Just looking at the bands’ meteoric rise over the course of their last two studio albums’ ‘That’s The Spirit’ (2015) and 2019’s ‘Amo’ is testament to the fact that the formula is working.
The numbers don’t lie.
For a band that has had abuse hurled at them almost from the day they started, they’ve come further than any UK band, of any genre. An appropriate analogy of their success can be explained like a scene in a movie when the high-school reunion takes place and the kid that everyone made fun of is now successful, confident and kicking all kinds of arse.
So, here we have a new 9-track EP, to which they have released four tracks to date, sparking interest from not only the Rock community but also penetrating the likes of BBC 6, mainstream print all of which, have welcomed the Sheffield natives with open arms and respectful criticism.
Opening up the proceedings, you will find ‘Dear Diary’, an explosive intro that is, without a doubt, one of their heaviest tracks since the days of ‘Sempiternal’ [2013]. [Que the raised eyebrows and nods of approval].
Thundering riffs, laced with abrasive Prodigy/Pendulum style electronics and low-end galloping percussion from Matthew Nicholls provide a chaotic aural background for Oli Sykes, who screams “The Sky is Falling, it’s Fucking Pouring” before Kerry King-style noodling drops in out of nowhere and is gone just as fast as it arrives. In true BMTH style, tempo changeup’s kick in, with more intensity, brutality and unpredictability. Not a bad start.
Next up, ‘Parasite Eve’ presents itself and in the context of the opening track, ‘Dear Diary’, the flow between the two tracks complements each other, by pushing the ethos of the bands’ intentions to set sail into uncharted waters.
Recently released single, ‘Teardrops’ takes 3rd place on the tracklisting, with Sykes showing us just how much he has progressed as a vocalist. His lyrical flow, register, melody and dynamic between clean and screaming, find an equilibrium that is his best work to date. As always, Sykes wears his heart on his sleeve and with ‘Teardrops’, he’s not holding back in the slightest.
‘Obey’ cracks open with its heavy-electronic presence and continues to worm its way into your brain thanks to their ultra-catchy chorus and crunching pulse. The first track on the EP to feature a guest vocalist, ‘OBEY’ sees rising UK sensation Yungblud, complement the track with his raspy high-register, but of course, you’ll be familiar with this track, as it was released back in September to high praise.
Although Jordan Fish’s presence is felt throughout the EP in all aspects, Fish takes centre stage with ‘Itch For the Cure (When Will We Be Free)’ which acts as a prologue of sorts for ‘Kingslayer’. This track is almost a hybrid of what BMTH used to be, where they are now and what they are moving towards, with regards to sound.
Featuring Babymetal’s Suzuka Nakamoto, Sykes trades vocal lines here much like Grimes on ‘Nihilist Blues’, with Suzuka provides that high-register, that Oli works so well with. You’ll find the same vocal cocktail on ‘1×1’ with guest vocals from London duo, ‘Nova Twins’ who together with BMTH, blur the lines between mainstream Pop and punchy, heavy Rock-style transitions.
There is no question that the blueprint here is to push boundaries, explore new sounds with collaborations and a conscious effort to highlight the rising talent that is emerging from the UK (Yungblud, Nova Twins) and as I stated at the start of this review, it’s working!
‘Ludens’ makes its appearance providing itself like the answer to a puzzle that suddenly begins to make sense. Remember when this track came out earlier this year?
It was the bands’ first new music since ‘Amo’ and sparked many opinions (as all of their music does). It was hard to see the bigger picture of what BMTH were doing, but all makes sense now. Fractured, glitchy electronics bursting under super warm, low-end rhythms with skyscraper choruses, and multi-faceted genre cross-pollination.
Closing off this mammoth EP is ‘One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death’, featuring Amy Lee (Evanescence) and as you would expect, it’s a majestic, statement of the bands potential. Almost playing out as a soundscape, Amy’s vocals are spine-chilling and work surprisingly well with Sykes, as they both lead the listener down a dark and thorny path of emotional wounds and little hope before an abrupt ending that leaves the listener almost suspended in a sonic grip.
‘Post Human: Survival Horror’ is by far, one fo the most adventurous releases BMTH have attempted in their unfolding career.
What you are hearing on this record is a band that have found their collective rich vein and are immersed in a confident atmosphere of creativity with absolutely no regard for their haters. Are they big enough to headline the likes of Download Festival etc? You better believe it! The real question is, do THEY want too? 4.5/5
‘Post Human: Survival Horror‘ will be available on October 30th via Sony Music. Pre-order your copy here.
Oran O’Beirne
www.overdrive.ie © 2020
