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The Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis Regis (the Clavicula Salomonis, or Key of Solomon is an earlier text referring to different material), is an anonymous 17th-century grimoire, and one of the most popular books of demonology. It has also long been widely known as the Lemegeton.

History[link]

It appeared in the 17th century, but much was taken from texts of the 16th century, including the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, by Johann Weyer, and late-medieval grimoires. Some of the material in the first section, concerning the summoning of demons, dates to the 14th century or earlier.

The book claims that it was originally written by King Solomon, although this is certainly incorrect. The titles of nobility (such as the French Marquis or Germanic Earl) assigned to the demons were not in use in his time, nor were the prayers to Jesus and the Christian Trinity included in the text (Solomon's birth predated Jesus Christ's birth by more than 900 years).

The Lesser Key of Solomon contains detailed descriptions of spirits and the conjurations needed to evoke and oblige them to do the will of the conjurer (referred to as the "exorcist"). It details the protective signs and rituals to be performed, the actions necessary to prevent the spirits from gaining control, the preparations prior to the invocations, and instructions on how to make the necessary instruments for the execution of these rituals.

The several original copies extant vary considerably in detail and in the spellings of the spirits' names. Modern editions are widely available in print and on the Internet.

The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (Clavicula Salomonis Regis) is a 1904 translation of the text by Samuel Mathers. It is essentially a manual that purports to give instructions for summoning 72 different spirits.

Books[link]

The Lesser Key of Solomon is divided into five parts.

Ars Goetia[link]

The circle and triangle, used in the evocation of the seventy-two spirits of the Goetia. The magician would stand within the circle and the spirit was believed to appear within the triangle.

The first section, called Ars Goetia, contains descriptions of the seventy-two demons that Solomon is said to have evoked and confined in a brass vessel sealed by magic symbols, and that he obliged to work for him. It gives instructions on constructing a similar brass vessel, and using the proper magic formulae to safely call up those demons.

It deals with the evocation of all classes of spirits, evil, indifferent and good; its opening Rites are those of Paimon, Orias, Astaroth and the whole cohort of Infernus. The second part, or Theurgia Goëtia, deals with the spirits of the cardinal points and their inferiors. These are mixed natures, some good and some evil.^[1]

The Ars Goetia assigns a rank and a title of nobility to each member of the infernal hierarchy, and gives the demons' "signs they have to pay allegiance to", or seals. The lists of entities in the Ars Goetia correspond (to high but varying degree, often according to edition) with those in Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, an appendix appearing in later editions of his De Praestigiis Daemonum, of 1563.

A revised English edition of the Ars Goetia was published in 1904 by magician Aleister Crowley, as The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King. It serves as a key component of his popular and highly influential system of magick.

The 72 Demons[link]

The demons' names (given below) are taken from the Ars Goetia, which differs in terms of number and ranking from the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum of Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of the names, which are given in the articles concerning them.

Buer, the 10th spirit, who teaches "Moral and Natural Philosophy" (from a 1995 Mathers edition. Illustration by Louis Breton from Dictionnaire Infernal).

Ars Theurgia Goetia[link]

The Ars Theurgia Goetia ("the art of goetic theurgy") is the second section of The Lesser Key of Solomon. It explains the names, characteristics and seals of the 31 aerial spirits (called chiefs, emperors, kings and princes) that King Solomon invoked and confined. It also explains the protections against them, the names of their servant spirits, the conjurations to invoke them, and their nature, that is both good and evil. The spirits in this section and the next, Ars Paulina, correspond to the names given in Steganographia of Trithemius.

Their sole objective is to discover and show hidden things, the secrets of any person, and obtain, carry and do anything asked to them meanwhile they are contained in any of the four elements (Earth, Fire, Air and Water). These spirits are given in a complex order in the book, and some of them have spelling variations according to the different editions.

Ars Paulina[link]

The Ars Paulina (The Art of Paul) is the third part of The Lesser Key of Solomon. According to the legend, this art was discovered by the Apostle Paul, but in the book is mentioned as the Pauline Art of King Solomon. The Ars Paulina was already known since the Middle Ages. It is divided in two chapters in this book.

The first chapter refers on how to deal with the angels of the several hours of the day (meaning day and night), to their seals, their nature, their servants (called Dukes), the relation of these angels with the seven planets known at that time, the proper astrological aspects to invoke them, their names (in a couple of cases coinciding with two of the seventy-two demons mentioned in the Ars Goetia), the conjuration and the invocation to call them, the Table [sic] of practice.

