POST HUMAN: NeX GEn

by Bring Me the Horizon

Bring Me The Horizon’s latest album, POST HUMAN: NeX Gen, may have faced delays, with singles drip-fed over two years, but it was worth the wait. Once again, the band has evolved its sound, incorporating elements of hyperpop and shoegaze, while infusing a sense of nostalgia with emo-punk vibes, particularly evident in tracks like “Top 10 StaTues.” As the band has previously mentioned, each album in the POST HUMAN series will feature distinct musical styles. While SURVIVAL HORROR leaned more into traditional metal, infused with the intense energy of the Doom (2016) OST, NeX Gen takes a different approach.

The album invites listeners to dive deeper into the lore that Bring Me The Horizon has been crafting. NeX Gen is the second album in the four-part POST HUMAN series, and while the overarching story arc isn’t immediately apparent in the music, there’s a reward for those who dig deeper. Inspired by video game narratives like Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, and Final Fantasy, the band has woven a complex ARG (Alternate Reality Game) into the experience, full of hidden secrets for the dedicated fanbase to discover. Still, even without delving into the lore, the album stands as a monumental work on its own.

Tracks like “DiE4u” and “sTraNgeRs” feel somewhat disconnected from the rest of the album, likely because they were released much earlier. The departure of Jordan Fish during the creation of this album also leaves questions about the direction of the next POST HUMAN installment. Oli Sykes has mentioned that the band was in a creative limbo with Jordan, and changes were necessary. Given Jordan’s pivotal role in pushing the band’s sound forward, it’ll be interesting to see how they evolve without him.

The songs on this album were truly electrifying when performed live during this summer’s festival tour. In my opinion, Bring Me The Horizon is at the peak of their performance abilities right now, with the band sounding incredibly tight and delivering captivating live shows.