Matt, Padge, Jay and Moose, collectively known as Bullet For My Valentine, have become kind of a big deal in the US since 'Scream Aim Fire' debuted on the US Billboard 200 Charts at number 128, selling 53,000 copies in its first week of release. Not bad for a band from the UK that had to fight to gain respect from audiences.
"We're happy. As far as 'The Poison,' it did what it did," ponders a reflective Matt Tuck: "It thankfully laid out some great foundations for us. We're very proud of it. I'm glad people like it."
The band kicked off their US touring cycle by joining the 2008 Taste of Chaos tour with Avenged Sevenfold, Atryeu, Idiot Pilot and Blessthefall. For a UK band to impact the international heavy music scene like is something rarely seen or felt, and a tour of this size has proven to be a big way to kick off promoting their latest release.
"It was perfect timing," says Moose. "We have a new record out and this tour's going out as well. Our manager said 'We think it's a good thing for you to do.' We agreed."
It came at the perfect time for them. As a unit Bullet have never sounded stronger, effortlessly winning over fans every night. Matt's vocals sound fiercer than ever, and after suffering through throat problems over a year ago, Bullet For My Valentine once again sound like a well-oiled and finely tuned machine. So how are his pipes holding out?
"There's been nothing major," says the frontman. "I mean it's getting tired. We've been on tour for twelve weeks. We did this big European tour before we came out here so it's starting to get fatigued. It's not as slick as it was a couple of weeks ago, but no problems."
This North American tour has appeared to work well for Bullet For My Valentine, with the band playing the main stage every evening before Atreyu, ensuring rabid fans had enough time to get in to see them perform.
Playing alongside Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu every night was not unfmailiar to Bullet, as they have done shows together in the past. But all three bands having fans that are fans of their music, this tour package did work in their favour .
"We know of them because we've done shows with them before in the past in Europe," said Moose: "We came over here to play with them in America. Avenged is a pretty big deal over here. They're pretty nice guys as well."
While Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu have built their own buzz on their home turf, Bullet have drawn attention themselves, and are hoping to make that spotlight a permanent one.
"There's obviously a lot of people here to watch us. there are a lot of people here that know who we are. Or maybe they're just curious to what we sound like. It's really good for us to get over here - hopefully we will win over some new people to get them into the rabble," says Moose.
It's clear that Bullet have come a long way since recording their self-titled EP in 2004 through independent label Visible Noise. Since then these four Welsh lads have blossomed into one of the UK's most successful rock acts since Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, metaphorically giving the naysayers who predicted that 2005 debut album 'The Poison' was a flash in the pan a raised middle finger.
"For me, it was the most exciting times of our lives," reminices Matt. "Regardless of what we do now, how much further we get or how many more albums we sell, that year especially was incredible. It was our childhooddream. It was scary and exciting. It was always positive in my emotions coming together at once. It was mad. Even though we knew we were getting signed, it still wasn't real. We played for so long, we let it down a few times before. We were sceptical that it would happen. It did and we were ecstatic."
Like the proverbial rolling stone, the momentum behind Bullet very quickly became unstoppable. This was surreal to the band members. They went out on their first proper tour supporting 36 Crazyfists in the UK. Since then, they have played festivals such as the Download Festival and have ventured towards North America and cracked into the American market.
While each member had heard countless stories from bands about the United States, they were eager to check it out for themselves. "We got off the plane and went straight for the Rainbow Room, got absolutely smashed and had a food fight," laughs Moose about his maiden visit to Los Angeles.
"He almost broke my nose with a pizza tray," adds bassist Jay. "I ran over a taxi. It was exciting. It still is now. But now we'll go to the Saddle Ranch instead and ride the mechanical bull. We're not as wild as we used to be when we first started. We were crazy when we started but the shows have gotten bigger...."
While Bullet For My Valentine have played in front of a variety of audiences in the UK as well as the US they have encountered a wide range of reactions, but is there a real difference between the two nationalities?
"Not really. They're all there to have a good time. They're all there to rock out. The only difference is the accent," says Moose. "Everywhere we go the reaction is identical every night. Especially on our headline run - they're there to see you. My job as a frontman is to command the crowd and make them feel part of the family. I like to wind people up as much as possible," adds Matt.
The Bullet guys have made new friends on the tour, and have had more than their share of fun to boot. "I couldn't remember the evening or the band, but they ended up carrying me back to the bus. I got loaded," said Moose. "I was on another one of the Japanese bands' buses and I got sake and I collapsed and they carried me up the steps of the bus. It was some hardcore drinking," adds Jay.
Returning to the UK for another bout of touring this summer, Bullet will also be hitting up the festivals, appearing at both Download and Reading and Leeds in June and August.
Says Matt: "We're playing the main stage [at Reading]. We've done the main stage twice. It's exciting to do this festival, especially this year with the line-up - Rage Against The Machine and Metallica are headlining! It's a big deal this year. One their website it's a record of two hundred thousand tickets sold in two hours. It's the fastest it's ever gone."
With typical understatement, Moose brings our time together to an end. "We're the first band ever actually allowed to do Reading and Leeds and Download. It's pretty cool for us."
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