They did it – new album ‘Venom’ charted at number one in Australia upon release. And Bullet For My Valentine never sounded better. After last times experimental ‘Temper Temper’ some wondered what the new album would hold for Wale’s finest sons of Metal, and after a line-up change last year, unannounced till earlier this year things have changed but the sound thank the lord is just as relentless. We caught up with Padge somewhere in America late one night…
Padge: Hi Mark how’s things?
Mark: I’m good mate, how’s it over there?
Padge: It’s good man, good – Rocking, loud and drunk!
Mark: As it should be! How was South America?
Padge: Oh it was excellent, the first time we’ve been back for a year and a half and the shows got better and the crowds got crazier
Mark: And now you’re tearing up the US – how was Chicago last night? I think we were reviewing that one but I’m still waiting to hear!
Padge: It was really, really good, the last few shows have been brilliant in the US; actually all of them have been great.
Mark: And the new material is going down well?
Padge: It is man; yes the record has been really well received, so we’re all super stoked.
Mark: That’s great to hear. When I first heard it a few weeks back I was so excited to hear so much controlled aggression, it’s a great sound. I bet it’s good though to get the release out of the way and get back out on the road?
Padge: It is yeah, it’s been a full year getting this record out, and making sure we didn’t put a foot wrong on this record was really important to us, and I think we’ve nailed it. We’re all super proud of it, we can’t wait to get out there and play some more. We played a few on this run, but we can’t wait to get on a headline tour and play some more and just get back into rocking out.
Mark: I know last time we spoke ‘Temper Temper’ was just out and you said that was the first time you’d learnt the whole album is it the case with ‘Venom’ are you taking the whole thing out on the road?
Padge: No the main objective really with ‘Venom’ was just to reconnect with what the band really is and where we came from and what were supposed to be. So we put out a Heavy Metal record: loud, “fists in the air”, aggressive, dark and dirty. Just be the band we were always meant to be, you know? I think that was the main thing.
Mark: Does it feel strange out there on the stage this tour without Jay? (Jason James Bullet’s long standing bassist).
Padge: … Not anymore. Fortunately the new guy we have in is a good friend of mine and he really brings a lot to the band, vocal-wise as well as the bass and to have a guy step in his shoes like that is a blessing in disguise. Fortunately for us it’s very positive moving forward especially on the new album.
Mark: I mean it sounds great and from the live clips we’ve seen he’s fitting in great and we can’t wait to see you down here. You’ve got a fairly extensive US Tour with Lamb of God and Slipknot – a pretty impressive bill for the fans!
Padge: Yeah man, living the dream every day! It’s pretty awesome stuff and fortunately for us to be able to play in front of these massive crowds, every night is awesome.
Mark: Then you’re back to the UK before you come and see us! You’re the first band announced for Soundwave this year. Does it feel back to be coming back?
Padge: Oh absolutely. Unfortunately the World is a pretty big place and it does take a long time to get around it. But we all love Australia it’s pretty much a second home to us and every time we come down we just want to make it as good as we can. It’s always a good time, fun, interesting and the fans are great and although it’s a long way away I always feels like home.
Mark: The new album sounds ‘huge’ and it sounds like you spent a lot of time on it, I know last time when we talked about the last album you weren’t that crazy about the way it was recorded, you said you preferred to go in and get everything right rather than revisit songs. How was the recording process this time?
Padge: Well, we pretty much demoed everything first at my home studio in Wales. We spent about eight months demoing as much material as we could and then picked the best. Then when we’d done al the pre-production we got in touch with Colin and decided to record it in London. So going in and recording was like the smoothest ride ever, because everyone knew what they were doing and everything was I place. It was the smoothest recording we’ve ever done.
Mark: You’ve lived with the album a while now, I’ve just had it a few weeks and I just can’t pick a weak spot in it, and I absolutely love ‘Pariah’ that closes the album. Then there’s the tracks that are already out there like ‘Army of Noise’ and ‘You Want a Battle’, ‘No Way Out’: what are your favourites on there at the moment?
Padge: Um, I think ‘No Way Out’ would have to be a favourite of mine, we released it first and I think it’s got the biggest vibe of the whole album, I love the chorus and it’s got some interesting guitar work in there according to me! Ha-ha!
Mark: It does have that more complex arrangement is that something you wanted to bring to ‘venom’?
Padge: Me personally if its guitar work then yeah! I mean I don’t want it to be Malmsteen or anything ‘out there’ but I do want it to be melodic and then smash people’s faces in at the same time!
Mark: (laughing)
Padge: All the band are on the same page, we wanted to make a heavy hard-hitting record
Mark: You’ve definitely done it with this one; it may well be my personal favourite album of yours I think.
Padge: Oh thank you Sir!
Mark: And long may you continue! Just a couple of questions from the message board now, last time we spoke you mentioned that you were demoing some tracks for a solo album. How is that progressing?
Padge: It is coming along but Bullet of course is my number one baby. But t’s pretty much recorded, just waiting to do the vocals and get it out there you know. I might try to mix it myself, but I’m not sure. Andy the other guitar player he has the artwork at the moment while I’m away on tour and he’s trying to fix it up. But it’s looking good man there’s some great songs on there.
Mark: Cool. I notice that ‘Venom’ also comes in a package where you actually get CD, Vinyl and Cassette! Are cassettes making a comeback?
Padge: (laughing) I think our manager probably asked for it!
Mark: They must be making a comeback, I saw another band recently selling them at their shows over in the US.
Padge: I just threw my hi-fi out with the cassette player and now they’re releasing the Bullet album on cassette! I thought for fucks sake! (laughing).
Mark: It’s always great to talk to you Padge, you guys enjoy yourself out here in the States and we really can’t wait to see you back down under here it’s going to be huge.
Padge: We can’t wait mate, see you soon, take care.
SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL 2016 dates
January 23rd – Brisbane
January 24th – Sydney
January 26th – Melbourne
More info on the festival can be found at Soundwavefestival.com
