Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine Feud Erupts Over Tour Cancellation: ‘No Respect’
A heavy metal tour seemingly built on camaraderie has taken a sharp turn into drama. Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine, who were co-headlining "The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour" celebrating the 20th anniversaries of their respective albums, The Poison and Ascendancy, are now embroiled in a public dispute following the cancellation of the tour's South American and Australian legs.
The tension escalated when Trivium bassist Paolo Gregoletto pointed the finger at Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck for the tour's premature end. "[Matt Tuck] didn’t want to do it, after we had planned it, after stuff was already in the works – don’t know why," Gregoletto revealed in a livestream published to Reddit. He expressed his disappointment, stating, "I think it would have been amazing. I think ‘The Poison’ is a great album. I think the two records pair very well together. And I think it would have been nice to give everyone around the world a chance to see the two together."
The conflict continued to simmer on social media, with Loudwire reporting that Gregoletto posted a TikTok with the caption: “When you make your first TikTok live and miss off the other bands you are on tour with…” Further adding fuel to the fire, Trivium responded to a TikTok comment accusing them of unprofessionalism with a blunt statement: “He’s [Tuck’s] the sole decision maker of the band and has no respect for us or our crew.”
Bullet For My Valentine addressed the tour's early end with a statement shared by Loudwire: "As we head into the final shows of The Poisoned Ascendancy tour, we want to thank everyone who’s come out to celebrate with us. The shows have been phenomenal and we’ve loved connecting with every single one of you. With that being said, the four of us collectively feel that the time is right for us to divert our full attention towards the next chapter of Bullet For My Valentine," the band wrote. "We can’t wait to get back in the studio later this summer and finish what we promise you is our best album to date."
In contrast to the apparent animosity, Trivium frontman Matt Heafy shared a more positive message, expressing gratitude for his bandmates and fans. He stated, "I have loved every show, every day, every minute; from the work I did - I have found myself more present and more appreciative than ever. I love touring with my band mates - they’re my best friends and my brothers; and I love our road crew - we’re all truly one big happy family." He also praised the pairing with Bullet For My Valentine, calling them "the most perfectly paired bands that I could ever imagine."
Despite the discord, the remaining dates of the "Poisoned Ascendancy" tour are still set to proceed, culminating in a final performance in Raleigh, North Carolina. The future of any potential collaborations between the two bands, however, remains uncertain.
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