Hand of Blood

Last updated

Hand of Blood
Bullet for my Valentine - Hand Of Blood.jpg
EP by
Released22 August 2005
Studio
  • The Chapel
  • Backstage Studios
  • Notting Pill Studios
Genre Melodic metalcore
Length21:46
Label Trustkill
Producer Colin Richardson
Bullet for My Valentine chronology
Bullet for My Valentine
(2004)
Hand of Blood
(2005)
The Poison
(2005)
Singles from Hand of Blood
  1. "Hand of Blood"
    Released: 2004

Hand of Blood is the second EP by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine, released on 22 August 2005 through Trustkill Records. The EP is almost the same as the previous, but with completely different artwork and slightly altered track listing ("4 Words (To Choke Upon)" was track 6 on the Japan version of the self-titled EP). Hand of Blood included the single "4 Words (To Choke Upon)", accompanied by a music video, along with "Hand of Blood". The songs "4 Words (To Choke Upon)" and "Cries in Vain" were later included on the band's full-length debut, The Poison . The title track also appears on the limited edition of the same album.

Contents

AllMusic asserted that the EP is "essentially a deluxe version" of the band's self-titled 2004 EP. [1]

Appearances in other media

The song "Hand of Blood" is featured in the video game Burnout Revenge in the in-game soundtrack, as well as in Need for Speed: Most Wanted . "4 Words (To Choke Upon)" is featured in the soundtrack for NHL 06 and Madden NFL 06. [2]

Critical reception

Daniel Lukes of Decibel Magazine believed that, although the music itself wasn't bad for what it was, it was, in his opinion, not original enough. He compared the EP to Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu, stating that he thought they wanted to steal their fanbases. He went on to sum up his entire review by stating, "The worst part is that the music itself isn’t all that bad, for the genre." He went on to comment that the band should be "embarrassed" about the release. [3] Zeromag's Josh Joyce complimented the band on "how technical they can get without confusing the kids". [4]

"Damrod" of Sputnikmusic gave the EP a solid 4/5 stars, stating that "the songs are played well and show a lot of potential for the future". He continues to say that the guitar work shows obvious influences such as Iron Maiden and Metallica, without sounding "like a rip-off of these bands". Damrod wrote that the singing style was a successful blend of screams and clean vocals, citing "Hand of Blood" and the chorus of "Just Another Star" as great examples. [5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bullet for My Valentine

No.TitleLength
1."4 Words (To Choke Upon)"3:44
2."Hand of Blood"3:36
3."Cries in Vain"3:59
4."Curses"3:59
5."No Control"3:34
6."Just Another Star"2:54
Total length:21:46
Enhanced materials
No.TitleLength
1."4 Words (To Choke Upon)" (Music Video)3:44
2."Hand of Blood" (Music Video)3:36

Personnel

Bullet for My Valentine

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bullet for My Valentine</span> Welsh heavy metal band

Bullet for My Valentine, often abbreviated as BFMV, are a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is currently composed of Matthew Tuck, Michael Paget, Jason Bowld (drums) and Jamie Mathias. Former members include Michael Thomas, Jason James and Nick Crandle; the latter were on bass. They were formed under the name Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana. Jeff Killed John recorded six songs which were not released; two of these tracks were reworked later in their career as Bullet for My Valentine. A change of style from that of Jeff Killed John led the band to change their name. In 2002, the band secured a five-album deal with Sony BMG. The band has stated that their music is influenced by classic metal acts such as Metallica, Iron Maiden and Slayer. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.

<i>The Poison</i> 2005 studio album by Bullet for My Valentine

The Poison is the debut studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The album was released on 3 October 2005 through Visible Noise Records in the UK, and on 14 February 2006 in the United States, through Trustkill Records. The album included 11 new songs and two previously heard songs, "Cries in Vain", which was previously heard from the band's self-titled UK EP and from their US EP, Hand of Blood, as well as from "4 Words " was previously included on the same US release. Different editions of the album contain the song "Hand of Blood", previously heard from these EPs, replacing "Spit You Out".

