1. Scream Aim Fire (4:28)
2. Eye Of The Storm (4:02)
3. Hearts Burst Into Fire (4:58)
4. Waking The Demon (4:07)
5. Disappear (4:05)
6. Deliver Us from Evil (5:58)
7. Take It Out On Me (5:52)
8. Say Goodnight (4:43)
9. End Of Days (4:18)
10. Last To Know (3:15)
11. Forever And Always (6:48)

Bullet For My Valentine has returned with their sophomore effort, 'Scream Aim Fire', and not too much has changed from their debut. In some ways, this is a very good thing, as the band has obviously been paying attention to other bands who have completely revamped their sound/style, to the outrage of core fan bases. On the flipside, it's also a potential negative, as it makes this sound like nothing more than a continuation of the first album from a band that's afraid to experiment and step away from anything familiar.

Fortunately, there are more positive aspects to this album than negative. The fact that the band has at least taken the initiative of incorporating some heavier vocal elements into their sound is a plus. Extreme metal as a whole has had a huge rise in popularity within the last year, and Bullet are obviously not too self-contained as a band to take notice.

Another huge positive is the fact that although Bullet are heavily influenced by the 80's Bay Area thrash scene and of course old Metallica moreso than any others, they've managed to keep their sound relatively free of the current trend of "retro thrash" stylings. There are a few songs that have a slight "old school thrash" feel to them, but Bullet still manages to make it sound like a Bullet song, instead of sounding like a rehash of one of their influences. Hopefully it sends a message to those that think there's something cool about trying to revive a legendary, but appropriately retired sound/style.

Bullet made good for themselves with their debut release, 'The Poison', despite copping the styles of Machine Head and Metallica, and merging them with metalcore stylings. The rather emo lyrical content notwithstanding, the album was a solid metal release. 'Scream Aim Fire' takes on more of a serious approach lyrically, with Matt focusing more on personal issues, as well as war, politics, and religion.

Bullet For My Valentine may not be the next big thing in extreme or aggro metal, as 'Scream Aim Fire' isn't anywhere near being heavy enough for the average modern metalhead. Similarly, they're not likely to end up on top in the more commercial realm due to the slightly more serious direction they've taken lyrically, which may not sit well with some of the fans that expected more songs about heartbreak and sorrow.

Like 'em or Hate 'em, at the end of the day, 'Scream Aim Fire' is a solid second release from these Welsh thrashers.