The second chapter concerns the angels that rule over the zodiacal signs and each degree of every sign, their relation with the four elements, Fire, Earth, Water and Air, their names, and their seals. These are called here the angels of men, because all persons are born under a zodiacal sign, with the Sun at a specific degree of it.

Ars Almadel[link]

The Ars Almadel (The Art of the Almadel) is the fourth part of The Lesser Key of Solomon. It tells how to make the almadel, which is a wax tablet with protective symbols drawn on it. On it are placed four candles. This chapter has the instructions concerning the colours, materials and rituals necessary for the construction of the almadel and the candles.

The Ars Almadel also tells about the angels that are to be invoked, and explains that only reasonable and just things that are needed must be asked to them, and how the conjuration has to be made. It also mentions twelve princes ruling with them. The dates and astrological aspects that have to be considered most convenient to invoke the angels are detailed but briefly.

The author asserts to have experimented with what is explained in this chapter.

Ars Notoria[link]

The Ars Notoria (The Notable Art) is the fifth and last part of The Lesser Key of Solomon.

It contains a collection of prayers (some of them divided in several parts) mixed with kabbalistic and magical words in several languages (i.e. Hebrew, Greek, etc.), how the prayers must be said, and the relation that these rituals have to the understanding of all sciences. It mentions the aspects of the Moon in relation with the prayers. It also says that the prayers act as an invocation to God's angels. According to the book, the correct spelling of the prayers gives the knowledge of the science related to each one and also a good memory, stability of mind, and eloquence. This chapter presents the precepts that have to be observed to obtain a good result.

Finally, it tells how King Solomon received the revelation from the angel.

Editions[link]

• Mathers, S. L. MacGregor (trans.), Crowley A. (ed.), The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (1904). 1995 reprint: ISBN 0-87728-847-X.
• de Laurence, L. W. (1916); 1942 reprint: ISBN 978-0-7661-0776-2; 2006 reprint: ISBN 978-1-59462-200-7
• Henson Mitch (1999), ISBN 978-0-9672797-0-1.
• Peterson, Joseph H. The Lesser Key of Solomon: Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (2001), ISBN 978-1-57863-220-6.
• Skinner, Stephen & Rankine, David, The Goetia of Dr Rudd: The Angels and Demons of Liber Malorum Spirituum Seu Goetia (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic). Golden Hoard Press, (2007). ISBN 978-0-9547639-2-3

References[link]

External links[link]

• J. B. Hare, online edition (2002, sacred-texts.com)
• A correspondence chart of demons mentioned in the Key by rank, planet, etc.
• The Goetia at About.com
• Demon Sigils (Seals) from The Goetia at About.com
• Esotericarchives.com

AIM or Aim may refer to:

Look up aim in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Aeronautics[link]

• Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere, NASA satellite
• Aeronautical Information Manual

Business[link]

• Alternative Investment Market, operated by the London Stock Exchange
• AIM Investment Management, Australian financial planning company
• Artificial Intelligence Marketing, a type of marketing activity

Computing[link]

• AIM 65 (computer)
• AIM alliance, Apple-IBM-Motorola alliance
• AOL Instant Messenger
• Fortyfive, a Japanese software development company previously known as AIM

Education[link]

• Asian Institute of Management (Makati City, Philippines)
• Assam Institute of Management (Guwahati, Assam, 781021)

Military[link]

• Abrams Integrated Management
• Army Institute of Management, Kolkata
• Airborne Intercept Missile, a type of Air-to-air missile
• Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965, Model 63, 65, 90 assault rifles (standard and short barrel) (AIM, AIMS, AIMR)
• Puşcă Automată model 1986, Model 86 automatic rifle (standard and short barrel) (AIMS-74, AIMR)

Music[link]

• AIM (Tyga song)
• Aim (musician)
• A.I.M. (single), from the Cooper Temple Clause
• Anugerah Industri Muzik, Malaysia's annual music awards ceremony
• Atlanta Institute Of Music
• Australian Institute of Music

Organizations[link]

• Accuracy in Media
• Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation
• Adventures In Missions (disambiguation)
• American Indian Movement
• American Institute of Mathematics
• Asian Institute of Management
• Association of Independent Museums
• Association of Independent Music
• Australian Institute of Management

Others[link]

• Advanced Idea Mechanics, fictional terrorist organization in Marvel Comics
• Affect infusion model
• Africa Inland Mission (religion)
• Ai Maeda (voice actress), who is also called "AiM".
• Aim (demon)
• Aim toothpaste
• Ancestry-informative marker
• Atoms in Molecules
• Aim (trigraph)
• Acetate indigo carmine mixture (medicine, gastroenterology)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since September 2011. It may be in need of reorganization to comply with Wikipedia's layout guidelines. Tagged since April 2012. It may contain original research. Tagged since September 2011.

