Bullet For My Valentine | Evvntly Blog.

4/12/2025 - Arizona Financial Theater - Phoenix, Arizona.

Bullet for My Valentine & Trivium Bring Fire and Fury to Phoenix on the Poisoned Ascendancy Tour

Metal fans from across the Valley packed shoulder to shoulder, buzzing with anticipation for a night stacked with some of the most influential metalcore acts of the past two decades at the Arizona Financial Theatre last April 12. The "Poisoned Ascendancy Tour," a co-headlining juggernaut from Bullet for My Valentine and Trivium, served not just as a nostalgic nod to their breakthrough albums (The Poison and Ascendancy, respectively), but as a statement: these bands are still evolving, still brutal, and still ready to tear the roof off.

Opening duties fell to UK’s Sylosis, and they wasted no time plunging the audience into darkness and dissonance. Their set was tight and aggressive, with frontman Josh Middleton effortlessly blending technical riffing with guttural roars. Tracks like “Deadwood” and “Poison for the Lost” showcased their thrash-meets-melodic-death-metal sound, and even though they were the earliest set, their performance felt anything but warm-up. It was an eruption.

Next up, August Burns Red stormed the stage with their trademark blend of mathcore chaos and soaring melody. Jake Luhrs commanded the crowd like a seasoned general, whipping up circle pits and stage-wide jumps by the second song.

“Meddler” and “Invisible Enemy” hit particularly hard, but it was their performance of “White Washed” that triggered an explosive response from the pit. ABR proved once again that they're one of the tightest live acts in metalcore—ferocious yet surgical in execution.

Bullet for My Valentine emerged to deafening cheers and wasted no time launching into The Poison’s iconic opener “Her Voice Resides.” Matt Tuck’s vocals were sharp and commanding, with a renewed edge that made even the oldest songs feel reborn.

The band treated the crowd to a near-complete playthrough of The Poison, with highlights like “Tears Don’t Fall” and “All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)” triggering a wave of crowd-surfers and singalongs.

They also weaved in a few newer cuts like “Knives” and “You Want a Battle? (Here’s a War),” proving they haven’t lost an ounce of aggression with age.

For the last act of the night, it was clear Trivium came to dominate. Performing a good chunk of Ascendancy alongside modern staples like “The Heart From Your Hate” and “In Waves,” Matt Heafy and crew delivered a masterclass in versatility.

Heafy was all smiles and snarls, hyping up the crowd between breakdowns and shredding solos. The band’s chemistry—especially between Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu—felt locked-in and full of purpose.

“Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” had the entire theater screaming the chorus in unison, a full-circle moment for fans who’ve been there since 2005.