Exactly 3 years ago, Bring Me The Horizon released what would become one of their most emblematic albums. The first in a series of themed EPs, POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR (2020) arrived on digital platforms amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and became a landmark of that time of fear and uncertainty.
Written and produced in a home studio during the pandemic, the album is a faithful portrait of the state of the world at the time it was made. Thematically, Oli Sykes had previously written the track "Parasite Eve," referring to a Japanese virus he had read about, which ended up becoming strangely prophetic. The track was released as the first single and served as a starting point for the rest of the album.
Heavy and creative, POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR received universal acclaim from Metacritic with a combined score of 82 across various reviews. In it, the band revisits its metalcore roots and explores new paths using electronic sounds and distortions, as well as collaborating with several names in heavy and alternative music, such as Amy Lee , YUNGBLUD , Nova Twins , and BABYMETAL .
Beyond the excellent production work and Bring Me The Horizon's return to a heavier sound than the album amo (2019), SURVIVAL HORROR made history by lyrically addressing themes that were relevant to American and Western society at the time. Created by the band in the eye of the pandemic storm, the album speaks about the fear of the virus, social isolation, mental health, and corrupt governments.
In his very first single, “Parasite Eve,” Oli Sykes raises a question that resonates even more pertinently today: “When we forget the infection / Will we remember the lesson?” During the period of social isolation, much was said about the possibility of emerging from the pandemic as a better, more conscious, and more compassionate society. Today, shortly after the official end of the pandemic, we are faced with horrors that are just as, or even more, frightening, such as devastating wars and an advanced state of global unrest.
The album also portrays the feeling of revolt and nonconformity with the authoritarian and denialist governments of the time. At the time, the United States was governed by former President Donald Trump , who promptly adopted an anti-vaccine stance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and attempted to silence the anti-racist protests of the Black Lives Matter movement against police violence. The theme of governmental oppression is addressed in "Obey" and is followed by the thirst for revolution in "Kingslayer." Locally, Brazil followed similar denialist guidelines to those of the United States during the term of former President Jair Bolsonaro and totaled more than 700,000 deaths from COVID .
The excessive use of technology also permeates the scenario built in POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR . Many tracks mention the feeling of being "disconnected" from the world, and the interlude "Itch For The Cure" uses the word "unplugged" to refer to a feeling of awakening to the injustices of the system. In "Ludens," Oli Sykes poses a new question: "How can I form a connection if we can't even shake hands?" The verse may refer both to the limitations of virtual relationships and to the social isolation that has physically distanced people and left marks on interpersonal relationships. In "Teardrops," the band also reflects on the numbing sensation caused by the constant bombardment of bad news.
When it was released in October 2020, SURVIVAL HORROR arrived as a lifeline for Bring Me The Horizon fans who recognized in the album a faithful representation of the reality they were living through. Today, after the horrors of the pandemic and far from the iron grip of authoritarian governments, the album becomes a true historical piece and object of study, providing us with a dive into the feelings and questions of the time and provoking new reflections on what has changed since then and whether these changes have happened in the way we expected.
Despite depicting a specific period, Bring Me The Horizon's work hasn't become dated over time; quite the opposite. For many years to come, we can still return to POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR and find in its themes and questions a reflection of the present day.
