Bring Me The Horizon "Post Human: Nex Gen" (2024)

 

Five years on from the opinion dividing Amo, a diverse yet trendy leaning record, Bring Me The Horizon return again to the cutting edge of catchy, tuneful Metal. We got a whiff of this feisty spirit on preceding EP Survival Horror. The Post Human series continues in aggressive glory as the group nail down a solid set of songs, remaining intense and lively while skirting edges with Pop Rock melodies and Post-Hardcore creativity. Weighty sonic riffs and the mania of glitchy frenzied synths in its extremes, yet gracefully swaying into the arms of Pop sensibilities through Ollie's knack for catchy, ear worm choruses that hook into the vulnerability of your personal emotions.

Lyrically, the theme continuously hinges on negative internal dialogs, spinning the words of self doubt and inner turmoil into anthemic sing-alongs. These songs pair their tuneful inflections with words for strongly palatable emotions we have all experienced. Its cathartic, yet hollow. A spin machine twisting hurtful self talk into spirited release yet little of matured substance lies below the surface of these catchy cadences.

Originality is always a curiosity with Bring Me The Horizon, a line can always be traced elsewhere, some echos, obvious or vague, to other bands and genres. Although a favorite song of mine, Limousine blushes in its naked Diamond Eyes era Deftones demeanor. Even Ollie sings to Chino's tune as the low-end guitars crunch and peruses with the lunging gravitas of Steven Carpenter's definitive style.

Many other influences make themselves known too but ultimately this record boils down to song writing, which they have lock and key. As always, these musicians know how to forge musical ideas into apt structures that revel in their merits. Each song feels fully realized as riffs, melodies and hooks land without fail. Their unconventional side shines bright too, the OST interludes breaking the flow for spicy deviations.

Aesthetically, density is a delight. A tight production bordering on wall of sound, as guitars often get lost in the weave of electronic noises. Glitchy bursts of color and vibrant synths intermingle, deepening the experience as its pivots and transitions invite a flavorful diversity steadily becoming more frequent in modern Metal. For me, this is an unsurprising assemble of many proven ideas wielded to their Pop Metal writing. Its nothing they haven't done before, the true test will be how long these songs will stick around for. I have a feeling this ones got a handful to go the distance.

Rating: 7/10

Bring Me The Horizon "This Is What The Edge Of Your Seat Was Made For" (2004)

The rattling rustle of loose snare rolls, discordant guitars screeching, a brooding power chord rising and then an eruption of sloppy chugging riffs. It sends this classic record straight into uncomfortable territory as moments later the grip loosens with the hit-hat wafting over the silence between meaty slabs of chunky guitar funk. Enter the raspy scowl of Oli Sykes's divisive and ugly screams and you have the perfect recipe for music to split a crowd, in the context of both mosh pits and musical snobbery. Fortunately I landed on the side able to enjoy this controversial bands gritty sound.

It was at my first Download Festival in 06 that I mistook them for another act on the bill. I was blown away by the novelty of these black emo mop hair cut kids playing the "uber brootal" music. It was also my introduction to hardcore dancing where I quickly learned regular moshing would land you a punch to the face. From then I was hooked and till this day I never felt like anything else Bring Me The Horizon would do matched the unique charm this four track record caries. Its one of those bits of music you get right into every now and then and this latest binge leads me to write!

This Is What The Edge Of Your Seat Was Made For is a youthful riot of angsty rebellion and aimless attitude fit to cut a divide in the Metal scene. Some parts Metalcore, seeking the brutality of Death Metal, this bedroom band puts together a riff montage exploring their own ideas of heavy, hooked on the ugly, odd and obnoxious that you just can't replicate. Its a mindset, a moment in time manifesting into a bizarre riff fest of awkward guitar noise and breakdowns that I simply adore for all its flaws.

Its grey, scrappy aesthetic and trying performance may be sloppy and loose but just hangs in enough to land its ideas and rhythms right on the nose. The grooves land between the barrages of angular guitar noise and Oli's snarling throaty screams sound almost painful at times. It ends up like a charm all too akin to Metal yet constructed from a different ideology. The songwriting however is keenly convenient in this aesthetic as its progressive rollout of guitar riffs, with little repetition, keeps an interesting flow of rough around the edges ideas, landing with enthralling energy.

The last of its four songs ends up on a melodic tangent that derails somewhat from the core concept but within its first three strikes the breakdowns and "brutality" is so much fun. Each song gets its big moment for the crowd to split and go ham. Each song also finds catchy ear-worms to drive home with big shouts around its big breaks. "Nail The Casket One More Time", "I Hate All My Friends", "If You Think You've Alive, Your Better Of Dead". I've never looked deep into these angsty lyrics, written by then teenagers. They do however get riled up with the music in there spite ridden delivery.

