Review Summary: A lazy, generic and uninspired album that leaves fans and listeners with much to be desired.
Four albums into their career, Bullet for my Valentine's sound has changed drastically since their initial break into the metal scene. The follow up to the success "Fever", "Temper Temper" continues the direction of its predecessor. However, unlike "Fever", "Temper Temper" displays immense amounts of unoriginal, cliche songwriting.
Each song on the album follows the same basic template: intro riff - chorus (without singing) - verse - chorus - verse - chorus - solo - chorus. After listening to each song, I can honestly say that there was very little effort put into making each song have interesting and exciting musical parts. Every song on the album with the exception of a few, relies on chorus hooks to keep the listeners attention.
In the attempt to create pseudo-metal, radio friendly music, Bullet for my Valentine have sacrificed most of their musical integrity. All members of the band are great musicians yet much of their potential is put to waste by filling up a large portion of the album with power chord progressions and generic "metal" riffs. The band has decided to almost completely omit screaming from the songs and instead rely on Tuck's clean vocals to carry the songs through from beginning to end. The drumming on this album, while not terrible, never does much to drive the songs forward and usually keeps technicality to a minimum.
The strongest point of this album is easily Michael Padget's lead guitar work. In most of the songs, the guitar solos are the strongest part. The solos are fun, energetic, and gives the listener a break from the bore-inducing track if only for a brief moment.
While there is nothing wrong with change, Bullet for my Valentine needs to decide what genre of music they want to create. "Temper Temper" finds Bullet for my Valentine in an identity crisis as they begin to blur the line between their original thrash inspired sound and accessible radio rock. The diversity between songs and within the songs themselves leaves the albums strong points spread thin. While each song may have something to offer it's listener, each song also has it's anchor which weighs it down. It is this that makes Bullet for my Valentine's "Temper Temper" both a pleasure, and a pain to listen to at the same time.
Recommended Tracks:
Dirty Little Secret
Saints & Sinners
Tears Don't Fall Part 2
