Trivium & Bullet For My Valentine Bring Anniversary Riffs to Houston

If 2025 wasn’t already off to a kick-ass start with concert after concert lighting up the scene, here I am once again completely blown away by another wicked lineup… this time featuring metal giants Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine on their highly anticipated co-headlining tour. The bands are hitting the road to celebrate the 20th anniversaries of their iconic albums ‘Ascendancy’ and ‘The Poison’, and the sold-out Houston stop at Bayou Music Center promised…and delivered… a night packed with nostalgia, explosive energy, and crushing riffs. As someone who’s been blasting these records since the beginning, my excitement leading up to this show had been building for weeks. And let me tell you, it was absolutely worth the anticipation. Supporting this powerhouse lineup were none other than August Burns Red and Sylosis… both legendary bands as well bringing even more metal muscle to an already stacked night. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the venue in time to catch Sylosis’s full set, but I did manage to catch their final few songs. As expected, they absolutely killed it. From what I witnessed, their performance was tight, intense, and the perfect way to kick off the night’s momentum. I couldn’t have imagined a better band to set the tone for what was to come.

Next up was August Burns Red, and the second the lights went dark, the crowd erupted into absolute chaos. And honestly, how could they not? The band kicked off their set with a cover of System Of A Down’s “Chop Suey,” and the place went wild. I mean… What better way to ignite a pit than with one of the most iconic songs in metal history? I was definitely into it, and clearly, so was everyone else. From there, they launched into a nine-song set packed with heavy-hitters like “Defender,” “Bloodletter,” “Marianas Trench,” and, of course, they closed with the fan favorite “White Washed.” I’ve seen and covered August Burns Red before, and I genuinely don’t know how they manage to outdo themselves every single time. Their live energy is unmatched, relentless, and raw in the best ways possible. They’ll chew you up and spit you out within seconds, all while leaving you wanting more. Jake Luhrs is a master at commanding the stage and the crowd, leading mosh pits, encouraging crowd surfing, and just feeding into the beautifully chaotic energy of it all. It was an absolute blast from start to finish.

Bullet For My Valentine – Photo: Krystiee Lee

It was finally time for the band I was most stoked to see…UK metalcore masterminds, Bullet For My Valentine. Y’all… I’m going to try not to completely geek out here and keep it somewhat short and to the point, but holy hell. Even after all these years, these dudes still manage to blow me away every single time I see them. Like, to the point where I always walk away with no voice from screaming through their entire set. This tour marked the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album ‘The Poison’, and hearing them play those tracks live again was nothing short of magic. Each riff, each scream, each melody was delivered with that signature BFMV precision… clean, tight, and completely feral in all the right ways. They tore through banger after banger, including some of my forever favorites: “4 Words (To Choke Upon),” “Tears Don’t Fall,” “All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me),” and “The Poison.” Honestly, trying to even focus on photographing was a challenge. All I wanted to do was headbang and rock out like I did back in my teenage years. Matt Tuck kept thanking the fans throughout the night for showing up and celebrating such a massive milestone with them, and the crowd gave it right back… with non-stop crowd surfers, circle pits, and full-on chaos on the venue floor. They closed with encore tracks “Knives” and “Waking the Demon,” and when I say I was left speechless, I mean literally… I could barely speak after screaming every lyric. Their set was flawless from start to finish. The sound, the visuals, the energy, and all that beautiful nostalgia… It proved that Bullet For My Valentine isn’t going anywhere. Definitely not anytime soon.

Trivium was now set to take the stage, and just from the stage setup and backdrop alone, I knew shit was about to get real. And sure enough, the second they stepped out, the chaos erupted once again…exactly what you’d expect from a band that’s been melting faces for over two decades. They played Ascendancy in full to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and let me tell you, it sounded better than ever. With tracks like “Pull Harder On the Strings of Your Martyr,” “Drowned and Torn Asunder,” “Dying in Your Arms,” and my personal favorite “Like Light to the Flies,” each song brought its own wave of intensity. The crowd didn’t stop moving for a second…full-blown madness from start to finish. Matt Heafy connected with the crowd like I’ve never seen before. It wasn’t just a performance really… It felt like a shared experience between band and fans in a way. Between the ferocious riffs, punishing drums, and Matt sticking his tongue out every two minutes (classic), it was everything you’d expect from a Trivium set…but dialed up x1000. Josh Middleton from Sylosis joined in for “A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation,” which only amped the crowd up even more. And of course, they ended the night with the massive encore “In Waves,” sending everyone off in a whirlwind of adrenaline and awe. This show easily ranks as one of the best I’ve seen and covered all year. It’s one of those nights that lingers in your head long after it’s over… and I already find myself daydreaming about it.