St. Anthony plagued by demons, as imagined by Martin Schongauer, in the 1480s.

A demon is a supernatural, often malevolent being prevalent in various religions, occultisms, literature, and folklore. The original Greek word daimon does not carry the negative connotation initially understood by implementation of the Koine δαιμόνιον (daimonion),^[1] and later ascribed to any cognate words sharing the root.

In Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. In Western occultism and Renaissance magic, which grew out of an amalgamation of Greco-Roman magic, Jewish demonology, and Christian tradition,^[2] a demon is a spiritual entity that may be conjured and controlled.

Terminology[link]

Buer, the 10th spirit, who teaches "Moral and Natural Philosophy" (from a 1995 Mathers edition. Illustration by Louis Breton from Dictionnaire Infernal).

The Ancient Greek word δαίμων daimōn denotes a "spirit" or "divine power", much like the Latin genius or numen. Daimōn most likely came from the Greek verb daiesthai ("to divide, distribute").^[3] The Greek conception of a daimōns notably appears in the works of Plato, where it describes the divine inspiration of Socrates. To distinguish the classical Greek concept from its later Christian interpretation, the former is usually anglicized as either daemon or daimon rather than demon.

The Greek term does not have any connotations of evil or malevolence. In fact, εὐδαιμονία eudaimonia, (lit. "good-spiritedness") means "happiness". The term first acquired its negative connotations in the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible, which drew on the mythology of ancient Semitic religions. This was then inherited by the Koine text of the New Testament. The Western medieval and neo-medieval conception of a "demon" (see the Medieval grimoire called the Ars Goetia) derives seamlessly from the ambient popular culture of Late (Roman) Antiquity. The Hellenistic "daemon" eventually came to include many Semitic and Near Eastern gods as evaluated by Christianity.

The supposed existence of demons is an important concept in many modern religions^[who?] and occultist traditions. Demons are still feared as a popular superstition, largely due to their alleged power to possess living creatures. In the contemporary Western occultist tradition (perhaps epitomized by the work of Aleister Crowley), a demon (such as Choronzon, the "Demon of the Abyss") is a useful metaphor for certain inner psychological processes ("inner demons"), though some may also regard it as an objectively real phenomenon. Some scholars^[4] believe that large portions of the demonology (see Asmodai) of Judaism, a key influence on Christianity and Islam, originated from a later form of Zoroastrianism, and were transferred to Judaism during the Persian era.

Psychological archetype[link]

The classic Japanese demon, an ogre-like creature which often has horns.

Psychologist Wilhelm Wundt remarked that "among the activities attributed by myths all over the world to demons, the harmful predominate, so that in popular belief bad demons are clearly older than good ones."^[5] Sigmund Freud developed this idea and claimed that the concept of demons was derived from the important relation of the living to the dead: "The fact that demons are always regarded as the spirits of those who have died recently shows better than anything the influence of mourning on the origin of the belief in demons."

M. Scott Peck, an American psychiatrist, wrote two books on the subject, People of the Lie: The Hope For Healing Human Evil^[6] and Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption.^[7] Peck describes in some detail several cases involving his patients. In People of the Lie he provides identifying characteristics of an evil person, whom he classified as having a character disorder. In Glimpses of the Devil Peck goes into significant detail describing how he became interested in exorcism in order to debunk the "myth" of possession by evil spirits – only to be convinced otherwise after encountering two cases which did not fit into any category known to psychology or psychiatry. Peck came to the conclusion that possession was a rare phenomenon related to evil, and that possessed people are not actually evil; rather, they are doing battle with the forces of evil.^[8]

Although Peck's earlier work was met with widespread popular acceptance, his work on the topics of evil and possession has generated significant debate and derision. Much was made of his association with (and admiration for) the controversial Malachi Martin, a Roman Catholic priest and a former Jesuit, despite the fact that Peck consistently called Martin a liar and manipulator.^[9][10] Richard Woods, a Roman Catholic priest and theologian, has claimed that Dr. Peck misdiagnosed patients based upon a lack of knowledge regarding dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder), and had apparently transgressed the boundaries of professional ethics by attempting to persuade his patients into accepting Christianity.^[9] Father Woods admitted that he has never witnessed a genuine case of demonic possession in all his years.^[11][12][13]

By tradition[link]

Ancient Near East[link]

Mesopotamia[link]

Human-headed winged bull, otherwise known as a Šedu

According to the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, "In Chaldean mythology the seven evil deities were known as shedu, storm-demons, represented in ox-like form."^[14] They were represented as winged bulls, derived from the colossal bulls used as protective jinns of royal palaces.^[15]

From Chaldea, the term shedu traveled to the Israelites. The writers of the Tanach applied the word as a dialogism to Canaanite deities.