Edge Of Your Seat not a record Id be keen to recommend but discovering at such an interesting time, right at the birth of Deathcore's bloom, gave it a personal nostalgic magic I've never been able to shake. It was fun and outrageous then and sixteen years later still has a punch that rarely fails to rustle. Such a peculiar record. No other band I'm aware of, or even BMTH themselves on their debut album managed to capture the spirit to be heard hear. Its an oddity but I absolutely love it!

Rating: 8/10

Bring Me The Horizon "Post Human: Survival Horror" (2020)

 Last outing with Bring Me The Horizon we got to experience the first of their now preferred EP format for releasing music. Supposedly being done with albums, Music To Listen To... suggested an experimental, carefree direction for the group. At thirty two minutes, Survival Horror feels like an album but it is just the first of four releases under the Post Human banner. Formats and definitions aside, this is undoubtedly a great listening experience that explains itself regardless of how its packaged up and sold. There is also the price, can't complain about saving a few quid to pick it up!

With these nine tracks, BMTH step back to the cutting edge. Their fusion of Electronic, Metal and Pop thrives within the throttling production that gives all instruments a punchy clarity whilst retaining the wall of sound energy. Most these songs land between Amo and That's The Spirit, poppy hooks and structures with splashes of electronica just about everywhere. It Kicks off with a notable dip into exhilaration as the blast beats and lively guitar work show strong Extreme Metal influences.

A fascinating collaboration with Babymetal stands out, Kingslayer, a song that could of easily fit on the Japanese groups record as it utilizes their song style and aesthetic quirks. The rest of the record mostly toys with different temperaments of Pop Metal, the loud quiet dynamic and many creative ways of delivering catchy ear worms. Its still fondly reminiscent of the Hybrid Theory formula, the song Teardrop practically a tribute to that record with a its parallel guitar tone and ideal song structure.

The band constantly sway between tuneful swoons and doses of heavy, often punctuated with dense synthesizers droning in syncopation with the guitars. The percussion too has an entanglement with drum machines and samples that give the songs a textural weight to bolster the music with aesthetic intrigue. Its made revisiting these songs fun as the depth has one picking apart the layers that make it up.

On the lyrical front its opening songs seems poised to reflect on the internal stresses and turmoil the current pandemic is putting many people through right now. Its a middle of the road, unpolitical take that wrangles out frustrations caused by the situation. It could just be coincidence from a band that frequently deal with the negative spectrum of emotions through their words. Its all a little to uncanny though.

Survival Horror is a sharp record, concise, creative and at the edge of cunning, the group have managed again to evolve their sound in exciting directions. With a handful of guests to bring on extra voices and no shortage of ideas it ends out being a fruitful affair with something for everyone. Its been stated that each of the four parts will have their own identity. I'd love more in this vein but the idea of pushing something different with each release has me excited for their future! This band have long defied the odds against their origin and watching them continue on is simply fantastic.

Rating: 8/10

Bring Me The Horizon "Music To Listen To…" (2019)

Having announced a planned departure from the album format, the Sheffield outfit Bring Me The Horizon swiftly follow up on Amo within the same calendar year. It is their first EP, a format which they've announced will be the new norm and surprisingly its the groups lengthiest release to date clocking in at seventy five minutes. Its no serious affair, the eight tracks stack up the run time with two ten minute songs and another at twenty four mostly consisting of a glitched vocal snippet on loop with some accompanying rambling dialog. Its an experimental piece, unstructured output paired with a ridiculously long record title. Its song names too tend to steer to the obscure.

What's obvious on first listen is the lack of format, a lifting of restraints. Music To Listen To... plays more like a collection of jams and experiments from the studio, perhaps a window into the process before the real writing takes place. Mostly devoid of its metallic component, the groups influences from Electronic music and Ambient play out in experimental fashion, showcasing the more eclectic taste as musicians. A Devastating Liberation is simply the backing track to Why You Gotta Kick Me When I'm Down. How the two came together would be a fascinating learn. It holds up well as a dark, foreboding electronic, symphonic hybrid of monstrous magnitude.

The songs mainly showcase a variety of shades from the massive web of styles that is Electronic music. For the most part it plays well, in a laid back relaxed context. There is little in the way of direction that feels expressive or envisioned. It is mostly a mood, tone or temperament that is established and then droned out at length. Snippets, moments and textures shine like elements of the bands normal dense tone, however they are simply laid bare on their own. Its an interesting insight to the bands process and creativity but as a record it makes sense to not call this an album. I've mostly enjoyed each listen but with that lack of structure, much of the music just floats in the present, making little impact or birthing ear worms for the subconscious afterthought.

