Bullet For My Valentine & Trivium (support: Orbit Culture)
Vienna / Wiener Stadthalle / Austria
Wednesday, 19. 2. 2025
Two metal giants joined forces on an anniversary tour called The Poisoned Ascendancy. Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium are celebrating 20 years since the release of their landmark albums The Poison and Ascendancy, records that left a decisive mark on the metal scene at the turn of the millennium. This time around, both bands drew some 8,000 fans to the Vienna Stadthalle for an evening of nostalgia, energy, and sheer musical force.
The night was opened by Swedish melodic death/groove metal quartet Orbit Culture, who have established themselves in recent years as one of the hottest names in the younger generation of extreme metal. From the opening Descent they made it clear that the stage was no bigger than their vision. Charismatic vocalist and guitarist Niklas Karlsson grabbed the crowd from the very first bars with the range and intensity of his voice, while the Karlsson–Hansson guitar tandem wove a lush web of melodic yet hard-hitting riffs. The Lennartsson–Wallerstedt rhythm section laid down a rock-solid foundation that sent the audience into a unified headbang.
The band radiated tightness and confidence, backed up by a well-considered visual backdrop and lighting that brought out the dramatic arc of each song. The highlight of their set went to the closing Vultures of North, which unleashed a genuine sonic storm and filled the hall with a cathartic atmosphere. Orbit Culture proved they can hold their own alongside the biggest names in the game — and that they are the future of metal.
Orbit Culture setlist:
01. Descent
02. North Star of Nija
03. From the Inside
04. While We Serve
05. Vultures of North
Next up were Welsh Bullet For My Valentine, who last played Vienna two years ago. This time they came back with the concept of “20 years of The Poison.” Already with the opener Her Voice Resides they set the tone for an evening packed with explosive energy and sing-along choruses — and from where I was standing in the photo pit, looking to my right, I felt like I was experiencing the most brutal déjà vu of my life. Is that Dean Winchester, a.k.a. Jensen Ackles, on guitar?! Well, it wasn’t — but bassist Jamie Mathias had clearly watched a lot of Supernatural, because his style and haircut were dead ringers for Jensen’s character in the show. Then came the classics: 4 Words (to Choke Upon) and the evergreen Tears Don’t Fall, which got an interesting makeover with an acoustic interlude where the whole hall sang along — something that visibly pleased Matt, who nodded his approval several times before the song kicked into its full metal version. A pretty interesting setlist choice overall, since I’d have expected that track to be saved for the encore in any “normal” set rather than dropping it mid-show.
The band ran through the full spectrum of their signature mix of melody and edge. Matthew Tuck held the stage and the crowd in a constant surge of energy throughout, while guitarist Michael Paget pushed the atmosphere even higher with precise, surgical solos. Jason Bowld kept up a relentless drumming pace that never let up until the very end, and Jamie Mathias — alongside his locked-in bass lines — was busy practising the art of stealing Matt Tuck’s female admirers. The closing stretch of the main set, with the title track The Poison and The End, delivered a peak moment of nostalgia, while Knives and Waking the Demon in the encore made sure the night finished with a bang.
Bullet For My Valentine setlist:
01. Her Voice Resides
02. 4 Words (to Choke Upon)
03. Tears Don’t Fall
04. Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)
05. Hit the Floor
06. All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)
07. Hand of Blood
08. Room 409
09. The Poison
10. 10 Years Today
11. Cries in Vain
12. The End
—encore—
13. Knives
14. Waking the Demon
The evening was closed out by American metalcore giants Trivium, who dedicated the set entirely to their landmark album Ascendancy. After a recorded intro of Metallica’s Hit the Lights, Trivium opened with Rain and Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr, turning the stage into an epicenter of energy within seconds. Matthew Heafy connected with the crowd through his commanding stage presence and vocal versatility, while Corey Beaulieu underlined the band’s technical mastery with sharp riff sequences and solos.
A special stamp was left by Alex Bent’s drum solo, which brought the audience to their feet and transitioned seamlessly into A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation. The band rolled through a string of classics — Dying in Your Arms, Like Light to the Flies, The Deceived — creating a sense of collective celebration of a shared passion for metal. With Declaration, a massive wall of sound washed over the hall and brought the main set to a close. In the encore, TRIVIUM delivered the anthemic In Waves, and the entire venue exploded into a chorus of voices.
Trivium setlist:
01. Rain
02. Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
03. Drowned and Torn Asunder
04. Ascendancy
05. A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
06. Like Light to the Flies
07. Dying in Your Arms
08. The Deceived
09. Suffocating Sight
10. Departure
11. Declaration
—encore—
12. In Waves
The evening at the Vienna Stadthalle delivered three distinct yet perfectly complementary concert stories. Orbit Culture proved themselves the ideal support act, one that belongs on big stages without question. Bullet For My Valentine took us back to the golden era of metalcore with The Poison and confirmed their status as genuine classics. And Trivium, with Ascendancy, put on an unrelenting performance that fused nostalgia with uncompromising power. The anniversary tour The Poisoned Ascendancy more than lived up to its reputation as one of the key metal events of the year — Vienna can attest to that.
Author: Denis Paradiž
Photos: Denis Paradiž
