.1 if the model on the front cover was bearing her money makers? hahahaha

oh yeah, and with McDonalds and food, its also directly carcinogenic. but hey, it all depends on what you want your cancer to taste or feel like.
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Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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06.10.2010 - 08:01
Rating: 6
Dani5050

I couldn't agree more with this review, I remember I gave this album a spin, and thought mmm, this is crap, a few days passed and then I said well Scream Aim and Fire was average maybe I was not in the mood for BFMV that day, lets give it another try, and no no no no, it was still pure crap. Nice review.
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06.10.2010 - 08:26
Derwood

Congratulations Doc, this is the first time I've ever felt compelled to read a review out loud to my wife. Freaking hilarious.

I'll probably check it out anyways, though.
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You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!
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06.10.2010 - 09:54
Daniell
_爱情_
Extremely cool review, ten times better than the album. High five from me!
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06.10.2010 - 10:21
Rating: 5
Fat & Sassy!

["Hey guys, I've got a really good idea!"
"Awesome! I know just how we can fuck it up!"
"High five!"]

I fucking DIED when I read this. XD

I was actually thinking about reviewing this myself, not because I own or like this album, but because my sister plays this non-stop. I've heard the album 50 too many times. And yeah... you are spot on with everything. I will be sitting there *thrashy riff starts*"See sis, this is good... Oh OH! SEE! They fucked it up AGAIN. EVERY SONG." I have to show her this review!
Oh, and you failed to mention anything about one of the songs that starts off with cheesy synth and stuff. Guess they are "experimenting" with shitty power metal stuff too.
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06.10.2010 - 11:13
Rating: 8
Cyroth

I too feel disappointed with the album.Begging for mercy,Fever,The last fight good songs.I don't hate their music,after all they brought me into metal,but I hate the fact that there is no sense of real evolution in their music on this album.Too cliche and not enough aggressiveness like The Poison.I think the rating is good, although I rated it much more,but I was subjective after all .
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06.10.2010 - 11:37
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by Thanntos on 06.10.2010 at 05:57

Haven't had the balls to listen to this yet, but your review reads much much lower than a 5.9.

Yeah, like I said, they actually had a number of solid riffs throughout, but they couldn't hold onto any quality for very long.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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06.10.2010 - 11:50
Carl Berg
Carl Berg
Quote:
bands like Trivium and Avenged Sevenfold are to metal what McDonalds is to food; cheap, easily marketed, somewhat digestible, but completely flavourless and flat


Couldn't have said it better.
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06.10.2010 - 12:00
Merchant of Doom

I think you are a bit harsh. I do hate them, but I also believe they do a good job for the market they target. There's some good riffage here and there...
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06.10.2010 - 14:32
Raziel X

Written by Doc G. on 06.10.2010 at 11:37

Written by Thanntos on 06.10.2010 at 05:57

Haven't had the balls to listen to this yet, but your review reads much much lower than a 5.9.

Yeah, like I said, they actually had a number of solid riffs throughout, but they couldn't hold onto any quality for very long.


lol just like new Tarja album, promising start and then it goes right into middle of nowhere

and thats in almost every song
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06.10.2010 - 15:41
Lovecraft
Account deleted
Written by Carl Berg on 06.10.2010 at 11:50

Quote:
bands like Trivium and Avenged Sevenfold are to metal what McDonalds is to food; cheap, easily marketed, somewhat digestible, but completely flavourless and flat


Couldn't have said it better.


+1
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06.10.2010 - 17:30
Crazy Booduh

I'll agree about BFMV and Avenged Sevenfold, but I actually thought Trivium's last album was pretty killer.
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06.10.2010 - 19:03
Panterica

Written by Crazy Booduh on 06.10.2010 at 17:30

I'll agree about BFMV and Avenged Sevenfold, but I actually thought Trivium's last album was pretty killer.


Same here, I found Trivium's latest effort very good, and Scream Aim Fire had a few cool songs. But beside that, your review is very accurate, although it is a bit harsh...but still fun to read
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06.10.2010 - 19:14
Rating: 2
silenius

Written by Cyroth on 06.10.2010 at 11:13

I too feel disappointed with the album.Begging for mercy,Fever,The last fight good songs.I don't hate their music,after all they brought me into metal,but I hate the fact that there is no sense of real evolution in their music on this album.Too cliche and not enough aggressiveness like The Poison.I think the rating is good, although I rated it much more,but I was subjective after all .


how can bullet for my valentine get you into metal?thats like saying ABBA got you into grindcore
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06.10.2010 - 19:56
Rating: 8
Cyroth

Written by silenius on 06.10.2010 at 19:14

Written by Cyroth on 06.10.2010 at 11:13

I too feel disappointed with the album.Begging for mercy,Fever,The last fight good songs.I don't hate their music,after all they brought me into metal,but I hate the fact that there is no sense of real evolution in their music on this album.Too cliche and not enough aggressiveness like The Poison.I think the rating is good, although I rated it much more,but I was subjective after all .


how can bullet for my valentine get you into metal?thats like saying ABBA got you into grindcore


Like there are so many people on this planet,there's bound to be something weird like this to happen,but yes they got me into metal...the first band of metal that I paid attention was Godsmack,but Bullet really made me like metal.
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06.10.2010 - 19:58
vezzy
Stallmanite
Nothing weird about it. Bands like Korn, BFMV, Slipknot, etc. and other light mainstream groups often serve as gateways to metal to newbies nowadays.
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06.10.2010 - 20:30
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by vezzy on 06.10.2010 at 19:58

Nothing weird about it. Bands like Korn, BFMV, Slipknot, etc. and other light mainstream groups often serve as gateways to metal to newbies nowadays.