There are indications that demons in popular Hebrew mythology were believed to come from the nether world.^[16] Various diseases and ailments were ascribed to them, particularly those affecting the brain and those of internal nature. Examples include the catalepsy, headache, epilepsy, and nightmares. There also existed a demon of blindness, "Shabriri" (lit. "dazzling glare") who rested on uncovered water at night and blinded those who drank from it.

Demons supposedly entered the body and caused the disease while overwhelming or "seizing" the victim. To cure such diseases, it was necessary to draw out the evil demons by certain incantations and talismanic performances, which the Essenes excelled at. Josephus, who spoke of demons as "spirits of the wicked which enter into men that are alive and kill them", but which could be driven out by a certain root,^[17] witnessed such a performance in the presence of the Emperor Vespasian^[18] and ascribed its origin to King Solomon. In mythology, there were few defences against Babylonian demons. The mythical mace Sharur had the power to slain demons such as Asag, a legendary gallu or edimmu of hideous strength.

Ancient Arabia[link]

Pre-Islamic mythology did not differentiate between gods and demons. Jinns were considered divinities of inferior rank and had many human abilities, such as eating, drinking, and procreating. While most jinn were considered peaceful and well-disposed towards humans, there also existed evil jinns who contrived to injure people.

Hebrew Bible[link]

Lilith, by John Collier, 1892

Demons in the Hebrew Bible are of two classes: the se'irim ("hairy beings") and the shedim.^{[citation needed]} The se'irim, to which some Israelites offered sacrifices in the open fields, were satyr-like creatures, described as dancing in the wilderness (Isaiah 13:21, 34:14).

Some benevolent shedim were used in kabbalistic ceremonies (as with the golem of Rabbi Yehuda Loevy), and malevolent shedim (mazikin, from the root meaning "to damage") were often credited with possession. Similarly, a shed might inhabit an otherwise inanimate statue.

Judaism[link]

According to some rabbinic sources, demons were believed to be under the dominion of a king or chief, either Asmodai^[19] or, in the older Haggadah, Samael ("the angel of death", also called the "chief of the devils"), who killed via poison. Occasionally a demon was called satan: "Stand not in the way of an ox when coming from the pasture, for Satan dances between his horns".^[20]

Demonology never became an essential feature of Jewish theology.^{[citation needed]} However, the existence of demons was never questioned by the Talmudists and late rabbis, nor did most of the medieval thinkers question their reality. Only rationalists like Maimonides and Abraham ibn Ezra explicitly denied their existence. Their point of view eventually became mainstream Jewish understanding.

Rabbinical demonology has three classes of demons, though they are scarcely separable one from another. There were the shedim, the mazziḳim ("harmers"), and the ruḥin ("spirits"). There were also lilin ("night spirits"), ṭelane ("shade", or "evening spirits"), ṭiharire ("midday spirits"), and ẓafrire ("morning spirits"), as well as the "demons that bring famine" and "such as cause storm and earthquake".^[21][22]

Christian demonology[link]

Death and the Miser (detail), a Hieronymus Bosch painting, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

In the Gospels, particularly the Gospel of Mark, Jesus cast out many demons or evil spirits from those afflicted with various ailments. He also lent this power to some of his disciples (Luke 10:17). The demons were cast out by the utterance of a name, according to Matthew 7:22, with some groups insisting the original pronunciation of the name "Jesus" be used. The demons or unclean spirits themselves were said to often recognize Jesus as the Messiah. In Matthew 12:43, Jesus taught that when demons were driven from a human, they went through dry places as disembodied spirits seeking respite, although on some occasion he would send them into a herd of swine. Through all accounts, Jesus had never failed in his exorcism of a demon.

By way of contrast, in Acts, a group of Judaistic exorcists known as the sons of Sceva attempted to cast out a powerful spirit without belief in Jesus, but failed with disastrous consequences.

Revelation 12:7-17 describes a battle between God's army and Satan's followers and the latter's subsequent expulsion from Heaven to Earth in order to persecute humans.^{[clarification needed]} Luke 10:18 mentions a power granted by Jesus to cast out demons made Satan "fall like lightning from heaven".

