Band:	Bring Me The Horizon
Album:	Post Human: Survival Horror
Style:	Electronic, Alternative rock
Release date:	October 30, 2020
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Dear Diary,
02. Parasite Eve
03. Teardrops
04. Obey [ft. Yungblud]
05. Itch For The Cure (When Will We Be Free?)
06. Kingslayer [ft. Babymetal]
07. 1x1 [ft. Nova Twins]
08. Ludens
09. One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death [ft. Amy Lee]

This has got to be a fever dream right? A Bring Me The Horizon record that is enjoyable? In 2020?

With a title like Post Human: Survival Horror, I was expecting something that could soundtrack my latest playthrough of Doom or any post-apocalyptic horrorscape game; alas, this is more Duke Nukem Forever than Duke Nukem 3D. While the clickbait album title does sucker you in, Bring Me The Horizon at least make up for it with a surprisingly decent EP that was something I was not expecting from the band at this point in their career.

I was also surprised that Bring Me The Horizon have turned out a relatively heavy record by their latest standards; while it is nowhere near their deathcore roots from the heady Suicide Season days, it is several notches above the likes of Amo and brings the band to a level similar to many of their metalcore peers like Crossfaith. Although it is tame by metal standards, it is not the dalliance with pop that their later career has become. Sure, this album has more electronic components than a Tesla to make Elon Musk jealous, but they serve to complement the music rather than serve as the key hook. Tracks like "Teardrops" and "Obey" see it placed alongside interesting guitar and drum parts rather than being the sole focus.

The album does share one common trait with more non-metal music and that is the heavy utilization of guest spots and collaborations; four of the nine tracks have a featured artist on them, from Evanescence luminary Amy Lee to Yungblud. For those of you out there who thought Bring Me The Horizon couldn't get more annoying, then allow me to break the news to you that the band have collaborated with Babymetal? let that sink in like the Titanic after scraping a few ice cubes. "Kingslayer" is the resulting song and it is actually alright. This seems to be the constant theme throughout the album; sure, it isn't great, but it is fun for what it is and something that is good in the background.

Is the inclusion of so many guest spots a means to compensate for something? In short, no. The band are in strong form and showcase their talents here, in particular vocalist Oli Sykes. As controversial as he is, he turns in a performance that showcases that although he often attracts attention for the wrong reasons, he can back it up when he needs to. He manages to blend both softer and harsher vocals with ease and step into the shoes of a pop singer and metal vocalist with aplomb, often switching between the two in the same song ala "Obey".

Aside from the last track, Post Human: Survival Horror is an enjoyable listen, something that stands up to repeated listens and deeper investigation. From the lyrics on tracks like "Parasite Eve", which takes a thoughtful perspective lyrically regarding the coronavirus, taking swipes at those who are quick to panic and those quick to dismiss everything, to the use of electronics to complement the rest of the music rather than it being the sole focus. I imagine this record will be as divisive as pineapple on pizza on this site (I regret nothing); for those of you who like electronic metal, it will be an enjoyable listen.

As mentioned prior, the closing track should be amputated in short order, with "One Day the Only Butterflies Left Will Be in Your Chest as You March Towards Your Death" (now there's a trope from the emo scene that I had hoped had long been forgotten, the stupidly long song titles) being boring and an underwhelming way to end a record. Where the rest of the record is exciting and full of ideas, the closer seems to be made from the scraps that were pieced together and thrown on the end. While I get what the band were attempting, they pull it off with as little success as a Chris Barnes children's lullaby album would have.

Overall Bring Me The Horizon will at least make themselves contenders for surprise of the year; although it isn't the best album of the year, I was not expecting an album of such quality to come from the band this late in their career. Post Human: Survival Horror is something I would recommend you don't dismiss out of hand due the name of the band, it is worth a listen if you are someone who is partial to the type of music they have been peddling lately.