<i>Bullet for My Valentine</i> (EP) 2004 EP by Bullet for My Valentine

Bullet for My Valentine is the first EP by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It was released on 15 November 2004 through Visible Noise in the UK. The song "Hand of Blood" was released as a music video to promote the EP. The song "Cries in Vain" would later appear on the band's full-length debut, The Poison. This EP is not available on the U.S. version of iTunes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tears Don't Fall</span> 2006 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"Tears Don't Fall" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It is the band's fourth single from their first full-length studio album, The Poison. The single was released on 17 June 2006 through Trustkill Records in the US. The song won the Kerrang! Award for Best Single. The song peaked at No. 24 on the Hot Mainstream Rock chart and No. 32 on the Alternative Rock chart. In 2013, the band released a sequel to the song called "Tears Don't Fall " on their fourth studio album, Temper Temper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)</span> 2006 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)" is a song produced by the Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The song was released as the third single from the band's debut album The Poison, through Sony BMG on 3 February 2006 in Europe and released in United Kingdom through Visible Noise on 7 February 2006. The band originally recorded the song on their 2003 Jeff Killed John EP. It is their highest-charting single in the UK, peaking at number 29. It is arguably the softest song on The Poison due to its use of an acoustic guitar and minimal screaming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)</span> 2005 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)" is the second single from Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine, from their debut album, The Poison. It was released on 19 September 2005 through Visible Noise Records in the United Kingdom. It broke the top 40 for the band in the UK, peaking at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also peaked at number 2 on the UK Rock Chart.

<i>The Poison: Live at Brixton</i> 2006 video by Bullet for My Valentine

The Poison: Live at Brixton is a DVD released on 30 October 2006 in the United Kingdom and was released on 19 December 2006 in the United States. The DVD is of Bullet for My Valentine performing live at the Brixton Academy on 28 January 2006, shortly before frontman Matt Tuck began to experience throat and vocals problems. It was released in Japan as a CD/DVD box. The CD included the complete concert at Brixton as an audio. In 2017, the band released Live From Brixton Chapter Two, a two-night performance celebrating the tenth anniversary of their first album The Poison.

<i>Scream Aim Fire</i> 2008 studio album by Bullet for My Valentine

Scream Aim Fire is the second studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The album was released on 28 January 2008 in the United Kingdom and the preceding day in the United States through Jive Records. Since its release, Scream Aim Fire has sold over 1,400,000 copies worldwide. It is the band's most commercially successful effort in Australia, earning a gold certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in addition to a gold certification from both the band's native British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in the United Kingdom and the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scream Aim Fire (song)</span> 2007 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"Scream Aim Fire" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It was released as the lead single from their second album of the same name on the American iTunes store on 18 December 2007, and has also been released on the band's MySpace profile. Featured in the video games Guitar Hero World Tour and non-US versions of Guitar Hero Modern Hits, it is the band's highest charting single worldwide. It is also available as downloadable content in the video game Rock Band 3. A live version of the song recorded at BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge show was included as a bonus track on deluxe editions of the band's 4th studio album Temper Temper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hearts Burst into Fire</span> 2008 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"Hearts Burst into Fire" is a song by the heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The song was released as the second single from their second album, Scream Aim Fire. The song is featured in the video game NHL 09. Like most of their songs, the song is played in Drop C guitar tuning.

<i>Scream Aim Fire: Live at London Alexandria</i> 2009 video by Bullet for My Valentine

Scream Aim Fire: Live at Alexandra Palace is the second live DVD released by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It was first released on 1 May 2009 on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for a limited time as part of Xtival '09. The entire show is available for viewing on Qello for the price of a monthly subscription fee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Betrayal</span> 2010 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"Your Betrayal" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine and was released as the first and lead US single from their third album, Fever. The song was set for release on 8 March 2010 to the radio; and, unexpectedly, was released early as a Digital 45 on iTunes along with the track "Begging for Mercy" on 2 March 2010. Before that, "Begging for Mercy" was offered for free download on 14 February 2010 from the band's official website for a limited time. "Your Betrayal" was nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Last Fight (Bullet for My Valentine song)</span> 2010 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"The Last Fight" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine, released as the second and lead UK single from their third album, Fever, on 19 April 2010 to the radio and a limited 7" edition of 1000 copies on 17 April 2010 with "Begging for Mercy" as a B-side. An acoustic version of the song was released as a "Pre-order Only" bonus track on the iTunes version of the album. Before all that, "Begging for Mercy" was offered for free download on 14 February 2010 from the band's official website for a limited time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bittersweet Memories</span> Song by Bullet for My Valentine

"Bittersweet Memories" is a power ballad by the Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It is the third single from the band's third studio album, Fever. The music video for "Bittersweet Memories" was released on 25 November 2010.