Favorite Track: A Devastating Liberation

Rating: 5/10

My Friday At All Points East Festival

 It was Scarlord and Run The Jewels that lured me to Victoria Park for another day at a London Festival. Little did I know what an amazing day of music was awaiting for me among a handful of bands, mostly from the UK, that Id barely heard of before! Good weather and decent festival food made for a good outing that will have me picking up more records than I can listen to as per usual!
 

Scarlxrd

Arriving a little late for the opening act the day kicked off with a booming performance. Scarlxrd and his DJ have a crazy amount of energy on stage. The two went bonkers on stage, exhausting every drop of their youthful energy with wild antics. The DJ makes no mask of the fact he is simply hitting the play button most the time, leaving the decks to rock out with comical expression and a self aware humor that was enduring. Scar's scream raps were electrifying and the whole show felt like a bomb had gone off! I knew it would be special and it was.

Employed To Serve
 Tight UK Hardcore with a hint of Deathcore in the mix. These guys turned up and rocked out hard counter grooves, throw downs and slams with a fair degree of individuality. Not something to sweep you off your feet but they certainly put together a great show and kept the music rolling strong. Their new song Force Fed was killer!

Alice Glass

 With a brief listen on Youtube I thought I wouln't enjoy this so much but something about live music makes it easier to digest. Alice had a timid and lonely presence on stage that made mountains of sense to the tone of Her esoteric and ethereal take on noise, glitch and electronica. It had an engrossing atmosphere held firmly together by the driving beats of the drummer. Great show.

Yonaka

My engagement was a little subdued by chowing down on some hot food but standing at a distance I could really appreciate her voice. What initially seemed like fluffy Pop Rock turned out to have some subtlety diverse influences and quality composition that made for very enjoyable and inviting music with her voice being the main pull.

IDLES

 Arriving a little late and looking for a spot in the shade to sit It didn't take long for IDLES to suck me in. Lead vocalist Joe Talbot grabs attention with his plain spoken style, deadpan sense of humor that sticks to his liberal political views that dominate crowd interaction between songs. As the songs delve into marching repetitions of percussion led Industrial Rock and Post-Punk grooves, he again brings forth thought and commentary that aligns with a somewhat frustrated overtone.

Sleeping With Sirens

Not exactly my cup of tea but live most things sound decent and this Pop Rock group were alright. From a distance I watched as they burned through bright and glossy rock songs with a tinge of Metal attitude in places. Lots of pretty melodic overtones akin to Metalcore too, was a good listen.

Nothing By Thieves

Possibly the most impressive show from the bands I knew not of. Brooding music, building its momentum to climactic outbursts resonated through the incredible voice of Conor Mason. You could really see the feeling in his performance, strong and emotional Rock music with an experimental edge in their slightly disjointed rhythm guitars. Great set.

While She Sleeps

As the sun came out in full force I found myself hanging back in the shades. Reasonable timing since I knew what I was in for, a banging Hardcore, Metalcore, Deathcore hybrid with strong melodic overtones. I'd seen them before and I wasn't pulled in any closer despite them having some strong moments in the set, it didn't appeal to me all that much.

Run The Jewels

I had waited all day for Run The Jewels, this would of been the forth time seeing them. The sound was garbage right at the front so I dropped back and the Hip Hop duo were phenomenal once again. Their music translates wonderfully live. I love how the set transitions from hard bangers into the deeper, moving and meaningful songs. They put a message to their performance and it went by in a flash. Best of the day by far!

Architects

 Chowing down on some hot Paella De Veduras I lurked at the back and once again Architects blew me away with an amazing live show. I still don't know how I'm yet to pick up a record of theirs, Ive seen them many times now and its always a fantastic performance. Really solid, booming Metalcore with plenty of blow away riffs. They sounded sharp as ever and really put on a show.

Bring Me The Horizon

Its probably a matter of time before the once hated, dirty Deathcore goons Bring Me The Horizon will headline Download Festival. Promoting new record Amo in front of a smaller crowd they proved themselves good for a headline show with adequate set design and costumes to match. They perhaps took a bit to much time between songs and with intervals but the crowd enjoyed the interactions from front man Oli Sykes with his crazy colored eye lenses. He brought out Danni Filth in full makeup too for a brief appearance and it was great to see such a strong response for their old music as Pray For Plagues fired up mosh pits. The new music sounds great too and I was a bit gutted to leave early, walking hastily out as the music went on. Great show and I am amazed how I never realized what " Your full of sugar, honey, ice and tea" meant till its anagram was plastered on the big screen.

