Surviving 2020 with an Album
New Bring Me the Horizon EP manages to change up and also reinforce their old sound in a captivating way
By Tyler Lilly
New Bring Me the Horizon EP manages to change up and also reinforce their old sound in a captivating way
By Tyler Lilly
This year has been jam-packed with music, from Machine Gun Kelly’s surprisingly amazing pop punk album, to Poppy’s stunning “I Disagree,” to even a good Taylor Swift album, this year has had some amazing music and I am happy to say that “Post Human Survival Horror” continues that trend. This EP by band Bring Me the Horizon manages to change up their classic sound with a host of guest stars as well as some songs that feel like they are right out of some of their earliest albums. The EP, in traditional Bring Me the Horizon fashion, also delivers biting social commentary on the myriad of issues the world faces in this current year.
The EP starts with the song “Dear Diary,” which is definitely a strong way to start it. The song has that familiar hard rock sound ending in a stylish 30-second riff and is also quite good lyrically. It tells a story about someone surviving the end of the world and going insane because of it. The next song is “Parasite Eve,” which is a bit calm despite the heavy opening, which works as it lets the lyrics really shine. It discusses how bad everything is and how the governments of the world are not doing much to make it better. A very powerful lyric that sounds out to me is “When we forget the infection will we remember the lesson.” This plays on the fear that we will repeat our mistakes that we made with this pandemic and have a similar thing happen again.
Then comes, “Teardrops,” which is good, but not really a standout on the EP in my opinion. It sounds alright, but maybe a little basic compared to the others and it has a synthy beat, and some rock overtones. The song is about becoming numb to all of the horrible stuff that is going on in the world, a feeling that is becoming even more common through the pandemic, continuing the EP’s theme about surviving through hard times, but still experiencing emotional and physiological repercussions. It’s followed by, “Obey” (featuring YUNGBLUD), which is similar to it in the way that it was a little too simple. It’s not as tight lyrically as “Teardrops” though. This one doesn't really work for me, the song feels relatively forgettable, especially when compared to the other songs on the EP.
“Itch for the Cure,” comes next and is a shorter middle song that serves as a longer intro for “King Slayer” (featuring BABYMETAL). This song feels different from anything else on the EP, or even anything Bring Me the Horizon has ever put out, and I for one like it a lot. The song stands out for two main reasons: it is much more electronic than the others, and part of it is in Japanese. The only complaint I have with the song is that it is not amazing lyrically, though I might be biased as I don't speak Japanese or listen to Japanese music. The song sounds like a darker BABYMETAL song which works well. Overall I like the song as a fun jam to mix up the album. I also appreciate that they did this collaboration, as it may bring some more fans to the excellent BABYMETAL.
“1x1” (featuring Nova Twins) follows and is ok. It starts with a pretty basic underlying electric track that builds to a more common guitar and drum track and is about your inner demons and mental health issues, a common topic for Bring Me the Horizon. It's a heavy song about being in a really dark place, but it’s nothing we have heard from them before. The Nova Twins add some voice backing and they sound good enough. The second to last song, “Ludens”, is an especially odd song for this EP, because in a way it’s hopeful. The song is about wanting to build a better future and seeing some young leaders that think it’s possible. This song is ok, it fits with the rest of the album's theme, but it is not really a standout.
Finally, “One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death,” was a big surprise to me. The song was rather slow with a very powerful message, and with the voice talents of the incomparable Amy Lee. The song is slow and dark, and it talks about how we humans are killing the planet and therefore ourselves. The song is told from the perspective of mother nature. Musically it is not that complex, which I like, as it makes it feel like a ballet and allows Amy Lee's spellbinding voice to really shine. This song is one of the darkest in tone I have ever heard because of how real it is. It fills you with a sense of dread as it describes the decomposition of a body. Overall the song is almost flawless and it goes without saying that it is my favorite song on the entire EP, elevating the EP itself. Overall I really enjoyed “POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR”, and liked the more experimental direction the band is going in. Overall I recommend giving the EP a listen if you are a fan of hard rock or are looking to listen to something new.
The EP starts with the song “Dear Diary,” which is definitely a strong way to start it. The song has that familiar hard rock sound ending in a stylish 30-second riff and is also quite good lyrically. It tells a story about someone surviving the end of the world and going insane because of it. The next song is “Parasite Eve,” which is a bit calm despite the heavy opening, which works as it lets the lyrics really shine. It discusses how bad everything is and how the governments of the world are not doing much to make it better. A very powerful lyric that sounds out to me is “When we forget the infection will we remember the lesson.” This plays on the fear that we will repeat our mistakes that we made with this pandemic and have a similar thing happen again.
Then comes, “Teardrops,” which is good, but not really a standout on the EP in my opinion. It sounds alright, but maybe a little basic compared to the others and it has a synthy beat, and some rock overtones. The song is about becoming numb to all of the horrible stuff that is going on in the world, a feeling that is becoming even more common through the pandemic, continuing the EP’s theme about surviving through hard times, but still experiencing emotional and physiological repercussions. It’s followed by, “Obey” (featuring YUNGBLUD), which is similar to it in the way that it was a little too simple. It’s not as tight lyrically as “Teardrops” though. This one doesn't really work for me, the song feels relatively forgettable, especially when compared to the other songs on the EP.
“Itch for the Cure,” comes next and is a shorter middle song that serves as a longer intro for “King Slayer” (featuring BABYMETAL). This song feels different from anything else on the EP, or even anything Bring Me the Horizon has ever put out, and I for one like it a lot. The song stands out for two main reasons: it is much more electronic than the others, and part of it is in Japanese. The only complaint I have with the song is that it is not amazing lyrically, though I might be biased as I don't speak Japanese or listen to Japanese music. The song sounds like a darker BABYMETAL song which works well. Overall I like the song as a fun jam to mix up the album. I also appreciate that they did this collaboration, as it may bring some more fans to the excellent BABYMETAL.
“1x1” (featuring Nova Twins) follows and is ok. It starts with a pretty basic underlying electric track that builds to a more common guitar and drum track and is about your inner demons and mental health issues, a common topic for Bring Me the Horizon. It's a heavy song about being in a really dark place, but it’s nothing we have heard from them before. The Nova Twins add some voice backing and they sound good enough. The second to last song, “Ludens”, is an especially odd song for this EP, because in a way it’s hopeful. The song is about wanting to build a better future and seeing some young leaders that think it’s possible. This song is ok, it fits with the rest of the album's theme, but it is not really a standout.
Finally, “One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death,” was a big surprise to me. The song was rather slow with a very powerful message, and with the voice talents of the incomparable Amy Lee. The song is slow and dark, and it talks about how we humans are killing the planet and therefore ourselves. The song is told from the perspective of mother nature. Musically it is not that complex, which I like, as it makes it feel like a ballet and allows Amy Lee's spellbinding voice to really shine. This song is one of the darkest in tone I have ever heard because of how real it is. It fills you with a sense of dread as it describes the decomposition of a body. Overall the song is almost flawless and it goes without saying that it is my favorite song on the entire EP, elevating the EP itself. Overall I really enjoyed “POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR”, and liked the more experimental direction the band is going in. Overall I recommend giving the EP a listen if you are a fan of hard rock or are looking to listen to something new.