Bring Me The Horizon
There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It...


5.0
classic

Review

by Simon K. STAFF
January 11th, 2016 | 1160 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: If there was ever a defining moment for the band, this is it.

Bring Me The Horizon have literally morphed their sound from one extreme to the other as the years move on. If you line up the band's discography you'll see quite a startling change of sonic diversion. Starting off as a generic deathcore band, with an EP so raw and badly produced it sounded like they recorded it with a £5 computer headset microphone. Their first album was better produced (just), but the band seemed to be in limbo: anyone who didn't like deathcore hated it and fans of the genre condemned the band for spending more time on their hair than their music. The turning point came with 2008's Suicide Season blending metalcore and melody; making real progress with their single "Chelsea Smile". In retrospect, BMTH adapt their influence to who is in the band at the time. After the release of Suicide Season rhythm guitarist Curtis Ward left the band due to waning relationships with other members in the band, which brought in Australian guitarist Jona Weinhofen, best known for playing in I Killed The Prom Queen. Jona's stay was short-lived and would only lasting one album, but it would be the defining moment in their career.

Now, if you look at the member change of Curtis and Jona, to the firing of Jona and inclusion of Jordan Fish, the styles and influences dramatically change from album to album. And this is where BMTH's diversity and preference come into play. It's probably the main reason they've stayed so relevant over the years. And for me, There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret. is undoubtedly the band's magnum opus. Jona's contributions to this album create a soundscape that pins its metalcore tag to the floor and brush several other styles over it: ranging from post-rock and punk, with a steady amount of electronic and ambient parts that create a spacey, Hollywood feeling.

There Is A Hell... is by far the band's most experimental effort, as they throw loads of ideas at the album, honing in on what they've learnt and making ideas more effective. Breakdowns in particular are used to great effect, songs like "Anthem" and "Vision" place breakdowns at crucial moments, making them come across even more powerful; rhythms are all over the place, making their sound a little more intricate; but it's the David Gilmour guitar effects that push this band into a new ball game. The heavy rhythm section holds down a fat sound, while the guitars create a beautiful soundscape that make Oli's vocals and lyrics to songs like "It Never Ends", that much more emotional. The album's production is crushing and diverse: everything sounds chaotic and brooding -- tracks like "Alligator Blood" and "Blacklist" sound like they could bring walls down -- but the album's slow ballads of "Don't Go" and "Blessed With A Curse" don't go unnoticed either, and bring onion layers of emotion and melancholy.

This third effort follows the same trend as Suicide Season and has several guest appearances from other musicians such as: Josh Franceschi (***); Lights (Don't Go, Crucify Me); and Josh Scogin (The Fox And The Wolf) to name a couple. But the album has had a lot of hands in the pie, with guest spots from other musicians, programmers and producers such as Skrillex who does programming and backing vocals for the track "Vision". This is where the album comes out a little bumpy. While I hold this album in such high regard, it isn't a very cohesive experience. Tones and ideas are all over the place, and with the guest spots being so frequent it's hard to sit comfortably on one thing for long. But that really is this albums only flaw.

It's hard for me to say anything bad here, this really is an amazing effort from BMTH. Emotionally troubled and plagued by drug use at the time, Oli's vocal performance is the best it's ever been: powerful and genuine. But the whole band are ridiculously tight and bring their A game from start to finish. There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret. is honest, heavy, experimental and undoubtedly interesting -- something the band lose a lot of post There Is A Hell.... This progression for the band is something I wish they'd have explored more, and it's clear that when Jona left the band, this sound died with him.

Essential.

Editions: M̶P̶3̶, CD, V̶i̶n̶y̶l̶

Packaging: Standard Jewel Case.

Special Edition: There wasn't a release that contained any extra tracks, but a CD and T-Shirt boxset was released at the time of its release. It's also worth mentioning the lyric booklet comes as an interesting gatefold.



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user ratings (2602)
3.3
great
other reviews of this album
1 of
  • UO910 (3.5)
    British metalcore act Bring Me the Horizon ride a haphazard and inconsistent path towards ...

    Heroine (3)
    Love it or hate it, it's still good....

    LuminousFire95 (3.5)
    A concept album that features a few good songs but unfortunately falls back to the bland o...

    SAPoodle (3.5)
    Bring Me the Horizon return with their most mature work to date......

