Bring Me The Horizon "POST HUMAN: NeX GEn" cover by Alissa Salls.
On May 24 Bring Me The Horizon debuted the long-awaited second installment of the “POST HUMAN” series. This is a follow up to their album “POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR.”
“NeX GEn” is an interesting addition to Bring Me The Horizon’s discography. From deathcore, metalcore and post-hardcore, to their current style of electronic post-hardcore, hyperpop and glitchcore, the band has pushed the boundaries of genre in alternative music.
The band’s departure from traditional metalcore has received mixed reception from fans. This album is more electronic emo with an injection of metalcore. If you go into the album expecting heavier music, you will be disappointed.
This album carries the level of drama that their other works carry. Much of their music feels like it creates a world within itself, which can be heard on “POST HUMAN: NeX GEn.”
The “POST HUMAN” series is a nihilistic reflection on the state of the world, as “POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR” was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. “NeX GEn” carries an existential dread of an increasingly digital and rapidly changing world throughout its 16 tracks.
This is the first album made mostly without Jordan Fish, a longtime band member and producer. Despite the change, the album carries a similar sound and energy to their prior works.
The band continues their tradition of guest artists featured on the album, including AURORA, Lil Uzi Vert, and metalcore veterans Underoath and Glassjaw. This combination of features in itself reflects the diverse soundscape offered in this album.
My favorite tracks from “POST HUMAN: NeX GEn” are “Kool-Aid,” “DArkSide” and “AmEN!” These tracks carry the level of emotion I think is necessitated by the theme of the album and are more metalcore with just enough experimental moments to stay interesting.
This album has sonic similarities to “POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR” and “That’s The Spirit” with songs like “DArkSide” that feature metalcore riffs, catchy choruses and breakdowns.
Lyrically, the album leaves something to be desired. While themes discussed across the tracks include depression, anxiety and substance abuse, it doesn't feel fresh. The lyrics pertaining to mental health particularly feel generic to me.
Songs from the record that I liked the least were “Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd,” “DiE4u” and “n/A.” These tracks feel the most predictable on the record. They are fine songs, just nothing special in my opinion.
A track that stands out in this album is “[ost] p.u.s.s.-e” — a fast-tempo breakcore EDM song with dramatic samples. It offers a newer sound from Bring Me The Horizon, and is unexpected when listening through the album.
The setting and vibe of the album is reminiscent of a videogame, that can feel overdone, like on “Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd.”
I liked the conclusion track “Dig It” with a somber tone to conclude the album that otherwise leans busy pop-punk.
My biggest criticism of Bring Me The Horizon in the past seven years is how they’ve diluted their hardcore side in favor of digestible electronic pop-punk. It is disappointing when you know what they are capable of creating, like their classic record “Sempiternal.”
One could view their ever changing style as a positive, as they are creating experimental genre-bending music. A lot of the current music scene seems to lean more toward the hyperpop and ultra-produced songs rather than raw, breakdown focused music of their “Suicide Season” and “Count Your Blessings” days, so the pivot makes sense to appeal to the current music trends.
Overall, I liked “POST HUMAN: NeX GEn” more than I expected. Barring a couple of songs, the album is enjoyable, clean and well produced. This album could be enjoyed by people who listen to different genres, not just metalcore — because at the end of the day it is not traditional metalcore. I am looking forward to how Bring Me The Horizon continues to evolve in the next installment of “POST HUMAN.”
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