Nowdays? Korn was a gateway to metal for the newbies right from the moment they started playing. I know I'm not alone in this at all.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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06.10.2010 - 20:32
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by X-Ray Rod on 06.10.2010 at 20:30

Written by vezzy on 06.10.2010 at 19:58

Nothing weird about it. Bands like Korn, BFMV, Slipknot, etc. and other light mainstream groups often serve as gateways to metal to newbies nowadays.

Nowdays? Korn was a gateway to metal for the newbies right from the moment they started playing. I know I'm not alone in this at all.


Okay, sorry. Should have taken that into account.

Still nothing weird about it.
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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06.10.2010 - 21:24
Rating: 8
Cyroth

Ok,so it isn't that weird[for all],still I'm happy to be listening to metal,even though I got bashed for listening to BFMV, but now I can enjoy the majority of sub-genres
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07.10.2010 - 01:42
advent

Written by vezzy on 06.10.2010 at 19:58

Nothing weird about it. Bands like Korn, BFMV, Slipknot, etc. and other light mainstream groups often serve as gateways to metal to newbies nowadays.

May i add Evanescence and Linkin Park.
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07.10.2010 - 01:52
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by LeChron James on 06.10.2010 at 06:53

Hey Doc, do you think the rating could been pushed to a 6 or 6.1 if the model on the front cover was bearing her money makers? hahahaha

That is correct, LeChron. Despite taking my reviews very seriously, the "tits or gtfo" rule still applies.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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07.10.2010 - 04:33
JCJen7

Sooo much hate for Avenged Sevenfold on this website, its obnoxious. They haven't made a metalcore album in coming up on 8 years now, and have released 4 non-metalcore albums since then (as opposed to only two metalcore albums overrall). Whatever, it just gets annoying, not everyone who reads these reviews hates Avenged Sevenfold, and I am getting fed up with all the useless shots you take at them in almost any review.
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07.10.2010 - 04:37
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by JCJen7 on 07.10.2010 at 04:33

Sooo much hate for Avenged Sevenfold on this website, its obnoxious. They haven't made a metalcore album in coming up on 8 years now, and have released 4 non-metalcore albums since then (as opposed to only two metalcore albums overrall). Whatever, it just gets annoying, not everyone who reads these reviews hates Avenged Sevenfold, and I am getting fed up with all the useless shots you take at them in almost any review.

Yeah, not everyone who reads these reviews dislikes this album either, what can you do?

I've written 97 reviews. This is the first one I've mentioned A7X to the best of my recollection.

A7X make it incredibly easy to shit on them. Their fault, not mine.

Sorry we've offended you.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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07.10.2010 - 04:43
JCJen7

Written by Doc G. on 07.10.2010 at 04:37

Written by JCJen7 on 07.10.2010 at 04:33

Sooo much hate for Avenged Sevenfold on this website, its obnoxious. They haven't made a metalcore album in coming up on 8 years now, and have released 4 non-metalcore albums since then (as opposed to only two metalcore albums overrall). Whatever, it just gets annoying, not everyone who reads these reviews hates Avenged Sevenfold, and I am getting fed up with all the useless shots you take at them in almost any review.

Yeah, not everyone who reads these reviews dislikes this album either, what can you do?

I've written 97 reviews. This is the first one I've mentioned A7X to the best of my recollection.

A7X make it incredibly easy to shit on them. Their fault, not mine.

Sorry we've offended you.



Sorry, I didn't mean specifically you, but the reviewers in general, and the majority of comments.
----
This is my sig, respect it. Please.

CHECK THESE OUT
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07.10.2010 - 04:47
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by JCJen7 on 07.10.2010 at 04:43

Written by Doc G. on 07.10.2010 at 04:37

Written by JCJen7 on 07.10.2010 at 04:33

Sooo much hate for Avenged Sevenfold on this website, its obnoxious. They haven't made a metalcore album in coming up on 8 years now, and have released 4 non-metalcore albums since then (as opposed to only two metalcore albums overrall). Whatever, it just gets annoying, not everyone who reads these reviews hates Avenged Sevenfold, and I am getting fed up with all the useless shots you take at them in almost any review.

Yeah, not everyone who reads these reviews dislikes this album either, what can you do?

I've written 97 reviews. This is the first one I've mentioned A7X to the best of my recollection.

A7X make it incredibly easy to shit on them. Their fault, not mine.

Sorry we've offended you.



Sorry, I didn't mean specifically you, but the reviewers in general, and the majority of comments.

I'd like examples. Official reviews please.

And yes, the majority of the comments regarding A7X are pretty negative. Their music pretty much goes against what metal means to most people, so there really should be no question as to why the general consensus is they suck.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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