Apuleius, by Augustine of Hippo, is ambiguous as to whether daemons had become 'demonized' by the early 5th century:

He [Apulieus] also states that the blessed are called in Greek eudaimones, because they are good souls, that is to say, good demons, confirming his opinion that the souls of men are demons.^[23]

The contemporary Roman Catholic Church unequivocally teaches that angels and demons are real beings rather than just symbolic devices. The Catholic Church has a cadre of officially sanctioned exorcists which perform many exorcisms each year. The exorcists of the Catholic Church teach that demons attack humans continually but that afflicted persons can be effectively healed and protected either by the formal rite of exorcism, authorized to be performed only by bishops and those they designate, or by prayers of deliverance, which any Christian can offer for themselves or others.^[24]

Building upon the few references to daemons in the New Testament, especially the poetry of the Book of Revelation, Christian writers of apocrypha from the 2nd century onwards created a more complicated tapestry of beliefs about "demons" that was largely independent of Christian scripture.

At various times in Christian history, attempts have been made to classify demons according to various proposed demonic hierarchies.

According to Christian demonology, demons will be eternally punished and never will reconcile with God. Other theories postulate a universal reconciliation, in which Satan, the fallen angels, and the souls of the dead that were condemned to Hell reconcile with God. This doctrine is today often associated with the Unification Church. Origen, Jerome, and Gregory of Nyssa also mentioned this possibility.

In contemporary Christianity, demons are generally considered to be angels who fell from grace by rebelling against God.^{[citation needed]} However, Genesis mentions that Nephilim are a result of the sexual relationships between fallen angels and human women (Genesis 6:2). When these hybrids died they left behind disembodied spirits that "roam[ed] the earth in search of rest" (Luke 11:24). Many non-canonical historical texts describe in detail these unions and the consequences thereof. This belief is repeated in other major ancient religions and mythologies. Christians who reject this view do so by ascribing the description of "Sons of God" in Genesis 6 to be the sons of Seth (one of Adam's sons).

Islam[link]

The Majlis al Jinn cave in Oman, literally "Meeting place of the Jinn".

Islam recognizes the existence of jinn, which are sentient beings with free will that can co-exist with humans (though not the genies of modern lore). In Islam, evil jinns are referred to as the shayātīn, or devils, with Iblis (Satan) as their chief. Iblis was one of the first jinn; he disobeyed God and did not bow down before Adam refusing to acknowledge a creature made of "clay". Thus, Iblis was condemned to hell. He asked for respite until the last day (Judgement Day), when he vowed to make mankind fall and deny the existence of their creator, to which God replied that Iblis would only be able to mislead those who were not righteous believers, warning that Iblis and all who followed him in evil would be punished in Hell.

Hinduism[link]

Hinduism includes numerous varieties of spirits that might be classified as demons, including Vetalas, Bhutas and Pishachas. Rakshasas and Asuras are often also taken as demons.

Asuras[link]

Asura in Kōfuku-ji, Nara, 734, Japanese

The Army of Super Creatures - from The Sougandhika Parinaya Manuscript (1821 CE)

Originally, Asura, in the earliest hymns of the Rig Veda, meant any supernatural spirit, either good or bad. Since the /s/ of the Indic linguistic branch is cognate with the /h/ of the Early Iranian languages, the word Asura, representing a category of celestial beings, became the word Ahura (Mazda), the Supreme God of the monotheistic Zoroastrians. Ancient Hinduism tells that Devas (also called suras) and Asuras are half-brothers, sons of the same father Kasyapa; although some of the Devas, such as Varuna, are also called Asuras. Later, during Puranic age, Asura and Rakshasa came to exclusively mean any of a race of anthropomorphic, powerful, possibly evil beings. Daitya (lit. sons of the mother "Diti"), Rakshasa (lit. from "harm to be guarded against"), and Asura are incorrectly translated into English as "demon".

In Hindu mythology, pious, highly enlightened Asuras, such as Prahlada and Vibheeshana, are not uncommon. The Asura are not fundamentally against the gods, nor do they tempt humans to fall. This is markedly different from the traditional Western notions of demons as a rival army of God but comparable with the concept of the jinns in Islam.^{[contradiction]} Many people metaphorically interpret the Asura as manifestations of the ignoble passions in the human mind and as a symbolic devices. There were also cases of power-hungry Asuras challenging various aspects of the Gods, but only to be defeated eventually and seek forgiveness—see Surapadman and Narakasura.

Evil spirits[link]

Hinduism advocates the reincarnation and transmigration of souls according to one's karma. Souls (Atman) of the dead are adjudged by the Yama and are accorded various purging punishments before being reborn. Humans that have committed extraordinary wrongs are condemned to roam as lonely, often evil, spirits for a length of time before being reborn. Many kinds of such spirits (Vetalas, Pishachas, Bhūta) are recognized in the later Hindu texts. These beings, in a limited sense, can be called demons.

