I am a big fan of Bring Me The Horizon and have been for years. They are one of the most talented bands in the world today, and though it took me some time to fully grasp the direction the band was moving in with amo, the band’s latest effort showcases their raw talent and creativeness. I missed the heavy aspect, but saw a lot of value in what the new sounds were bringing to the table. Post Human: Survival Horror, out as of October 30, 2020 via Sony Music Entertainment, marks another change in the evolution of BMTH. They are still rocking the synth and working in experimental sounds but brought back the layer of heaviness I thought I was going to miss. The result may be the band’s finest work yet.
From the opening of “Dear Diary,” I had high hopes for this song. It’s intense and very heavy for the band but they remain true to their signature style, weaving in electronic beats and tones. The synth bass into the spoken word bridge is signature BMTH. What grabs my attention here is the last segment that is heavy as hell accompanied by an eerie laugh. “Parasite Eve” is the biggest success of the album to date with some unique aspects that stand out from the massive choir production in the intro to the whispered line, “Don’t call it a warning…this is a war,” that gives me chills every time. The chorus is larger-than-life and catchy and makes it easy to see why this song has had a ton of success.
“Teardrops” is the latest single off the album, and in my opinion, is the best depiction of Bring Me the Horizon as a band on the record. The chorus is incredibly engaging and I can’t listen to it without singing along. It’s a heavy track, but has aspects of clean vocals worked in, particularly in the transition to the last chorus, where the music drops to a focus on Oliver Sykes’ vocals. As much as I love “Teardrops,” “Obey” (with YUNGBLUD) is easily my favorite track on the record. It has an absolutely feverish pace that grabs my attention every time. The chorus is another catchy, massive hook that I find myself singing along to and the back and forth vocals add to the insanity.
“Itch for the Cure (When Will We Be Free?)” is an interesting transition halfway through the album. Running only slightly over a minute, the track has a very rapid pace, spoken word and a cool instrumental, electronic feel. This is a great transition to the next track, “Kingslayer,” featuring BABYMETAL. This song is another heavy track that intentionally features the electronic synth in the intro, with a focus on the absolutely crushing riffs and heavy beats. Personally, the Japanese verse isn’t something that I am into, and the heavy riffs taking the backseat during the transition are not my style, but I can recognize the popularity there and it’s just another way BMTH has been able to diversify their craft.
The next track, “1×1” features another collaboration with Nova Twins. This is a song that I dismissed the first time I heard it, but the more I listen to it, the more into it I really am. It isn’t as heavy as other tracks on the record, though it has its moments. There is a slick transition with a female vocal mirrored by screams that is one of the most unique aspects of the album, and even though it wasn’t a highlight for me on my first listen or two, it was the song I found stuck in my head that night. “Ludens” was the first release from this album. When I first heard it, I remember being excited by how heavy it felt compared to 2019’s amo, a thought that seems silly now that I’ve heard the whole album. It’s a great song and has a catchy hook- I just find it funny, the perspective of direction it gave me before I heard the rest of the album as it may be the least heavy of the eight tracks (not counting the interlude). At least until the end…
“One Day the Only Butterflies Left Will Be in Your Chest As Your March Towards Your Death” features Amy Lee (Evanesence) which is a reason to listen in and of itself. It’s a ballad, incredibly stripped down for most of it. The song possesses an eerie dissonance to it and has some moments (especially through Sykes’ verse) that I was expecting it to take off and explode. My favorite part of this song may be that payoff never coming to fruition. The dual vocals are incredibly powerful, and as much as I wanted a heavy end to this heavy album, this was a really powerful twist. The very end of the song really feels like a build to an explosion and then the record just ends. I may not have appreciated a ballad placed anywhere else on this record but the lack of a payoff at the end is every bit as sweet as where I expected it to go.
This album is so good, and the best part is that it has something for everyone. It has larger-than-life hooks that get stuck in your head for rock radio fans. It has Amy Lee. It has synth and electronic undertones. And it has a punishing heavy sound. Bring Me The Horizon tied their entire discography together with Post Human: Survival Horror and it was worth the wait.
TAGS: Bring Me The Horizon | Sony Music Entertainment
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