Text originally published on sister site Mad Sound
Bring Me The Horizon has had a meteoric rise since its inception, being a band that has never stayed in a comfort zone for long, frequently adding to and evolving its sound with each album released.
They also fall into the "love it or hate it" category, perhaps due to the same issue of changing sounds, with many only liking the older phase where the band was heavier, others preferring the more recent albums, but the impact they have on music is undeniable.
This force is so great that fans were eagerly awaiting the group's next release, something that took a while, with months and months of delays, but finally arrived in the form of POST HUMAN: NeX GEn , via RCA Records .
Being an assault on all the senses, with the whole band showing they are in great shape and erasing any criticism of the delays that occurred, the successor to the EP Post Human: Survival Horror (2020) arrived as a surprise with the announcement made a day before the release , which happened at midnight on May 23rd.
The new album arrives after the release of several singles and may lead many to wonder if they haven't heard enough already, since five songs circulated among fans in the four years between Survival Horror and NeX GEn , but what we have here are eight more new tracks that were only mentioned by the band during shows.
After a brief intro, “YOUtopia” begins with a great guitar riff, showing that the band still has its roots in metal, but with a more pop appeal, especially in the catchy chorus that you find yourself humming all the time. Matt Nicholls Oli Sykes ' vocals have beautiful melodies.
“Kool-Aid” follows with more weight, a perfect rhythm for headbanging , another catchy chorus, and Sykes' vocals alternating between cleaner and more raspy, which fits very well with the track's concept, which was made to be played live with audience interaction.
“Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd” is one of the album's highlights, with Sykes delivering some of his best vocals ever, both melodic and intense, perfectly complementing the harsh vocals. Once again, a chorus made to be sung by an entire stadium, while a synthesizer helps propel the track along with the wall of sound from Lee Malia and Nicholls' drums.
With a slower tempo, “liMOusine” arrives with the first guest appearance on the album, featuring singer Aurora . The dirtier, rougher guitar blends with the angelic voice of the Norwegian singer, which helps the track slowly build to a more robust guitar riff at the end.
“DarkSide” is one of the singles that had already been released, and it has a more electronic rhythm, with great guitars and Sykes' vocals sounding very similar to those of the legendary Linkin Park Chester Bennington .
The second guest appearance on the album is on “a bulletT w/ my namE On”, featuring fellow metalcore legends Underoath . This is one of the heaviest songs on the album, gaining speed as time goes on, with great breakdowns and which will certainly be the catalyst for many mosh pits during the shows.
“n/A” is a more touching and vulnerable moment on the album, where the vocalist talks about the battle against addiction that he himself has faced, serving as an injection of encouragement and strength for those facing the same problem. Sykes' vocals explore various styles here, ranging from clean to guttural, passing through raspy and more melodic vocals, showcasing the musician's versatility.
Next up is one of the singles that preceded NeX GEn , “LosT”. It’s a cathartic and euphoric track, full of emotion, and has already become a highlight at live shows, thanks to its catchy and danceable rhythm.
“sTraNgeRs” is more rhythmic, with a good guitar riff and another chorus that makes you want to sing along loudly, full of emotion and with drums that make the beats even stronger.
While “Rip” is more danceable and upbeat, “AmEN!” returns to the heaviness (and what heaviness!) with the metalcore side becoming more prominent, also featuring Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo from Glassjaw Matt Kean 's bass , creating a wave that's impossible not to feel.
Following “DiE4u,” a more emotional track with a rhythm that blends strong metal beats with electronic elements, the album closes with “Dig It,” a seven-minute song. This might seem daunting for a closing track, but it works very well. It takes all the album's styles and combines them into one long track, working in a similar vein to Sleep Token .” It offers a very solid ending to a very solid album, with the pop and electro influences present and perfectly complementing the metal influences.
Bring Me The Horizon delivered an album that was worth the wait, a perfect continuation of Survival Horror , with twice the length of the EP. When you're faced with 16 tracks, it might seem like the album will be very long, but it has such an immersive atmosphere that you don't notice the time passing, and before you know it, you'll be putting the record on to listen again. It's an album that speaks to those who are going through difficulties, offering them a chance to escape the real world and showing them that they are not alone.
We eagerly await what the band will present next, and we hope it won't be long.
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