Bahá'í Faith[link]

In the Bahá'í Faith, demons are not regarded as independent evil spirits as they are in some faiths. Rather, evil spirits described in various faiths' traditions, such as Satan, fallen angels, demons, and jinns, are metaphors for the base character traits a human being may acquire and manifest when he turns away from God and follows his lower nature. Belief in the existence of ghosts and earthbound spirits is rejected and considered to be the product of superstition.^[25]

See also[link]

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Freud, Sigmund (1950). Totem and Taboo:Some Points of Agreement between the Mental Lives of Savages and Neurotics. trans. Strachey. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-00143-3. 
• Wundt, W. (1906). Mythus und Religion, Teil II (Völkerpsychologie, Band II). Leipzig.
• Castaneda, Carlos (1998). The Active Side of Infinity. HarperCollins NY ISBN 978-0-06-019220-4

Further reading[link]

• Oppenheimer, Paul (1996). Evil and the Demonic: A New Theory of Monstrous Behavior. New York: New York University Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-6193-9. 

External links[link]

Look up δαίμων in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Look up demon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church: Hyperlinked references to demons in the online Catechism of the Catholic Church
• Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Demonology
• Profile of William Bradshaw, American demonologist Riverfront Times, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. August 2008.

Bullet for My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine performing at the 2010 Norway Rock Festival.
Background information
Origin	Bridgend, Wales, United Kingdom
Genres	Heavy metal, metalcore, thrash metal
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Columbia, Trustkill, Gun, Sony Music, Jive, RCA
Website	bulletformyvalentine.com
Members
Matthew Tuck Michael Paget Michael Thomas Jason James
Past members
Nick Crandle

Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matthew Tuck (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Paget (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason James (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Michael Thomas (drums). They were formed under the name Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana. Jeff Killed John recorded six songs which were not released; two of these tracks were reworked later in their career as Bullet for My Valentine. Financial difficulties dictated the name change, which was followed by a change in music direction. In 2002, the band secured a five-album deal with Sony BMG. The band has stated that their music is influenced by classic heavy metal acts such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Slayer. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.

Bullet for My Valentine's debut album, The Poison, was released on 3 October 2005 in the United Kingdom and on 14 February 2006 in the United States to coincide with Valentine's Day hence their band name. The album entered the Billboard 200 in the US at number 128. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The band made appearances at the Download Festival and Kerrang! XXV, and undertook a US tour with Rob Zombie. Bullet for My Valentine's second studio album, Scream Aim Fire, was released on 29 January 2008 and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. The band's third album, Fever, was released on 26 April 2010 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. The band has sold over one million albums in the United States and nearly 2,500,000 albums worldwide and are the most-successful act in the Kerrang! Awards category of "Best British Band" with three wins.

History[link]

Jeff Killed John and record deal (1998—2005)[link]

	"Tears Don't Fall" noicon According to Scott Alisoglu of Blabbermouth.net, "Tears Don't Fall"'s "twin lead work, thrashy romps, galloping tempos, and a hot solo launch the track out of mediocrity."[1]
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Jeff Killed John was the forerunner band to Bullet for My Valentine and was formed in 1998 by Matthew Tuck, Michael "Padge" Paget, Nick Crandle, and Michael "Moose" Thomas while studying music at Bridgend College. Playing Nirvana and Metallica cover songs, the band released a two-track EP in 2002, You/Play with Me, which was produced by Greg Haver. 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.^[2] Jeff Killed John's music followed the nu metal trend set by bands such as Korn and Limp Bizkit.^[2] Bassist Crandle left the band on the eve of entering the recording sessions for You/Play with Me and was replaced by Jason James.^[2] The band then changed their name to Bullet for My Valentine and reworked their musical strategy; they decided to play thrash metal songs with "harmony guitars and big angelic choruses" according to frontman Tuck.^[3]

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."^[3] 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.^[2] A second EP, Hand of Blood, was released on 22 August 2005 through Trustkill Records and was only available in the US; 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.^[4] Zeromag's Josh Joyce complimented the band on "how technical they can get without confusing the kids."^[5]

[edit] The Poison (2005—2007)

Bullet for My Valentine at 2007's Earthday Birthday (depicted from left to right: Paget, James, and Tuck).

