Hi Matt – are you looking forward to coming back to Belfast?
Definitely, the last time we were there was for Belsonic back in 2013. We hadn't been over for a while before that and it was an amazing show that kicked off my stag weekend – so I've got really fond memories of playing and partying in Belfast.
The new album, Venom, marks a return to the more aggressive sound of your earlier records like The Poison and Scream Aim Fire. Was that a deliberate reaction to the abuse you received from some quarters for pursuing a more straight-ahead rock direction on Temper Temper (2012) and how hard was it to deal with that?
It's never nice when you hear negative stuff or read it, especially as you can read like 10,000 great reviews and it's always the one s****y one that sticks in your head.
With Temper Temper, we had to take that stuff on the chin. Pretty much every album we've ever done has had criticism to the extent where people are just harsh and rude. It's part and parcel of being in a metal band, especially now that social media gives fans instant access to share their opinions.
We've always tried to be brave and different and we don't stick to rules like more conventional metal band would. We've always incorporated melody and ballads and if we think it's a good song, it goes on the record.
Besides, the proof of the pudding is always in the success of the touring cycle for each record – and we have never stopped selling out gigs.
For the Venom tour, you've deliberately chosen to play slightly smaller venues than you've become accustomed to in recent years, mostly in out-of-the-way places. How come?
It's always great to do big shows and put loads of production on, but there's always a lot of people who can't make it to those shows for whatever reason.
So, this time around, we wanted to do a more regional tour at a lower level to make sure we reconnected with people. We felt it was important to get back in the kind of rooms we hadn't played since 2005/6 when it first started kicking off for us. We're excited about it and the fans seem to be too – we've sold out loads already.
You were on tour in America opening for Slipknot recently – how did it go?
It was good; we hadn't done a support slot for years so it was nice to get in front of a fanbase that wasn't ours and try to win them over as much as possible. That was the mission really – to go on, kill it, and ensure they left as Bullet fans.
We saw it as an opportunity to reconnect with fans in the US because we haven't toured there in a couple of years. It went really well, it was a 'super-hot ticket' of the summer over there and it was a pleasure to be part of.
We sold loads of T-shirts every night so hopefully, when we go back on our own next year, there'll be a good few new converts coming to see us.
You also did your own South American tour before that – did you enjoy rocking in Rio and elsewhere?
Yeah, we'd only ever been there once about four years ago so it's still kind of a new territory for us. It was great – everything was sold out in advance. The fans down there are always absolutely crazy anyway but it's always good to starve them a little too.
Somehow, they always know what flight you're on, so there's tons of fans at the airport when you arrive. They're often at the hotel before we are as well, so it can be a pain in the butt logistically – but it's also amazing that they actually give so much of a f*** about us.
How's your new bass player Jamie working out?
He's going good, he's brought a little bit of experience with him from when he was in a band called Revoker who were signed to Roadrunner briefly.
That's what we wanted: someone who wasn't going to be flustered by what we do and who was super-hungry for it. Having had a taste of recording and touring and then it being taken away, he couldn't be more hungry – so that really works to our advantage.
With Jason leaving, there were personal issues going on. It sucked for everyone and we didn't want it to happen but it was a choice between carrying on and potentially risking the band blowing up in a bad way, or being brave and taking matters into our own hands.
We had a management change and an agent change too around the same time – we really cleaned out our s***, so to speak. We thought, well if we're prepared to get rid of a band member, then anything else we're not happy with behind the scenes needs to go as well.
It took a business head rather than a friendship head to make those decisions in every respect – and now, looking back as we move forward, they were all definitely the right choices.
:: Bullet For My Valentine, Monday September 28, The Ulster Hall, Belfast.
