CD Reviews

Now, nearly two years later, both bands have released new collections of music and while Bullet For My Valentine's 'Scream Aim Fire' has been viewed as a largely under whelming collection of run of the mill metalcore, My Last Victory have developed in leaps and bounds.

James and Josh.

The now Brighton based five piece's new record, 'Destruction For A Better World', expands on the sound of their debut, 'Bury Theses Thoughts', and moves them into new musical territory while retaining the essence of the band.

'Destruction For A Better World' takes the metalcore that My Last Victory made their name playing around the venues of Guernsey and has added elements that bring to mind both modern and classic metal as played by bands like Machine Head and Metallica.

This combination of sounds has added a much more epic feel to the music evident in both the songs running times and themes, though through this they have retained elements of the bands down to earth way of doing things.

A prime example of this epic scale comes in the discs nine and a half minute title track.

Jack.

Starting off with a slow intricate guitar intro, reminiscent of the openings of Metallica's 'Master of Puppets' album, things soon kick into the modern metal style the band are incorporating into their sound.

Then, throughout the song's vast running time, it twists and turns in various metallic directions to keep a listener engrossed throughout.

Within this is an element of the worldly themes My Last Victory have developed, focusing on issues away from the typical personal and emotional themes of much metalcore and heading into much more universal areas demonstrated by more mature bands.

Seann.

Throughout the whole record the musicianship is of a very high standard with Seann Bewey's drum work providing the firm foundation and beating heart of the band while James McPhail's bass is locked into this brilliantly, while at times being given the chance to come to the fore in small solo sections.

On top of this comes Josh Fletcher's guitar playing which has developed greatly since 'Bury These Thoughts' so the band's sound now includes vast guitar solos which work with Jack Fletcher's vocals to comprise the lead aspects of their sound.

Jack Fletcher too has grown as a vocalist, though there are still moments on the record where his voice doesn't quite live up the visceral nature of his sound live.

MLV at the Earth Fair 2007.

Where Jack excels on this record though is in the more developed melodic parts which now work within the dynamics of the songs to much greater effect.

Danny Joyce has once again done a fine job on the production side of the record which is especially noticeable in the use of multi-tracking on both the guitar and vocal parts which adds an extra power to My Last Victory's songs.

'Destruction For A Better World' is a phenomenal piece of work for a band operating on such a tight schedule and budget as My Last Victory and really shows how a band can develop while retaining their original style.

While they may not have the mainstream appeal of some bands, My Last Victory have stuck to their guns to produce five slices of epic modern metal like little else to emerge from Guernsey and this should set them up well as they now aim further a field.