Label: Sony Music
Release Date: 30th October 2020
Rating: 8/10
"Combining both old and new musical elements, POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR has some of the strongest songwriting, lyricism and atmosphere that the band has ever released."
The first of a four-part series of EPs set to be released over the course of a year, POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR is what Bring Me The Horizon do best and that’s making fun, fast and ferocious songs. The EP has something for every fan of BMTH, a band that has undergone multiple transformations since their inception. This EP takes multiple elements from a host of genres which come together effortlessly. Filled to the brim with guest features such as BABYMETAL, Evanescence’s Amy Lee and YUNGBLUD, the EP delivers one of the bands most creative and diverse listens yet.
With nine songs, the line between EP and LP is hard to pinpoint here. Heavily inspired by this year through COVID, national lockdowns and other tragedies such as the Australian wildfires, the EP has a sense of bleakness and frustration at current events. Opener ‘Dear Diary,’ is the bands heaviest song in years: it's straight-up thrash in its speed and gallops along at a thunderous pace. It's been a long time since BMTH have been this heavy: Oli Sykes screams venom while a slayer inspired guitar solo is provided by guitarist Lee Malia. The song's lyricism deals with isolation, heavily inspired by the lockdown due to COVID: "The sky is falling / it’s fucking boring / I’m going braindead / isolated" perfectly captured the mood created by months under lockdown.
Next up is ‘Parasite Eve’ which was the first single to be released from the EP, just as COVID started to make its mark on the UK. The song begins with a sample from a Bulgarian female band and sound operatic in its delivery. The song merges rock and electro together and showcases the bands continued desire to mix things up on every new release. Ending in a breakdown that will cause mosh pits whenever live music can be played again, ‘Parasite Eve’ is one of the highlights from the EP.
‘Kingslayer’, featuring BABYMETAL, provides some of the heaviest instrumental sections from the EP and is reminiscent of BMTH’s deathcore era. Heavy guitar chugs are set against the backdrop of the angelic voice provided by the Japanese band's Suzuka Nakamoto. This will prove to be a favourite from those who have been a fan of the band from the start. ‘Teardrops’ is a solid rock song and has an infectious chorus which again shows the extent of talent within the band.
Sykes sounds the best he ever has, with punchy drum sections: the electronics aren’t overwhelming and add to the atmosphere of the track. EP finisher ‘One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death’ takes on the form of a ballad, acting as a sombre end to the EP. Featuring Evanescence’s Amy Lee, the track is haunting and a fantastic way to end the album. Masked as a love song but actually describing our effects on the environment, both singers trade lyrics from the point of mother nature and humanity. It’s certainly an emotional experience on first listen and, arguably, a completely new but well-executed direction for the band.
POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR is a much-welcomed release from Bring Me The Horizon. Combining both old and new musical elements, it has some of the strongest songwriting, lyricism and atmosphere that the band has ever released. If the rest of the scheduled EPs are as good as this, then Bring Me The Horizon may have something special on their hands.
Words by John Canham.
5th November 2020.
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