A reader known only as “Jonas” sent us the below video of 55 Escape, a Norwegian band whose biggest influences seem to be Korn and Linkin Park, not Enslaved and Immortal.

Here’s why I find this band kind of interesting. (And moving forward, please be aware that “interesting” and “good” are not the same word.) When you think about it for a second, nu-metal seems to be a predominantly American phenomenon. Off the top of my head, I’m having a hard time even naming a nu-metal band from any part of Europe, never mind Norway. Jeff Killed John were British, but they didn’t get famous ’til they swapped the nu for core and rechristened themselves Bullet for My Valentine. Am I forgetting a really, really obvious band? Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Disturbed, Godsmack, Evanescence, Staind, Static-X, Creed, Hed P.E., Snot, P.O.D., Puddle of Mudd, Drowning Pool, Saliva, Coal Chamber, Methods of Mayhem, 40 Below Summer, Sevendust, Ill Nino, Dope, Papa Roach, Soil, The Union Undergound… ALL AMERICAN. What the hell? No wonder the terrorists hate us.

Anyway, thanks to these sperm clots for doing their part in making America look good. Hoo-rah.

-AR

Oh, how sweet it is. This is akin to to when Metal Sludge unearthed photos of the members of Korn in their prior bands with blown out hair and spandex. Yup, Bullet For My Valentine, the controversial metalcore outfit from South Wales, UK, used to be in a shitty nu-mteal band — and boy do we mean shitty. Matt Tuck sounds like an off-key Stephen Richards, the drummer speeds things way up during the pre-choruses, and wow, this is just terrible. Change their name, haircuts, clothes, and bass player and presto, Bullet For My Valentine was born. Blabbermouth commenter Aggroculture summed it up best: “so they were sub Lostprophets nu-metal mooks. no surprise there.”

Here they are, jumping around like goons, in all their glory: Jeff Killed John.

-VN

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