  • neurosisxeno (4)
    BMTH tweaks their style with a much more matured Metalcore release....

    Halez (4.5)
    I am the ocean, I am the sea...

    Beauville88 (2.5)
    Bring Me The Horizon display some rays of brilliance on their third full-length, but it’...

    Lykle (4)
    Bring Me The Horizon's new album is an intense roller coaster ride, full of energy and hig...

  • ANewTypeOfPunk (4)
    While most people don't think this bands deserves the light of day, Bring Me The Horizon r...

    ToOCzymMarzysz (4)
    Summarizing, “There Is A Hell…” is maybe not the best album from British band, but s...

    SomeKindOfLove (3)
    Its no Count Your Blessings, but thank god it isnt another Suicide Season....

    Lacerda (1.5)
    Sure, it’s fun for them that they can experiment with their sound. But I’ll be damned ...

  • Myself2me (3)
    You know what to expect from BMTH, Screaming, Breakdowns, and Dark lyrics. And this is wha...



Comments:Add a Comment 
DrGonzo1937
Staff Reviewer
January 11th 2016


18465 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

As always, constuctive criticism welcome guys.

trackbytrackreviews
January 11th 2016


3469 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Lights, plural

MyNameIsPencil
January 11th 2016


6659 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

more like bring me the chorizo



have a pos

Archelirion
January 11th 2016


6594 Comments


Though I disagree with your rating (that said, it's my favourite BMTH release) this review was great, so have a pos :]

Alligator Blood is a brilliant track.

DrGonzo1937
Staff Reviewer
January 11th 2016


18465 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

"Lights, plural"



Shit, I missed it. A load of reivews got wiped yesterday (including mine), so I had to reedit my review and that slipped through the net. haha Cheers tbt.



Thanks guys. @Archelirion yeah, the score is insanely high, but there's so much right with it, and it has high nostalgia for me too. I was debating giving it a 4 on a objective level, but it's my review, so fuck it. haha



ChoccyPhilly
January 11th 2016


13651 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Jeez, I'm really starting to love your review style, even if we don't share the same opinion.

Definite pos :]

Mort.
January 11th 2016


26048 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

posd hard gr8 review man

Sinternet
Contributing Reviewer
January 11th 2016


26762 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I like your little feature at the end with the bonus editions thats really cool and something i might steal if I ever get round to writing another review.



Really isn't my thing, i consider sempiternal to be their best and even then i thought it was average.

Boyproblems
January 11th 2016


238 Comments


I swear i commented on this previously

Sinternet
Contributing Reviewer
January 11th 2016


26762 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

You probably did, a lot of stuff got wiped yesterday because of server migrations apparently.

Boyproblems
January 11th 2016


238 Comments


damn :/

DrGonzo1937
Staff Reviewer
January 11th 2016


18465 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Cheers guys, means a lot. Nice to see people actually seeing a review and respecting it, than negging it because it goes against another opinion. Finding that quite a lot on here as of late, and it's cool.

Boyproblems
January 11th 2016


238 Comments


i dont agree with the rating at all, but i will pos

Mort.
January 11th 2016


26048 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

people you dont need to tell the reviewer you disagree with the rating, its utterly irrelevant to you posing the review



ive always wanted to do a 5 review for Take to the Skies but i know it will be negged to shit which is annoying conidering id probably spend a lot of time on the review so i do justice to my favourite album making it one of my better reviews but ehhhhh

trackbytrackreviews
January 11th 2016


3469 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah the bonus edition parts you do I love

ConcubinaryCode
January 11th 2016


7668 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

A 5 ranking for Take to the Skies? Mort I don't agree with that ranking. Sorrynotsorry

Mort.
January 11th 2016


26048 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

ConcubinaryCode
January 11th 2016


7668 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

But in seriousness you should do it. All you need to do is write it well. This review should be evidence enough that people will pos a good review with that sweet 100,% ratio. Mmm mmm. plus I think a 5 for a nine year old album won't be anywhere as near as controversial as you think.

Mort.
January 11th 2016


26048 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i think you underestimate the strange burning rage some people appear to feel over Enter Shikari but fair enough.

ConcubinaryCode
January 11th 2016


7668 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I probably do but ARE YOU GONNA LET THEM WIN??



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