Bring Me The Horizon "Amo" (2019)

Ive been highly anticipating Bring Me The Horizon's return since their monumental That's The Spirit, a modern day Hybrid Theory. Its unsurprising to hear the band further move into the Pop realm, the continual direction shift is fruitful and exciting. Inviting larger synth elements of EDM and Electropop in to subtly tune out their distortion guitars in places, they manage to retain an intensity and heaviness associated with the band. Its the songwriting that triumphs once again as infectious catchy hooks take hold center stage in much of the music. Oli is a huge component to its achievement, taking his voice to many harmonious places with many infectious lyrics. Amo is a logical move forward but perhaps not quite at the same grade.

BMTH certainly have a finger on the pulse of current music and an uncanny ability to evolve their sound and infuse these fresh Electronic and Pop ideas. The transition is utterly seamless and its broadened pallet of sounds gives a depth to the experience as key songs stick out with a defining character. Title track Amo and Mother Tounge pulls in 90s Dance pianos and punchy strings for a Pop epics that spans the decades. Mantra, Wonderful Life and Sugar Honey Ice & Tea, bring in sonic seven string guitar groves in the choruses offset by lighter overdrives between. Interlude pieces Fresh Bruises and Ouch dive into some flavored Glitch Hop passageways and only Nihilist Blues sounds behind the curb with a synth sound reminiscent of 009 Sound System.

Its mostly dense and detailed music, cramming many instruments and complimenting electronic tones into the available space, scaling its richness with the ebb and flow of the music which graces between its fluffy, light pop and crunching grooves, both between songs and within them too. Its A dynamic record with a depth of variety and detail for the ears but with many listens the edge is taken off its less focused and atmospheric leaning compositions that slow the stream. Amo is ultimately a great transition for the group, a strong strive forward but moving from one peak to another they loose a little in the quantity of killer tunes. That's The Spirit was a riot from start to end and Amo drifts of on differen't avenues, intensities and styles that breaks up its magic for periods. The variety is great but not each approach is triumphed.

Favorite Tracks: Mantra, Sugar Honey Ice & Tea

Rating: 6/10

Bring Me The Horizon "That's The Spirit" (2015)

So here we have the fifth and latest full length from English band "Bring Me The Horizon" hailing from Sheffield. The five piece Rock / Metal outfit have been together for over ten years now with a couple of line up changes on the second guitar, the four friends have stuck together from their formation when they were still in school. The band are now completely unrecognizable from their Deathcore roots. Since there inception they have managed to keep themselves in the lime light while shifting their sound from Deathcore, to edgy Metalcore, to some form of Eletronic-core, and now Pop Rock. The transition has been a big one, yet somehow through the shifts in sound they've kept an old audience happy while attracting more and more fans.

This latest sound is a shinny, bright and over polished, squeaky clean affair, fusing dense tonal guitars with gleaming electronics in a wall of sensual oozy delight. Compressed drums kick, punch and pound through the rich and airy sounds of layered synths racing with the guitar leads that range from Nu Metal to Alternate Rock and arrive with a Post-Metal sense of space. Vocalist Oli Sykes is impressive, showing a range of melody in well delivered cleans alongside his screams which were once quite gnarly and rough in the Deathcore days. The aesthetic is quite the achievement, and the music behind it is a mixed bag of fruits. There's a strong slice of cheap pop that coarses through this record in the form of hooks, lyrics and leads and the balance is a matter of taste and tolerance.

The record starts of strong with a bouncy grooving throw back to Nu Metal riffs that take charge on tracks like "Happy", its lyrics a sarcastic pun towards pop music which in the later stages becomes the focus. On "True Friends" the lyrics start with the teenage angst "twists" and cringing play on words "True friends stab you in the front". A lot of the lyrics on this record felt a little lack luster and hollow, not a lot of food for thought, but simple sentiments wrapped up in catchy word play. Its a double edged sword that works when the music does. "Follow you" delivering a delightful vocal hook that the lyrics do justice, but at other times it didn't quite come off as well.

"That's The Spirit" is a record that's challenged me. On first listen I could barely stand it, but a lot of the "pop" elements and catchy hook writing does deserve a lot of merit because its fantastically composed for a gorgeous aesthetic. Not a lot of whats on offer feels special or original and the second half drags a fair bit for me as the guitars get lighter and lighter with a bigger focus on the softer side of their sound. It leaves me with mixed feelings but there's songs here to be enjoyed and where they have progressed they've certainly lost what made them unique but the direction there heading in is a positive and potentially exciting one.

Favorite Songs: Happy Song, Throne, Follow You

Rating: 7/10