Following much speculation online, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and TRIVIUM have revealed details of a huge, joint arena tour at a press conference which was streamed live from London’s Sanctum Hotel. “The Poisoned Ascendancy” U.K. tour 2025 will see both bands celebrating the 20th anniversary of these respective iconic albums, playing them in full.
“I honestly can’t believe it’s been 20 years since the release of ‘The Poison’, and what an incredible 20 years it’s been”, says BFMV frontman Matt Tuck. “I feel so proud of what we’ve achieved as a band in the last two decades and it all started with that debut album. ‘The Poison’ is such an important part of our lives musically and personally and we know the massive impact it had on the metal world on a global level. This tour will be made even more special as our brothers in TRIVIUM are also joining us on the road to celebrate and play in its entirety their stunning album ‘Ascendancy’.”
“BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE‘s ‘The Poison’ and TRIVIUM‘s ‘Ascendancy’ are two records whose influence can be heard to this day — in the DNA of modern metal,” declares TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy. “It’s incredible to think of the impact the albums had when they came out in 2005. They were both like bolts of lightning. Both bands grew up independently of each other in different countries and separately from any movement or scene but both shared a common love of melodic heavy metal at the core; and both had similar meteoric rises right out of the gate.”
He continues: “TRIVIUM and BFMV were in such whirlwinds when our respective albums came out that we each never truly got to play together or sit back and celebrate during the maelstrom of constant touring, recording and globetrotting. But that’s what this anniversary tour is. It’s a celebration by the bands to the fans of an important era, and most importantly it’s an invitation to fans come and have an epic night with us and sing and rage and celebrate the awesome power of the music.”
“This is going to be the metal tour of 2025,” concludes Tuck. “BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and TRIVIUM‘The Poisoned Ascendancy’ World Tour 2025. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of both albums and playing them in their entirety. Get excited people, it’s going to be special and we can’t wait to celebrate with you all.”
“The Poisoned Ascendancy” 2025 U.K. tour dates:
Jan. 26 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
Jan. 28 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Jan. 30 – Co-op Live, Manchester
Jan. 31 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Feb. 01 – The O2, London
Tickets go on sale on Friday, March 1 at 10 a.m. GMT.
Released in 2005, the impact of both albums on the evolution of modern metal is undeniable. For BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, “The Poison” was their debut album, which saw the band propelled to unimaginable heights. That year saw the Welsh metallers graduate from supporting FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND on their U.K. run in the summer, to ending the year headlining the very same venues just months later. Dropping in October 2005, “The Poison” hit number 21 in the U.K. album charts, becoming a late contender in end of year polls, placing at number seven on Kerrang!‘s “Albums Of The Year” list, and since achieving gold status.
Released in March of 2005, TRIVIUM crafted a classic in the form of “Ascendancy”. It concluded 2005 as Kerrang!‘s “Album Of The Year,” went gold in the U.K., and has since surpassed global sales of 500,000 copies. Opening the main stage of Download festival that year, the Floridian four piece — barely out of their teens — delivered a set that left all who witnessed it in no doubt that they were looking at future legends, with Kerrang! readers later voting it as the tenth best gig of all time.
A testament to the staying power of both albums, Metal Hammer listed both albums in the Top 25 of their “The Greatest Metal Albums Of The Century.” The opportunity to see these classic albums performed in full by two bands at the top of their game in some of the U.K.’s most prestigious arenas is not one to be missed.
Photo credit: Ryan Chang