Review Summary: Change isn't a easy thing to accept, but thanks to some well written lyrics and some genre mashing, Bring me the Horizon have not only released their best album, but one of the most important albums for the music business
Bring me the horizon have always seemed to change with each album. With each change picking up some new fans and keeping most of their old ones as well. After the really solid Sempiternal, they talked about making some changes with their new sound, some really big changes. They hired a fitness coach for concerts and recording, and then released the single Drown to mixed response. Dividing fans who claimed it was to mainstream and not sounding like Sempiternal (or even their heavier sounding past), and others praising the change pace into more alternative rock. I agree with the latter.
Bring me the horizon started out metalcore with there full release Count your Blessings, the transitioned into more deathmetal with Suicide Season. Continuing a little on the deathcore sound with Believe me There's a Heaven (albeit more clean vocals, and melodic choruses thrown in). Then made a pretty big shift with more electronicore/ hard rock (my opinion) with Sempiternal. It's safe to say that they haven't really released the same album ever and always change it up, whether it being slightly or massive. One thing they have managed to keep though is their great, dark, and depressing as all hell lyrics, and that has managed to arrive in that's the spirit.
That's the Spirit helped me a lot with my taste in music and made me more aware of the little great things in music in general. Whether it being some pretty well written lyrics, or having a message or story thrown in each song on this album, it's a classic in my mind. Every song can be relatable whether you're going through tough times or battling addiction, it's a pretty stand out album.
They also throw in a bunch of different genres as well, whether it being the grungy Happy Song, or the radio rock driving Throne, even to the heavily dance influenced Oh No (yes, even with a saxophone solo), they keep throwing different styles of music and I felt it played out really well. The one thing to notice that keeps the album moving and making sure it sounds like it came from the same album, is it's depressing lyrics and issues it chooses to tackle. Oh No may sound like a happy dance song, but it is far from it. It's a song about the terrible addiction one can have on drugs, and how it affects other people around you. Or take even Drown, about someone battling depression and basically asking someone/anyone for help, this is a depressing album. That could be very well why I think it's one of the best albums I've ever listened to.
The lyrics, as mentioned quite a bit in this review, is the huge selling point for me. Every song has quite a few lyrics that are quite unique.
"So let's all sing along, a little goddamn louder to a happy song, and pretend it's all okay"
"You must have made some kind of mistake, I asked for death but instead I'm awake"
It truly has some unsettling lyrics that make the album not an easy listen.
So, is this album gonna be for everyone? No. It's a tough listen because of its darker themes and the fact that it's a really depressing album. Old fans of Bring me the Horizon might (and have been) not enjoy the album at all and tell you not to waste your time. The sound has changed but they have somehow managed to make it sound like a Bring me the Horizon with their style of lyrics and not to mention Oli's great performances on every song. If you haven't taken the time to listen to, I recommend it, but really listen to it and pick up on the themes it's displaying and not to mention all the genres it combines to make one hell of an alternative album. Maybe the best released in quite some time.
Best Songs:
Drown
Doomed
Oh No
