The long-awaited release of UK-based band Bring Me The Horizon’s seventh studio album is finally over. “POST HUMAN: NeX GEn,” the second album in the “Post Human” era, was released on May 24, 2024. In June, the band first announced its upcoming album to be ready for the world to hear on September 15, 2023. One month before this, lead singer Oli Sykes postponed the album’s release date due to “unforeseen circumstances.” While it is not known for certain, I believe these “unforeseen circumstances” were related to the departure of Bring Me The Horizon’s long-time keyboardist Jordan Fish.
With no concrete date set for “POST HUMAN: NeX GEn,” on May 23 the band surprised fans with the news that the full album would be out the next day. While six of the sixteen tracks had already been released slowly since 2021, the rest of the new content was enough to have fans anxiously waiting for that 24-hour period of anticipation to end.
The band has been working tirelessly on building their “Post Human” storyline and developing meaningful characters and their backgrounds in a post-apocalyptic world. The layers of lore behind Bring Me The Horizon’s beloved songs run deep. Even at the surface, these songs scream passion and careful thought. Now let’s get into the music.
Sprinkled into the album are three “[ost]” tracks, commonly referred to as “Original Soundtrack.” The opener “[ost] dreamseeker,” “[ost] (spi)ritual,” and “[ost] p.u.s.s.-e” all contain combinations of spoken word and instrumental parts. The eerie voices and sounds make you wonder what’s going to come next as they bleed into the songs thereafter. While the addition of these “[ost]” pieces makes for interesting easter eggs for those looking to find clues or information about this thought-out world the band has created, I find them to be filled tracks at the surface. Ranging from 19 seconds to 2:49 minutes, you could guess that they are not traditional songs. But “traditional” has never been a word used to describe this band.
With this album came three new collaborations, all with a variety of taste and sound. Inviting alternative folk artist AURORA onto a song was a bold, but beautiful choice made by Oli Sykes. He said it himself that he knew she had the voice to create the image needed on “liMOusIne.” This Deftones-esque song is slow, serious, and ethereal. The imagery is vivid and dives into addiction and desire. The buildup is impressive and worth the wait. Sykes’ musical judgment is concrete and proves that he knows what he’s doing in this industry. AURORA and Sykes’ vocals mixed like the track was meant to be. Teaming up with American rock band Underoath for “a bulleT w/ my namE On” produced an upbeat anthem celebrating the end of a toxic relationship. The glitchy sound incorporated into the song is a perfect metaphor for two people that just don’t fit. The band has never been known to beat around the bush with pointed lyrics like “Did my back hurt your knife?” Lead singer of Underoath, Spencer Chamberlain, comes in swinging with his unmistakable voice and makes this song that much better. The final collaboration is one to remember. “AmEN!” features Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw. This track immediately hits hard and requires listeners to get on their feet. It is impossible not to picture plumes of fire shooting out of a stage after every verse. “AmEN!” takes a dig at religion with its critiques pointing towards a better world without it. For fans of the earlier Bring Me The Horizon sound, this is the song to love.
In an interview with NME, Oli Sykes discussed all things “NeX GEn” and what it took to create that album. Along the way, Sykes opened up to talk about his experiences with going to rehab and how that affected the album. Sykes revealed that part of the record is a “rehab trilogy.” The trilogy is made up of, “”N/A” (which is the group session), “Lost” (the 1-1 therapy session), and “Strangers” (the takeaway of the whole idea of sharing your pain with other people, because you can’t do it on your own).” These songs explore the human condition and make you want to move. Writing from your own experiences is the perfect way for listeners to relate and make everyone a little less alone in their own human condition. Together, these three songs have 230 million streams on Spotify alone.
Track four, “Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd,” has received mountains of positive feedback. This fast-paced and electric song is about self-reliance and resilience stemming from the war within one’s self. It’s easy to sing and scream along to and understand the lyrics in a way that fits yourself. This song expresses the band’s range incredibly. Oli Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, drummer Matt Nicholls, and bass guitarist Matt Kean prove they are worthy enough to headline world tours and festivals all over the globe.
The album as a whole, as stated by Sykes, is a “battle between light and dark.” Where one track can feel easy, relatable, and calming, the next brings out the rage, anger, and death-defining sadness. Dealing with one’s own human condition is no easy feat, but having this soundtrack in the background makes it worthwhile. The band Bring Me The Horizon continues to amaze and shock listeners and fans alike with their diversity and creativity. This time, utilizing and exploring elements of metalcore, emo, post-hardcore, and hyperpop.