Bullet for My Valentine's debut album, The Poison, was released on 3 October 2005 in the UK and on Valentine's Day, 2006 in the US. It entered the Billboard 200 at number 128,^[6] and attained number 11 on the Independent Albums chart.^[7] On 30 January 2009, the album was certified gold by the RIAA after 500,000 copies were sold in the US.^[8] Four singles were released from The Poison: "4 Words (To Choke Upon)", "Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)", "All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)", and "Tears Don't Fall".^[9] Bullet for My Valentine promoted the album by touring across the world. In 2005, with increased popularity, they played on the larger Download Festival Snickers stage;^[10] in 2006, the band were moved to near the top of the main stage bill.^[11] Other tours included opening for Metallica and Guns N' Roses in the summer of 2006,^[12] the Vans Warped Tour and Earthday Birthday. The band's headline performance at Kerrang XXV, a one-off gig at Brixton Academy in London on 28 January 2006, was filmed for their first DVD, The Poison: Live at Brixton.^[13][14] During June 2007, Tuck suffered from laryngitis, which let to an emergency tonsillectomy in July.^[15] Bullet for My Valentine were forced to cancel several shows, including supporting Metallica for three dates on their Sick of the Studio '07 tour on 29 June in Bilbao, 5 July in Vienna, and 8 July at the recently completed Wembley Stadium in London.^[16] Unable to speak, Tuck wrote that as soon as doctors cleared him he would be in the studio working on the band's next album.^[17]

[edit] Scream Aim Fire (2007—2008)

Bullet for My Valentine's second studio album, Scream Aim Fire, was recorded at Sonic Ranch Studios and was produced by Colin Richardson.^[18] Tuck commented at the time, "It's a lot more up tempo, a lot more aggressive".^[19] The album was released in the US on 29 January 2008.^[20] It sold 53,000 copies in its first week and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200.^[21] Three songs were released as singles: "Scream Aim Fire", "Hearts Burst into Fire", and "Waking the Demon".

In support of the new album, the band toured North America and Australia in the spring of 2008 for the Taste of Chaos tour alongside Atreyu, Blessthefall, and Avenged Sevenfold. Bullet for My Valentine cut short the Canada portion of the tour and flew back home to support the daughter of James who was in hospital.^[22] The band performed in North America again in the summer of 2008 as part of the No Fear Tour with Bleeding Through, Cancer Bats, and Black Tide.^[23] In late 2008, the band toured Europe, supported by Lacuna Coil, Bleeding Through, and Black Tide.^[24] In December 2008, Scream Aim Fire was re-released with four bonus tracks that were recorded during the album's studio sessions, but with re-recorded vocal-lines.^[25]

[edit] Fever (2009—2011)

Michael Paget (left) and Matthew Tuck (right) at 2006's Roskilde Festival held in Denmark.

Matt Tuck spoke to Daniel Marez of Metal Hammer in March 2009 about the band's progress on writing and recording their third album. Tuck stated that there were four or five songs that were finished and that "usually we write and record 14 tracks that I then have to write vocal lines for, but this time I’m trying to write the vocals as I write the music".^[25] Bullet for My Valentine confirmed in August 2009 that they were aiming for an early 2010 release for the new album, while Tuck stated that the upcoming record is "a lot more mature-sounding, it's a lot more classic. It'll stand the test of time [more] than both the previous things we've done".^[26] In a January 2010 interview with Rock Sound, Tuck stated explained details for the album; it would be titled Fever and that the 11-track record would have a sound closer to The Poison rather than Scream Aim Fire and would be absent of ballads.^[27]

During the summer of 2009, Bullet for My Valentine toured across the United States as part of the Mayhem Festival,^[28] alongside Killswitch Engage, Slayer, and Marilyn Manson on the main stage;^[29] they also appeared on the UK leg of the Sonisphere tour at Knebworth, headlining the second stage.^[30] The band will be headlining the second stage at the Download Festival 2010 on the Friday night.^[31] The band has also been confirmed for Nova Rock,^[32] Metaltown,^[33] Rock am Ring,^[34] Rock on the Range,^[35] The Bamboozle,^[36] Bilbao Live Festival,^[37] Fortarock^[38] and Graspop.^[39] In addition, they will be playing alongside the Big Four on the Greek leg of Sonisphere.^[40] Fever was released on 27 April 2010.^[41] A free download of a new track called "Begging For Mercy" was released on the band's website on 14 February 2010 as part of a Twitter promotion.^[42] The song "Your Betrayal" was chosen as the lead single for the album and was set to release on 9 March 2010, but, unexpectedly, was released earlier on 2 March 2010 as a digital single on iTunes Store. The second single is called "The Last Fight" and was released on 19 April. The album artwork for this studio album was released on the official website on 5 March 2010.^[41] Bullet for My Valentine announced the start their US tour in support of Fever. It began on 30 April with the bands Airbourne and Chiodos as support.^[43] On 12 March the band released the music videos for "The Last Fight" and "Your Betrayal".^[44] The band revealed the track listing on their website on 15 March, as well as other various sources that include an email to all of their subscribers on the mailing list.^[45] On 26 April the band played a secret show in London to celebrate the release of Fever. This was their only UK headline show until the end of the year.^[46]

