Artist: Bring Me The Horizon
Album: That’s The Spirit
Genre: Rock
Having cocooned themselves in the studio following a very successful touring cycle for Sempiternal, Bring Me The Horizon have emerged with a new sound and direction that is both challenging and exciting all at once.
That’s The Spirit is very much the point of no return for Bring Me The Horizon. After years spent developing their sound in the worlds of metal and hardcore, the UK-based band have fully embraced the alt-leaning, mainstream rock and roll-inspired sound that was first teased with the release of “Drown” in late 2014. That’s not to say their latest is work isn’t heavy, as it most certainly is, but this time around the heaviness comes in the form of unabashed lyricism and slow-burn anthems that barely resemble anything in the band’s back catalog. Some will no doubt be turned off by the change of direction, but anyone following the band over the last five years should have seen this coming. The writing has been on the walls since “Can You Feel My Heart” premiered, and now the evolution is complete.
Starting with “Doomed,” That’s The Spirit wastes no time embracing the electronics that made Sempiternal unique, adding them with dense layers of vocals and synth music flooding through your speakers well over a minute before a single guitar is heard. Frontman Oli Sykes speaks of being at the end of his rope–a common theme on the record–as he sings “Cut off my wings and come lock me up / Just pull the plug / yeah, I’ve had enough / Tear me to pieces / sell me for parts / You’re all vampires / so you can have my heart.” It’s a powerful message to open any record with, and it sets the bar for songwriting incredibly high for the rest of the album. Fortunately, Sykes and his cohorts are more than up to the challenge.
The intensity of the music and lyricism continues through “Happy Song,” which seems to take cues from Marilyn Manson’s “mOBSCENE” in its use of cheerleader-like backing vocals. It’s clear by this point in the album that Sykes’ signature scream will be limited to only the most dramatic of outbursts on the record, as the mid-tempo track provides ample room for the band to showcase their evolved take on sluggish rock songs, but something about Sykes’ wail keeps you entranced throughout. The music certainly doesn’t hurt, with layer after layer enveloping you in the world of BMTH with no chance of escape.
The slow-burn feel of the early material would wear on you if it was found on every track, but thanks to pitch perfect sequencing That’s The Spirit manages to keep things interesting. “True Friends,” for example, demands radio play from the opening lines. Sykes has always had a knack for writing short and memorable bursts of lyrics, and in this case it’s the chorus that grabs you. It’s the kind of short, ferocious hook that demands repetition, both while listening to the album and in everyday life, with a message that will no doubt spread amongst fans like a wildfire through brush in the height of summer. “Drown,” which appears much later on the record, boasts a similarly infectious quality, all while depicting a less-than-ideal series of events. It’s as if BMTH are at their best when exposing the worst in human nature, and on That’s The Spirit such material can be found on essentially every track.
With all the pessimism highlighted so far in this review it’s important to note that I don’t believe That’s The Spirit to be a pessimistic release. Quite the contrary, actually. Where previous Bring Me The Horizon releases have played like diary entries chronicling Sykes’ own struggles with the world around him in a very self-deprecating fashion, That’s The Spirit turns the focus of the music to life in general. There is no message of hope for the betterment of mankind, but rather a plea to listeners to not let the world get them down. The world owes us nothing, and Sykes recognizes that, so he’s doing the best with what he has been given in spite of whatever comes his way. He’s doing whatever he can to be a better person, but that doesn’t mean the world will give a shit. It never did and never will. The best you can do is be the best you possible, and even then the world is still going to be a place filled with chaos, crime, hate and senseless death. You can make a difference, sure, but if it comes at the cost of your soul then this world is not worth saving.
While I still believe Sempiternal to be the height of Bring Me The Horizon’s exploration of rock’s heavier side, That’s The Spirit is a far more interesting release. It’s rare for any band in the current alternative scene to step even a foot outside of their comfort zone–especially after several increasingly successful albums–but Bring Me The Horizon have found a new path to creative satisfaction and they show no signs of looking back anytime soon. There is still room for growth, but for an initial foray into a world of rock with the potential for mainstream exposure That’s The Spirit could be much, much worse. It’s dense, emotionally tiring, and littered with too many moments of musical brilliance to count. Even if you end up hating everything about BMTH’s new sound, you owe it to yourself to experience this album in full.
SCORE: 8/10
