Bring Me The Horizon - 'Post Human: Survival Horror' - EP Review

Bring Me The Horizon are a band of extremes, be it musical, conceptual or just plain behavioural. Nowadays, it's almost impossible to imagine that once upon a time they were just another angsty deathcore band playing at small Sheffield venues. With a career marked with sharp turns and bold decisions, you have to give it to them for always remaining once step ahead of the crowd, and their latest EP/album Post Human: Survival Horror serves as just another example of how fluid and versatile they can be.

Much like their music, people go extreme in their love or hate towards them, be it blind devotion or pure disgust. Yet, without giving a single damn about what anybody thinks, they have been consistently redefining what is good and trendy in contemporary modern metal. Enter Post Human: Survival Horror, the first installment of what is supposed to be a 4-part series of EPs to eventually form their next studio release, and the narrative once again changed completely with Bring Me The Horizon reclaiming a spot on top of the world.

Going back to their early days, there hasn't been a single genre that they meddled in and didn't leave their mark in. To this day Suicide Season (2008) is considered a deathcore classic, There Is A Hell... (2010) pushed the boundaries of modern metalcore, and Sempiternal (2013) completely changed the game, but this is where the elitists call their time of death. However, no matter how many gatekeepers added them to their naughty list, That's The Spirit (2015) and amo (2019) made alt metal relevant again with strong pop and electronic sensibilities, and backed this by consistently smashing chart and sales records.

And just like that, in 2020 Bring Me The Horizon became everyone's sweetheart again almost overnight, with media and YouTube reaction channels jumping on the bandwagon and suddenly appreciating them again. Ever since 'Ludens' dropped out of nowhere, it was ironic that the so called "community" got excited over the potential return of BMTH, and all it took was a breakdown to get the cavemens' approval. Whether they ever left is topic for a longer discussion, but boy did they return in style with Post Human...

Over the course of their peculiar career, BMTH often made great collabs with the likes of Sam Carter (Architects), JJ Peters (Deez Nuts), Josh Scogin (The Chariot, Norma Jean), Josh Franceschi (You Me At Six), Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Halsey, Rahzel, Grimes, now expanding this already impressive list with Amy Lee, Babymetal and Yungblud. However, their biggest and often neglected contribution is not so much the musical risks along the way, but their crucial role in promoting rising artists like Lights, YONAKA, Happyalone., BEXEY, and now pushing newcomers Nova Twins into the spotlight.

An EP with the stature and lenght of a standalone studio release, Post Human: Survival Horror is 9 shades of Bring Me The Horizon, each track going back and forth along their history and highlighting a different mood, pace and direction, for a truly entertaining and genuinely great result. On the heavier side paying homage to their roots, we have the restless lockdown-inspired opener 'Dear Diary,' and the surprising electronicore madness in 'Kingslayer' featuring Babymetal that has naturally become an instant fan favourite.

On the other, there are the more mellow and alternative singles that followed the direction set by 'Ludens' last year. There is 'Parasite Eve' that expectedly became the anthem of the pandemic, regardless of whether it was a masterful marketing move or just an extremely meaningful coincidence, and the jumpy synth-led 'Obey' collab with Yungblud that featured some of the finest vocal partnerships, not to mention the demonic growls at the end.

Naturally, BMTH stayed true to their newer horizons and included the likes of 'Teardrops' that is a subtle homage to Linkin Park, especially put in an EP that also contains the interlude 'Itch for the Cure'. Similarly, there is the nu/alt metal anthem '1x1' that is easily one of the higlights of the entire record, and a perfect introduction to Nova Twins. And then we end with a gentle balad with one of those BMTH-signature endless titles, and the extremely fitting vocal addition of the one and only Amy Lee.

Say what you want, Bring Me The Horizon have arguably done it again, coming out from the shadows with a record that is both forward-thinking and brave, and somehow retrospective and nostalgic. The 4-part Post Human album project does sound like a long and extensive saga, and I am almost 100% sure there will be more surprising twists and turns to pop, rock, punk and anything inbetween that will surely upset the masses yet again. However, as far as its opening chapter goes, Survival Horror is hands down the best EP of 2020.

Bring Me The Horizon - Post Human: Survival Horror (EP)

Country: England, UK

Released: 30 October 2020

Label: Sony Music / RCA

Tracklisting:

1. "Dear Diary,"

2. "Parasite Eve"

3. "Teardrops"

4. "Obey" (with Yungblud)

5. "Itch for the Cure (When Will We Be Free?)"

6. "Kingslayer" (featuring Babymetal)

7. "1x1" (featuring Nova Twins)

8. "Ludens"

9. "One Day the Only Butterflies Left Will Be in Your Chest as You March Towards Your Death" (featuring Amy Lee)