To understand Gravity , I dusted off the Astell&Kern AK320—a dual-DAC masterpiece that retailed for a small fortune—and strapped in for a 41-minute dive into Welsh metalcore’s most controversial pivot. The loudest criticism of Gravity is that it sounds "thin." Tracks like "Over It" and "Letting You Go" were criticized for burying Matt Tuck’s vocals behind synth pads and downtuned sludge. But plugging the AK320 into a pair of balanced 2.5mm IEMs reveals the truth: Gravity isn't thin; it’s layered .
The opening riff is standard BFMV, but listen to the sub-bass drop at 0:23. On a phone, it’s a thud. On the AK320, it’s a controlled implosion. The AK320’s ability to handle low-end without bleeding into the mids keeps Matt Tuck’s snarled verses front and center. Bullet For My Valentine - Gravity 2018 ak320
Listening to Gravity on the AK320 feels authentic to the era. This album was designed to be played loud on high-impedance headphones, not streamed via AirPods Pro. The cold, almost clinical precision of the AK320 highlights the production choices made by Carl Bown (Sleep Token, Asking Alexandria). You realize the "digital" sound wasn't a mistake; it was a deliberate aesthetic. Is Gravity a classic metal album? No. Is it a phenomenal test track for a high-end portable player? Absolutely. To understand Gravity , I dusted off the
You might not love the album any more than you did in 2018. But you will finally hear it. The opening riff is standard BFMV, but listen
There are albums you stream on Spotify in the car, and then there are albums you experience . Bullet For My Valentine’s 2018 release, Gravity , sits awkwardly in the band’s discography—too electronic for the purists, too heavy for the radio. But if you’re listening to it on a standard DAC or via Bluetooth earbuds, you’re missing the point entirely.
Gravity in High Resolution: Why BFMV’s 2018 Album Demands the AK320
3.5/5 Rating (Synergy with AK320): 5/5