Bring Me The Horizon ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’ review: well worth the wait

Bring Me The Horizon, it’s fair to say, have never done things by halves. Which is exactly why, when they announced yesterday that POST HUMAN: NeX GEn would arrive at midnight, there was an overwhelming feeling of logical acceptance. This is a band who have defiantly danced to the beat of their earsplitting drums, so a surprise release just made, well, total sense.

After a year of delays, it’s a relief to say that POST HUMAN: NeX GEn is proof that these rock titans still have plenty of gas left in the tank. While the departure of keyboardist Jordan Fish earlier this year may have caused many to wonder if turmoil was around the corner, this record sounds like a band at the top of their game.

Previously unveiled bangers such as ‘Kool-Aid’, ‘DArkSide’ and ‘AMeN’ make more sense in an album context, while there’s even subtle shades of Deftones on several tracks too.

At times, it’s incredibly confessional too – giving Sykes a chance to unload his experiences of addiction. This album, by extension, often feels like we’re being given access to his own therapy sessions. No one’s gonna coma and rescue me / I’m drowning in my sleep”, comes the earnesty of ‘Top 10 Statues That Cried Blood’. Similarly, ‘N/A’ sees him admit “My name’s Oli and I’m an addict”).

Elsewhere, an unexpected collaboration with Norwegian pop titan Aurora on the post-hardcore tinged ‘Limousine’, and Glassjaw’s Daryl Columbo makes a welcome cameo on the pounding ‘DArkSide’.

This album – an unexpected fusion of a dark-night-of-the-soul and all out arena rock – is a welcome triumph. It might be a year later than expected, but it is, all considered, well worth the wait.