Bring Me The Horizon - That's The Spirit (Record Review)

Basically, throughout the first listening of the new record, you'll be asking yourself the same questions: "Is this still BMTH?"

The answer is, yes. Well, obviously. But it's simply such a typical thing you can expect from a big part of the audience. Whenever bands release a new record that differs immensely from their previous music, people will roar up with things such as: "I want |insert band name| back! What is this?! This is not them anymore!"
Sorry to disappoint, but that is literally them. The same people making music together and releasing it to the world because they're proud of what they've created. Just think of it as a new evolution. Think of them as Pokémon. Go from Magikarp to Gyarados, it's not like you expected that dull little orange fish to turn into this huge monster, did yah? (this is not a direct reference ... obviously they weren't dull before) Or ... go for Eevee. Depending on what stone you give it, you'll get a completely new development.

Anyway, this certainly is a whole new chapter musically for these British guys and it's gonna raise a lot of controversy in their fanbase, that's for sure.

Considering their song releases previous to the record, you could already shape the whole thing in your head pretty well. It's exactly what you expected, probably, if you followed them up to this release. A lot of songs have the same vibe and it certainly got a good ounce more pop. Pretty sure that Happy Song is their heaviest track on the album.

Is it weird? Surely.
Is it bad? Not at all.

Of course, not everybody will be into their new style, but to dismiss it because they took a different turn would be a foolish thing to do.

Personally, I do like the path into the pop/electronica direction, but I would've liked it a little more driven and pumped. The strongest aspect of That's The Spirit, to me, are the lyrics. While it's instrumentally new and fresh for them, there's not much that stands out in particular. But, e.g., Throne is such a strong and powerful song, despite its relatively redundant music. Yeah, yeah, we all got it now, we knot it. It sounds like Linkin Park. It's still a rad song.

Catch the guys on tour later this year, together with PVRIS and Neck Deep (UK only), and Beartooth (Europe only). If you miss this phenomenal line up, then ... well ... you're missing out big time.

Check their site for more info and ticket links.

Overall: 7/10

Favorite track(s): Happy Song, Blasphemy

Cheerio xx

Bring Me The Horizon - Sempiternal (Record Review)

To begin with, I admit that I used to be one of those people who refused to listen to BMTH due to all the prejudices about them back in the days. No song that I heard around that time was really for me. Sadly, those prejudices got verified to me when I saw them live at Rock am Ring 2011 and wasn't impressed with their live performance, whatsoever.

But, almost a year ago in a club in the UK, Sleepwalking was playing and when I asked about the artist to find out that it was by them, I was a little taken aback, to be completely fair. Ever since then, having matured with my taste in music and generally, I#ve noted it down in my mind to check them out properly again and give them another chance.

Now, duringone of my nightshifts the other day, Sleepwalking got played again and reminded me of the face of not having listened to that album still, so here we are finally.

Can You Feel My Heart is a perfect choice as an intro, showing the more melodic side of BMTH and introducing the new sound fairly well. It's not an instant kick in the face and an all balls to the wall banger, which is rather refreshing. The House of Wolves has me interested as long as the verses are going. The rather uncreative 'brick by brick' chanting irritates me, if anything, as well as the weak chorus in comparison to the raging verses. Empire instantly has me moving again with it's crawling intro which leads to this anthem-like tack and the chanting chorus' and rhythm-drenched verses. Definitely especially dig the drums in this one. Sleepwalking is not so much a stand-out track of the record and rather drowns in it, but due to its personal meaning and emotional weight it carries, it still pulls me in. If that wasn't the fact with that track specifically, it'd be a bit more average. Go To Hell has no special spark to it instrumentally, but lyrically is very strong and keeps me curious listening. Shadow Moses leans into the heavier side again then, but sadly is too repetitive with its lyrics for me. As And The Snakes Start To Sing kicks in, I'm really enjoying the laid back and realxed atmosphere it creates, yet, the lyrics, again, are way too repetitive to me and sadly have me lose my attention towards the end. Seen It All Before doesn't really make a difference there either, resembling its previous track a bit too much. Due to all this, I'm more than glad that I get ripped right back into the record by my knickers with Antivist. It probably being the most anger fueled and powerful track on the record, it really makes you rage through a mosh pit that seizes the size of the whole floor room at Wembley. As Crooked Young starts, I really feel like I'm on a rollercoasted with continoue ups and downs throughout this record. My opinion on the album keeps continuing to look like a sinus curve and it rises a little more due to the lyrics which gets damned again though by the shorus slowing the whole thing down again. With Hospitals Of Sould, I, once more, enjoy the lyrics more than the instrumental parts. I've never been a fan of spoken pieces in a song, unless they're done really, really well.

It seems like the lyrical strength and the instrumental power often don't find their way into the same song here.

Favorite track(s): Empire & Antivist

Overall: 7/10

Cheerio xx