"Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to introduce a friend of ours." Watch Trivium's Matt Heafy guest with Bullet For My Valentine for a special version of Tears Don't Fall

Matt Heafy hugging Matt Tuck
(Image credit: Youtube (@matthewkheafy))

They were two of the most impactful metal bands to emerge in the mid-2000s, and on Friday night (November 10), Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium produced a lovely full-circle moment when Trivs frontman Matt Heafy made a surprise appearance to guest on Bullet's hallmark anthem, Tears Don't Fall. Played during the Welsh metal heavyweights' first encore at the Hard Rock Live venue in Orlando, Florida, Heafy - who lives in Orlando - was introduced by Bullet frontman Matt Tuck to raucous cheers, before the duo tag-teamed vocals to the beloved cut from 2005 classic The Poison.

Heafy was without his signature guitar and in video footage since uploaded to his official YouTube channel, it's clear he made the most of the extra room that gave him, as he can be seen dashing around the stage around the Bullet boys and clearly enjoying the heck out of himself.

Watch the historic moment in both bands' careers for yourself below.

Along with Avenged Sevenfold, Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine were seen as leaders of the next generation of metal bands when they exploded in popularity in the mid-2000s. Both bands released landmark albums in 2005, with Trivium's breakthrough second album Ascendancy arriving just a few months before Bullet's debut, The Poison. The two bands have gone on to enjoy incredible, whirlwind careers since; both Trivium's In The Court Of The Dragon and Bullet's self-titled seventh studio album, both released in 2021, are widely regarded to be amongst their finest work. In his review of In The Court Of The Dragon for Metal Hammer, writer Stephen Hill stated: "In terms of a band playing contemporary, modern heavy metal, Trivium have been the best for some time. They still are, and In The Court Of The Dragon is a fucking awesome heavy metal album. Was it ever in doubt?"

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.