Fourth studio album (2011—present)[link]

On 28 January 2011, Michael Paget stated that the group had already drawn proportions for the next studio album and will sound a lot like Fever. He followed-along with stating that the band plans to have the songs for it written within 2011 and will begin recording the album by the end of the year. A couple tracks left from the Fever sessions might be redone, re-arranged and re-recorded for the new record.^[47] The band played at Uproar Festival 2011, after which they began writing material for a fourth studio album. The band hopes to release the album sometime in 2012.^[48]

On 7 October, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. With the shutdown, the band (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material (including their next studio album) on the RCA Records brand.^[49][50] Also in October, frontman Matt Tuck announced that he will be working on a new side project which he has described as "metal as fuck", influenced by bands such as Pantera and Slipknot.^[51] On May 1, 2012, it was revealed that the project will be called AxeWound and will feature Liam Cormier, Mike Kingswood, Joe Copcutt and Jason Bowld.

In May 2012, it was announced that Bullet For My Valentine would be playing at the South African music festival Oppikoppi. They were slated to play in the country for the Coke Zero Fest of 2009, but pulled out at the last minute to record Fever.^[52]

Musical style and influences[link]

Bullet for My Valentine are primarily deemed as a contemporary metal band. With detailed statements, their music has been described by critics as heavy metal,^[53][54] metalcore^[41][55] and thrash metal.^[56][57] The band has cited being influenced by bands such as Metallica, Annihilator, Pantera, Machine Head, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses,^[58] Testament, Stuck Mojo, Slayer, Judas Priest, and Megadeth.^[59] These bands inspire Bullet for My Valentine's "catchy vocals, aggressive riffs, and melodies," according to Thomas.^[60] The band describe two of their albums, The Poison and Fever, as having a "super dark" tone,^[61] Tuck went on to state that "…we're a hard rock band with metal influences, and I’ve said that from Day One.”^[27] Kirk Miller of Decibel Magazine praised the band for the effort in synchronised song structures.^[62] When asked of their views on their looks, members of the band have stated that they would not change their sound or image for a commercial approach; Tuck also commented that, "Without sounding harsh, we're more interested in what our music sounds like than what our fucking hair looks like."^[63]

Band members[link]

Current members

• Michael Paget – lead guitar, backing vocals (1998–present)
• Michael Thomas – drums (1998–present)
• Matthew Tuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1998–present)
• Jason James – bass guitar, backing vocals (2003–present)

Former members

• Nick Crandle – bass guitar (1998–2003)

Timeline[link]

id:bass value:brightgreen legend:Bass guitar
id:bass;vocals value:purple legend:Bass, backing vocals
id:drums value:yellow legend:Drums
id:rhythm;vocals value:red legend:Rhythm guitar, lead vocals
id:guitar;vocals value:brightblue legend:Lead guitar, backing vocals
id:lines value:black legend:Studio albums

at:10/03/2005 color:black layer:back
at:01/29/2008 color:black layer:back
at:04/26/2010 color:black layer:back

bar:Hetfield text:"'Matthew Tuck"
bar:Lars text:"Michael Paget"
bar:Mustaine text:"Jason James"
bar:Kirk text:"Michael Thomas"
bar:Ron text:"Nick Crandle"

width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Hetfield from:01/01/1998 till:end color:rhythm;vocals
bar:Lars from:01/01/1998 till:end color:guitar;vocals
bar:Ron from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2003 color:bass
bar:Mustaine from:01/01/2003 till:end color:bass;vocals
bar:Kirk from:01/01/1998 till:end color:drums

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• The Poison (2005)
• Scream Aim Fire (2008)
• Fever (2010)

Awards and achievements[link]

• Welsh Music Award
  • Best Newcomer (2004)^[64]
• Metal Hammer Golden God Award
  • Best British Band (2006, 2010)^[65][66]
• Kerrang! Awards
  • Best Single for "Tears Don't Fall" (2006)^[67]
  • Best British Newcomer (2005)^[68]
  • Best British Band (2008, 2009, 2010)^[69][70]
  • Headlined Kerrang!'s 25 year anniversary tour of the UK^[71]
  • Best Live Band (2010)^[72]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

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