Bullet for My Valentine

Jeff Killed John and record deal (1998–2005)

Jeff Killed John was the forerunner band to Bullet for My Valentine and was formed in 1998^[4] by Matthew Tuck, Michael "Padge" Paget, Nick Crandle, and Michael "Moose" Thomas while studying music at Bridgend College.^[5] They started playing Nirvana and Metallica cover songs.^[5] In 1999, the band released their first ever EP, Better Off Alone. They released another two-track EP in 2002, You/Play with Me, which was produced by Greg Haver.^[5] The EP was financed through the Pynci scheme for new Welsh musicians and the release garnered radio airplay on BBC Radio 1's broadcast at Newport's T.J.'s.^[5] Shortly after, the band released another two-track EP titled Eye Spy. In 2003, their second EP was released titled Don't Walk Away. This was a promotional CD and was shipped to different record companies, as well as being given out locally in Bridgend. Bassist Crandle left the band on the eve of entering the recording sessions for the band's self-titled EP and was replaced by Jason James,^[5] and the band changed their name to Bullet for My Valentine shortly thereafter.^[6] In late 2003, they released their final EP before record labels actually began to notice their potential. This happened due to the sudden change in their strategy and sound, which the band claims came "directly out of their heads."^[7] Their self-titled EP consisted of five songs; most of the songs became precursors of tracks from The Poison.


Roadrunner Records showed interest in Bullet for My Valentine and offered the band a deal. The offer was ultimately turned down, and the band signed a five-album record deal with Sony BMG and a UK licensing deal with Visible Noise. According to Tuck, they chose Sony because, "We thought that a lot more doors would be open to us."^[6] A self-titled EP was released on 15 November 2004 in the UK. Produced by Colin Richardson, it featured five tracks and marked the band's first official release.^[5] A second EP, Hand of Blood, was released on 22 August 2005 through Trustkill Records and was only available in the U.S.; the release contained one extra track than the self-titled EP, "4 Words (To Choke Upon)." Daniel Lukes of Decibel Magazine reviewed the EP by stating, "The worst part is that the music itself isn't all that bad, for the genre." He went on to comment that the band should be "embarrassed" about the release.^[8] Zero Magazine's Josh Joyce complimented the band on "how technical they can get without confusing the kids."^[9]