by Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck recently shared his thoughts on the band being labeled as metalcore, embracing the genre classification in an interview with Wall of Sound.
Tuck addressed the metalcore label directly, expressing his appreciation for the genre and its role in defining the band’s sound, particularly in their earlier years.
“No, I love metalcore. You can’t tar us with that brush solely. But I think if you had to put us under an umbrella or a genre or something, I think metalcore is something that, that’s what we would class ourselves as, especially back in the day,” Tuck said. “I mean, I think we’ve evolved a lot more and we got more diverse since then, but, yeah, I don’t think it’s a dirty word at all.”
The vocalist also reflected on being part of the metalcore movement that emerged as nu metal declined.
“It was so cool to be part of this new thing. Nu metal was kind of dying out. We were part of something like Avenged Sevenfold and Killswitch Engage and Parkway [Drive] and all these bands. It was just like a new movement of metal. And it was not just about kind of low riffs… That’s all cool — it has its place — but I think showmanship and technicality and showing off just hadn’t been there,” he continued.
Tuck’s positive stance on the metalcore label reflects the band’s long-standing relationship with the genre that helped define their career.
Bullet For My Valentine has been widely recognized as one of the influential acts within the metalcore genre since their rise in the early 2000s. Ultimate Guitar reported that their blend of melodic elements, thrash, and hardcore influences helped define the genre’s sound and brought metalcore into mainstream metal audiences.
The band’s musical journey has seen notable evolution over the years. Their 2018 album Gravity showed a more experimental approach but drew mixed reactions from their metalcore fanbase. Metal Injection noted that their subsequent self-titled album Bullet For My Valentine released in 2021 saw a deliberate return toward their heavier roots. The album reaffirmed their identity within metalcore while balancing melody and aggression.
The Welsh band continues to maintain their relevance in the metal scene. As of 2025, Bullet For My Valentine remains actively touring globally, including major metal and rock festivals and large-scale tours. This indicates their continuing strong fanbase within the metalcore scene and broader metal community.
Tuck’s comments underscore the band’s acceptance of their metalcore identity while acknowledging their musical growth and diversification over the years. His rejection of the notion that metalcore is a “dirty word” reflects a broader confidence in the genre’s artistic merit and cultural impact on modern metal music.
The full interview is available on Wall of Sound’s YouTube channel.
