Bullet For My Valentine are a shot right to the heart, shaking the atmosphere to its core and retaliating with a metal barrage and riveting rock outbursts. Straight out of the barrel of a shotgun, energy spreads to all corners as this four piece began their performance. The HiFi, when sold out, always caters to metal audiences with no relent. This summer weather has all sweltering with sweat and rhythm and bursts of in-your-face attitude abound like a burn that feels good. A mass of boys and hardcore men fill out the main floor thrashing and thrusting their own energy around.

From long haired metal maniacs to shorty emo types, this venue was bustling, and we all created a synergy of insanity and chaos that kept on erupting again and again. Die hard fans were releasing after a sweltering day, and there was a good blend of sexes at the sold out gig, one of many HiFi gigs that completely sell out. It was a relief that there was some air conditioning too.

AC/DCs You Shook Me All Night Long played shortly before the impatient ‘Bullet, Bullet’ chant starts for the first of several times. A mystical organ type of music enchants, a wrath and atmosphere of magic abound. A hail of drums and metal was in the house, or should I say basement. ‘Right now it’s killing time’ growls Matt Tuck, lyrics from Scream Aim Fire, with quite a clean, coherent scream. It is with no surprise that we hear virtuoso-like lead guitar and lucid vocals. ‘Let’s make this floor shake! Are you ready?’ Matt shouts. Smoke billows around the foursome as Take It Out On Me resounds. A crowd surfer goes up as Matt uplifts the mood with ‘get those horns up!’ reminiscent of Big Day Out’s antics.

There are lots of melodic interludes which make for some intoxicating music. The ‘Bullet, Bullet’ chant starts up yet again and Matt adds ‘thank you for coming out tonight, my friends’. He revs up the crowd with a very emphatic ‘Fuck You!’ as all join in and the song begins. This one is insanely intense, metal music is like their sport and they are the professionals. Matt has his arms raised a lot, urging everyone on.

‘Thanks a fucking lot Melbourne’ he emphasizes. Ashes Of The Innocent plays just prior to Hand Of Blood, exhilarating all involved, especially down the front. This is a much more intimate gig than the Melbourne leg of the Big Day Out, and of course, there was the obligatory statement from Matt- ‘So, it’s hot as fuck, right?’. Next, it is a sing-along song with All These Things I Hate.

There is much excitement at this sing-along, they also played this one at the Big Day Out and it is a clap along to Don’t Fall. Matt has to be sure that we’re as pumped as he would like us all to be by asking ‘are you still alive out there?’ This song is a real ballad, ‘Memories are torment’. It’s speed metal with Eye Of The Storm, while the crowd voices up now. Matt is casual, but loud and intense in his delivery of words to us all. ‘So I think we should do another old one now, how does that sound?’ He adds before riding to the right of the stage for the first time of the gig.

‘Mosh pit, show me what you’ve got!’ he roars as Spit You Out takes hold. Following on for the next song he offers ‘If you know the song, please sing along’. Hearts Burst Into Fire complements the red and yellow decor illuminated up onstage. It’s yet another ‘Bullet!’ chant after notes fade and BFMV recede behind the stage. A speedy clap pushes Bullet back on, but we knew they would come back easy enough. BFMV take up the podium; this one is louder and bass laden, it is Waking the Demon, Matt continues, ‘so if you want to lose your fucking minds, I suggest you do so in the next two minutes…get those horns in the air!’ Bullet delivered a thorougly energetic set and no one leaves disappointed after the last song, new track Forever and Always.