Metal Anarchy

Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium will soon be wrapping up their “Poisoned Ascendancy” tour following several dates in North America. The trek, which previously hit Europe and the UK, will no longer be heading to other territories, a decision Trivium bassist Paolo Gregoletto blamed on Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck. Despite the disagreement, members of both acts have taken time to reflect on the tour, while also showing some respect for their tourmates.

Bullet For My Valentine said the following:

“Hey guys, Bullet here

As we head into the final shows of The Poisoned Ascendancy tour, we want to thank everyone who’s come out to celebrate with us. The shows have been phenomenal and we’ve loved connecting with every single one of you.

Being in this band is the most important thing to the four of us. We’re incredibly grateful to have been given the chance to look back at a pair of life-changing albums for us & Trivium, who we have nothing but respect and admiration for. To have a career spanning over 20+ years is an incredible achievement, and we understand all the dedication and sacrifice that comes with that. The celebration of both these albums has been a career highlight for us, there’s 5 shows left out here in the US and then we embark upon a full month of summer festivals in June which we’re really looking forward to.

With that being said, the four of us collectively feel that the time is right for us to divert our full attention towards the next chapter of Bullet For Valentine. We can’t wait to get back in the studio later this summer and finish what we promise you is our best album to date. To go along with this, we are already starting to make plans for the 2026 & 2027 touring cycles, hitting every corner. We are super excited to drop new music for you all. We value our fans above all else and are forever grateful for your support. We’ll be back with all of you very soon.

Bullet For My Valentine”

Trivium’s Matt Heafy also commented:

“2024 was a rough year for me. I talk about this nightly from stage before departure.

Basically in preparation for this incredible anniversary run, I found my head still plagued by the darkness and negativity I had written about on ascendancy 20 years back.

I knew my head wasn’t in the right place, so I spent the entire year working on my mind – so I could be a better me for my family, my friends, the countless incredible humans worldwide who have supported me and allowed me to make the kind of music I love to make – for a living.

I can’t pinpoint exactly why my mind was in that funk – but it was a lot – and after that work – I can say I’ve been having more fun, this very year, than ever in my life.

I am so lucky that we have been able to celebrate these albums across two continents with honestly – the most perfectly paired bands that I could ever imagine. Both of these albums pair so well together, the fan bases together, the bands together. These two records were the soundtrack to my youth and adulthood.

I have loved every show, every day, every minute; from the work I did – I have found myself more present and more appreciative than ever.

I love touring with my band mates – they’re my best friends and my brothers; and I love our road crew – we’re all truly one big happy family.

I am so blessed that I get to play the songs I wrote with my friends, on stage every night. I get to eat at the best hole in the wall traditional local favorite spots everywhere in the world. I get to train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with friends new and old across the globe. I get to play video games and lift weights and do yoga and do FaceTime book time with my amazing twins back home; and watch my wife and i’s favorite shows on my iPad while we talk on FaceTime.

Thank you all for allowing me to do this.

Although plans have shifted, and many places we were looking forward to visiting will have to wait a little bit longer; I know The Shogunate knows how much we love what we do. We will return. Everywhere. And we will show you a couple of the greatest Trivium songs we’ve ever crafted – from our hq – the home we have built from the ground up: the Trivium Hangar Studios.”

UPDATE: Heafy has now commented further in a new video shared on his social media accounts [via The PRP]:

“The tour has been amazing. It’s been truly wonderful. Absolutely amazing, you’ve seen it in our faces, you’ve seen it in the photos and the videos. You know, there was an initial plan and plans changed. And you know us, we wanna be everywhere and non-stop go go go, and we’ll happily play anytime, anywhere, anyplace.

And you know, they’ve got other plans to do a record. So I respect that. I respect the fact that things change. And I think we definitely need — all of us — let’s pull back on the negative stuff. Let’s go back to remembering what we all love, and that’s loving bands and loving music.

And sometimes, sometimes plans change. And sometimes that causes headaches and disagreements. And it’s like anything in life. It’s like a relationship, it’s like with your family, it’s like with your co-workers, it’s like any of that stuff. So, let’s pull back on all that stuff, let’s keep it classy. Keep it friendly.

All I got to say is thank you from the bottom of my heart to, first of all, the Trivium crew. Love them so much, they are family to us, I will always protect them, and I’m always thinking about them and their well-being and their income and all that.

My bandmates, the Bullet crew, incredible, incredible human beings, awesome. We fit perfectly… Both the crews work perfect in sync. I’ve said it multiple times, we’ve done like 12 to 15 co-headliners with all sorts of amazing bands, and I felt that this was the best co-headlining pair that I’ve ever seen in my life. I feel like the Trivium Shogun and the Bullet fans really love both bands.”

He later added:

“Don’t let the press blow this stuff out of proportion. I saw a pile of statements and they were right, we wanted to play, we want to do the thing. So let’s not drag any of that back up, Let’s end this on a positive note.

This was fucking amazing. 20 years. I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since [the release of] ‘The Poison‘. I wish them all the best in the world, can’t wait to buy the new record the day it comes out — theirs — and to all the people that we still wanted to see, you know, we’re still gonna see. Just gotta figure out when. It’s too close to book it now for the rest of the year unfortunately.”