<i>Temper Temper</i> (Bullet for My Valentine album) 2013 studio album by Bullet for My Valentine

Temper Temper is the fourth studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The album was released on 8 February 2013 in Australia, and 11 February 2013 worldwide under RCA Records, their first under the label. The album was once again produced by Don Gilmore, who worked on the group's last album, 2010's Fever, and was mixed by noted engineer Chris Lord-Alge. This would be the last album recorded with their full original lineup with longtime bassist Jason James before he departed from the band in February 2015.

<i>Jeff Killed John</i> (EP) 2003 EP by Jeff Killed John

Jeff Killed John is an EP by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine, under their original name Jeff Killed John. This EP marks the last recorded material by the band before the name change, as well as the last with bassist Nick Crandle, before Jason James replaced him. Many song elements from this EP would be reworked into later tracks for Bullet for My Valentine music: "Routine Unhappiness" contains riff elements that would later become "Tears Don't Fall," with lyrical content that would appear on "10 Years Today;" "Nation2Nation" would eventually become the sampler track "Turn to Despair"; and "All These Things I Hate " is an early demo of the song of the same name that would eventually appear on Bullet for My Valentine's debut album The Poison. Skindred vocalist Benji Webbe, who performs guest vocals in "Nation2Nation", would also be featured in the song "Take It Out on Me" from Bullet for My Valentine's second album Scream Aim Fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raising Hell (Bullet for My Valentine song)</span> 2013 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"Raising Hell" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It was released on 18 November 2013 as a promotional single to showcase what the band's future material would sound like. The song is featured as a deluxe edition bonus track on the band's fifth album Venom. This is the final song that featured Jason James on bass after the band and him parted ways in February 2015.

<i>Venom</i> (Bullet for My Valentine album) 2015 studio album by Bullet for My Valentine

Venom is the fifth studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The album was released on 14 August 2015 via RCA Records, their second and last album under the label as well as their final album under the Sony Music umbrella. It is the first album by the band since the departure of bassist Jason "Jay" James, which was announced in February 2015 while the band was recording the album. Jamie Mathias was announced as his replacement on 18 May 2015, along with the album's title, release date and release of the album's first single, "No Way Out". This would also be the final album with founding drummer Michael "Moose" Thomas who parted ways with the band officially in 2017.

<i>Gravity</i> (Bullet for My Valentine album) 2018 studio album by Bullet for My Valentine

Gravity is the sixth studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. The album was released on 29 June 2018 via Spinefarm Records, their first album under the label. It is the first album with former Pitchshifter drummer Jason Bowld, who joined in 2016 to replace founding drummer Michael "Moose" Thomas. It is also the first album to feature bassist Jamie Mathias as a contributing member. Gravity represents a significant change in sound compared to the band's previous releases, moving toward the nu metal sound similar to their early years as "Jeff Killed John".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4 Words (To Choke Upon)</span> 2005 single by Bullet for My Valentine

"4 Words (To Choke Upon)" is a song from Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. It was released on March 28, 2005, through Visible Noise Records, as the first single from their debut album The Poison.

References

  1. "Bullet for My Valentine Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. "Bullet for My Valentine | Actor, Soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  3. "Decibel Magazine". decibelmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Bullet for My Valentine – Bullet for My Valentine EP (Album review ) | Sputnikmusic".
  6. Bullet for My Valentine – Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021 via YouTube.
  7. "BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE Drummer: Former Bassist JASON 'JAY' JAMES 'Never Really Contributed Anyway'". 30 July 2015.